Oral Histories

https://library.biblioboard.com/anthology/28fd5bd2-49d5-4491-8dc6-9b9730b6399b/collections/masonry

I discovered a treasure trove.

In the early 1970s, faculty at ENMU along with members of the community began recording oral histories of people who had lived in Roosevelt County for over fifty years. The collection can be accessed from the library’s website and through the free biblioboard app.

I’ve listened to several hours of local stories, always hoping that I’ll hear a familiar one. It is exhilarating to hear the voices of people I feel like I’ve come to know. The reality is that I have imagined most of what I know based on government documents and a handful of second-hand stories. It’s an odd feeling, at times unsettling.

Unpacking

The Writing Home Project really began when Mom and I met at Grandma’s house and I started asking questions about our family’s history. I’d heard stories about her childhood and my mom’s childhood, but I was curious about generations further back. Grandma brought out two small suitcases that had belonged to her mother. The cases were filled with letters, maps, recipes, genealogical records, and even a lock of hair. I was fascinated; Mom less so. I sifted through the contents, asking Grandma what she could remember about each person, place, and thing. When I packed up the suitcases later in the night, she said, “Take those with you if you think you’ll ever do anything with them.” It’s been over a decade, but I’m finally doing something with them.