The History Makers

Sandra Ford Johnson and Amy Billingsley with
Dr. Charles Branham
The HistoryMakers Training Summit
As a part of its efforts to
regionalize its interviewing
initiative, The HistoryMakers
hosted a Training Summit
from January 6, 2004 to
January 10, 2004, bringing
together potential
interviewers, videographers
and other industry experts
from New York City,
Washington, D.C., San Francisco, Cleveland and Atlanta.
The first day of the Summit featured members of The
HistoryMakers staff speaking about their various
responsibilities, plans for 2004 and how the regions would be
expected to interface with the Chicago headquarters. On
Wednesday, January 7th, Professor Erin McCarthy of
Columbia College of Chicago, Professor Michael
Frisch of Buffalo-SUNY College and Executive Director
Julieanna Richardson spoke on oral history as a discipline
and how the interviews differ from journalistic and
documentary interviews. In the afternoon, the interviewers’
skills were tested while videographers trained on The
HistoryMakers’ technique for videotaping oral histories.
Michael Frisch also displayed the Randforce Associates’ demo
CD-ROM showing his searchable database using The
HistoryMakers archives.
The third day of the Summit featured practice interviews.
Historian Dr. Charles Branham lectured on the history of
African American political involvement in Chicago. He also
served as a test interview subject. In the evening Dr.
Christopher Reed spoke on his research of African
American involvement in Chicago. Friday, January 9th focused
on transcription, interviewing techniques and practice
interviews. Historian Timuel Black and Dr. June Patton
shared the luncheon speaker’s platform with Patton speaking
of her research on women’s history including the Daughters
of the Revolution movement (1895-1920) to establish
“Mammy Memorials” throughout the United States. Black, a
trained oral historian, presented the findings of his recently
released book, Bridges of Memory. Published by Northwestern
University Press, Bridges of Memory tells the stories of three
generations of African Americans in Chicago. Black
interviewed over 300 people while conducting his research.
The Summit concluded on Saturday, January 10th, with a
review of special production techniques, hands-on use of the
Carnegie-Mellon University digital archive demo and
interviews with each participant outlining plans for their
region.
The HistoryMakers would like to thank the Palmer House
Hilton for providing lodging for attendees and Joan Bariffe
for providing catering.
HistoryMakers fourth annual Black History Month program.
On February 17, 2004, The HistoryMakers, in collaboration with
the Illinois Humanities Council, Columbia College’s Center for
Black Music Research and the City of Chicago’s Chicago
Cultural Center, presents Sounds of Experience, marking The
Sounds of Experience features four Chicago-area HistoryMakers
representing four different music genres: Lonnie Brooks (blues),
Don Porter (doo-wop), Eldee Young (jazz), and Regina
Baiocchi (classical). Rosita Sands, project consultant for Sounds
of Experience starts the evening off with a discussion of the
importance of music in the history of Chicago. The four
panelists will discuss the impact of music on their lives and the
program will conclude with a question and answer session
followed by a reception.
Sounds of Experience is being held in the Claudia Cassidy
Theater of the Chicago Cultural Center.
12 The HistoryMakers Winter 2004
From left to right:Regina Baiocchi (classical), Lonnie Brooks (blues), Don Porter (doo-wop), and Eldee Young (jazz)