Oral History

Part 1

Recording oral history is an essential methodology for preserving original, historically valuable information about the personal recollections of people in our community. Interviewing our citizens from all walks of life preserves their unique voices, their rich memories growing up, the changes they have witnessed and the struggles they have endured. In our opinion, it’s an underutilized tool that can be used to engage and to interact with family members, friends, and neighbors through rich conversations about their lives. Oral history is nothing less than the generational transfer of how we’ve lived and learned and struggled and succeeded. Oral history can be used in a variety of ways: families interviewing their elders; academics studying historical trends; public school students investigating how their neighborhoods have changed by reading the oral histories of their neighbors, past and present.

-------  Continue from Home Page  -----------

The BMFSL Foundation wants to make oral history a centerpiece of its ambitious work in Boston and across the nation. We want to create opportunities for Black citizens to document its rich history, to honor its significant accomplishments, to feel proud about its gifted and charismatic leaders, and to highlight its perseverance and resolve in tackling its most intractable problems with courage and determination. We also will explore the shared past and legacies with our Jewish and faith partners and the comradery that existed for basic quality of life issues, laws and rights deserved by all American citizens. In this way, we know that Black citizens will feel real pride for where they live and will appreciate the commitment of its neighbors to work relentlessly to create a better life for themselves. We believe that this sense of pride will encourage our Black citizens in Boston to see the benefit of participating in the electoral process because, as history tells us, lasting change only happens when the communities in Boston actively participate in the vote and perhaps, more importantly, leaders know that.

Part 2

Colleges and Universities across the country are educating students enrolled to become future leaders on issues, policies and laws that will impact their lives for success or possible failure. Courses are being taught about struggles that lie ahead for the future existence of all races, cultures, genders, and religions in the world. Not all Black individuals has seen academia as a support system that can guide individuals, families, or communities to lead successful personal and professional lives and careers. Let’s face it, Black people choose not to vote because they don’t trust government as a user- friendly vehicle. This impacts every Black person from infancy to their golden years. The BMSFL Foundation will work in partnership will several institutions of higher learning to facilitate monthly discussions between academics and interested Blacks about their

progression or demise if things do not change. There are many bright Black people with post graduate degrees and others with decades of professional experience that have “checked out” of the fight of Black progress. We need to engage the entire community in this fight for Black love and voting. Black people must create a level playing field. Presenters won’t be the same talking faces the Black community is so often accustomed to seeing and hearing. Presenters will be bold in their conversations which will make for exciting banter and engagement with our audiences. It is time for Black individuals to merge with bright academics and allies and trust their data that will assist us in moving forward as a national community.