Introduction to Oral History in Sensitive Contexts

Introduction to Oral History in Sensitive Contexts&nbsp;is a four-part&nbsp;workshop series presented by the Boston Public Library (BPL) and the After Violence Project (AVP), in partnership with Queens Memory. These workshops aim to equip participants with ethical, effective strategies for conducting oral history interviews with communities who might require specialized consent and confidentiality practices due to experiences of trauma, marginalization, or identity-based targeting. Whether participants are recording family histories or envisioning larger public interview projects, the series moves beyond the goal of documentation alone to consider how consent and trust can shape more thoughtful, responsible methods of preserving critically important histories. Workshop Descriptions: Introduction to Oral History and Relationship-Building in Sensitive Contexts (Thursday, March 5, 2026) Learn about the foundations of oral history, which is a method of collecting and preserving histories through recorded interviews with people about their personal memories and experiences. Together, we will explore why context and relationships matter, and how trust, consent, and care shape the interview process and, relatedly, the stories that are shared. Ethical Consent &amp; Confidentiality in Oral History (Thursday, March 12, 2026) Gain hands-on experience creating customized oral history project descriptions and consent forms to share with potential oral history interviewees, with an emphasis on embedding ongoing consent protocols throughout the project development process. Trauma-Informed Interviewing (Thursday, March 19, 2026) Learn about trauma-informed approaches to oral history and interviewing in sensitive contexts, including examinations of how trauma can influence memory, storytelling, and recall in oral history interviews, and how interviews can be structured to respond accordingly. Practical Skills &amp; Scenarios (Thursday, March 26, 2026) Engage in role-playing exercises to develop oral history interview questions and conduct mini interviews alongside a group of experienced oral historians and educators from the Boston Public Library (BPL), the After Violence Project (AVP), and Queens Memory. About the Facilitator: The&nbsp;<a href="https://afterviolenceproject.org/">After Violence Project</a>&nbsp;is a community-based archive that fosters deeper understanding of the impacts of state violence on individuals, families, and communities. Their mission is to build power with directly impacted communities. Hannah Whelan (she/her) has held archivist roles at the After Violence Project and other community-based archives, and works as a consultant on human rights archive projects involving written and oral records released through litigation with the U.S. government or Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests. Hannah holds a Master’s degree in Library and Information Science from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), and a Bachelor’s degree in World Literature and Cultural Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC). About the Co-Host:&nbsp; <a href="https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.queensmemory.org%2F&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cdklein%40bpl.org%7C963198ff5ec741263d4c08de5eb08b30%7Cfa735c71d7954c01b0ae09fa7415b2b1%7C0%7C0%7C639052309524582001%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=EbKVflUBHjr76iJnVTAGQBtU51B2FP6J4AVGB30fvTk%3D&amp;reserved=0">Queens Memory</a>&nbsp;is an ongoing community-led archiving program supported by Queens Public Library and Queens College, CUNY. Their goal is to raise awareness and a sense of ownership in the production of our shared historic record and empower the public to record and preserve the stories of their neighborhoods, families, and communities. Follow them at&nbsp;<a href="https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Finstagram.com%2Fqueensmemory&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cdklein%40bpl.org%7C963198ff5ec741263d4c08de5eb08b30%7Cfa735c71d7954c01b0ae09fa7415b2b1%7C0%7C0%7C639052309524620114%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=JTcRLsj0vOOUM5HJHQxs8iUPTBTmSYamb1VJNU6vYIs%3D&amp;reserved=0">@queensmemory</a>.

Online

BPL Community History Department

S22: conversations

Wondering what to do in Boston? Places to eat? Free activities? Good for a group? Date night spot? Girls night out? The best things to do? Ask Joyraft!

Best places to go in Boston? Things to do? Places to eat?

Questions & answers about things to do in Boston

Recs 💬

Community recs 💬

S4: top picks

The most fun, cool and unique things to do in Boston. Can’t miss events, shows and experiences. Concerts, restaurants, bars, free things in Boston and beyond.

The most fun and cool events happening around Boston

Hot and new things to do in Boston

Hot & new

Hot & new 🔥

S11: happening this weekend

What to do in Boston this weekend? From festivals, concerts, performances, free events, screenings and more, Joyraft has the best things to do in Boston.

25+ things to do in Boston/Cambridge/Somerville this weekend

Things to do in Boston this weekend

This wknd

This weekend for you

S21: roundups

Our top picks: outdoor dining, free events, spring festivals, best bars, upcoming concerts, museum parties - the latest in and around Boston.  Slug: joyraft-top-picks-best-things-to-do-boston-ma

Top picks of the best things to do in and around Boston

Joyraft picks: Boston’s best things to do

Roundups ⭐️

Curated by Joyraft ⭐️

S28: calendar experiences

This week in Boston

This week in Boston 📆

This week 📆

S20: c+d experiences

Discover new, unique events and experiences happening in and around Boston. Perfect for date night, good for a group or with a friend. Be the first to know.

The newest events happening in and around Boston

The newest events on Joyraft

Just added

Just added to Joyraft

S16: editor picks

The most unique and can’t miss things coming up in Boston / Cambridge / Somerville and beyond. Festivals, food, drinks, fairs, concerts, art and free activities.

Unique and Can’t Miss Things to Do in Boston

Can’t-miss things to do in Boston 🚨

Can't-miss things to do 🚨

S2 (A): top experiences

The most popular things to do on Joyraft. Concerts, restaurants, bars, events, parties, openings, kid friendly, date ideas, free things in Boston and beyond.

Top 20 things to do in Boston

Top 20: Joyraft’s most popular

Top 20

Top 20 on Joyraft

S3 (A): trending experiences

Discover can’t miss events and things to do in Boston. The most fun, unique and cool events coming to the Boston area this spring and summer.

The hottest events happening in Boston

Trending events on Joyraft

Trending 📈

S19: interest based

Kid-friendly events in Boston

S18: interest based

Where to eat and drink in Boston? Joyraft has Boston’s newest bars, restaurants and specials. Drinks and pre fixe dinner menus. Cambridge & Somerville too.

Boston Bars and Restaurants: Events and Openings

Food & drink experiences in Boston

Food & drink experiences 

Where

Introduction to Oral History in Sensitive Contexts

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