VOICES OF
FREEDOM
Oral History Interviews with Veterans While face-to-face interviewing is the gold standard for oral history, it sadly possesses no immunity in a world turned upside down by a pandemic; however, technology makes the forced transition to virtual interviewing relatively seamless. With such technology, students can transcend pandemic barriers and make an impact by connecting and listening to others, no matter where they are physically located. Few understand this concept as intently as EKU Veterans Studies’ (VTS) founder Travis Martin, VTS instructor Peter Beres, and EKU Oral Historian Neil Kasiak, who recently collaborated to create and pandemic-proof an ongoing oral history experience. The trio’s approach gives VTS students the opportunity to capture the perspectives of a wide range of American military service members (active, retired, and reservists), despite pandemic complications. In order to successfully complete the assignment, VTS students research the craft of oral history, then identify veterans in their home communities and conduct interviews with family members, friends, co-workers, and neighbors who served. The resulting interviews are donated to Eastern’s William H. Berge Oral History Center to form the Veterans Studies Collection, which boasts more than 275 recently archived oral history interviews with veterans of the United States Armed Forces. Through this collaborative experience, students not only document the issues faced by more than 18 million veterans in American society, but also serve an active role in the healing process for combat veterans. New interviews will be collected each semester, continually adding voices to the difficult dialogue between the Veterans who serve the United States and a citizenry that frequently misunderstands military life. Be a part of the meaningful conversation and see how EKU students from across the country are making a difference in their communities, contributing to posterity, and bringing forth voices of service by visiting the Collection Collection link: oralhistory.eku.edu/collections/show/127. To volunteer for an interview or to get involved in collecting alongside VTS students, contact Neil Kasiak 859-622-2820 or neil.kasiak@eku.edu.
10
Photos (from top to bottom): Jimmy Taylor Photograph Collection, unidentified soldier, 1960s; Jimmy Taylor Photograph Collection, unidentified soldier, 1960s; EKU Photograph Collections, Remembrance Day National Roll Call at EKU, 2011; Walter J. Binder Papers, WWI soldiers hanging laundry, 1918