Publication Date
2015
Abstract
The massive compilation of oral histories of formerly enslaved African Americans by the Federal Writers Project, was an ambitious project. This case study raises questions surrounding the Collection’s provenance within its socio-political framework and its enduring legacy.
Additionally, this examination pursues areas of cultural knowledge production cited within the narratives, that merit further study. A discussion surrounding the conscious or unconscious, outcome of archival practice, and its ability to shape our historical record is the goal of this investigation.