The Oral History Program uses in-depth interviews to document the history of the National Park Service (NPS), the experiences of its people, and the stories of communities and persons associated with parks and historic events. It also works to improve oral history practices in the NPS through training, webinars, and making oral history resources available to NPS staff and partners.
What is Oral History?
Oral history is both a field of study and a way to gather and preserve the voices and memories of people and communities. It's the oldest way of passing on history and cultural traditions, predating written language. Today, through the use of continually evolving technologies, it's also one of the most modern ways of preserving experiences and memories.
NPS Photo. May 2016
Why does the National Park Service conduct oral history interviews?
Oral histories are important for understanding why things happened and how past experiences and traditions are remembered. History is made by people and their stories are among the most valuable resources that the NPS preserves and protects for future generations.
The NPS has a rich tradition of oral history. For almost 100 years it has used in-depth interviews to document the history of the agency and to:
- preserve the experiences and memories of NPS staff
- capture the history of individual parks and programs
- record peoples' memories of historic places and events
- preserve the stories and traditions of diverse cultures within the United States
- record the history of communities associated with national parks
- document how humans shape and are shaped by different environments
Besides documentation and preservation, the NPS uses oral histories in many ways. Interviews enrich interpretive and educational programs and museum exhibits, bring digital place-based stories to audiences outside the parks, educate new generations of NPS leaders, aide in historic research, help parks manage their resources and facilities, and provide valuable insight into past issues with managing parks and their resources.
Oral histories are also invaluable sources of information for NPS staff and partners undertaking various studies and plans such as: Administrative Histories, Archeological Research, Cultural Landscape Reports, Ethnographic Studies, Historic Resource Studies, Management Plans, Park National Register Documentation, and Special History Studies.
Where can I learn more about Oral History in the NPS?
The best place to start is the NPS Oral History Subject Site. This comprehensive site, managed by the Oral History Program, contains the Directory of Oral History in the National Park Service, oral history recordings (both audio and video) and transcripts, articles, podcasts, oral history examples, best practices and guidance, resources, and webinar training videos.
The Subject Site also has information about the NPS Oral History Collection which is maintained by the the Harpers Ferry Center for Media Services in Harpers Ferry, West Virginia.
Jump to oral histories:
NPS Oral History Transcript Collections
NOTE: To read transcripts in the collections, click on a collection, click on a document, and then click the downward-pointing white Download Arrow. A document must be downloaded first in order to access the complete transcript.
Individual NPS Oral History Transcripts
Last updated: February 9, 2023