Oral history is a discipline and method
within history, that consists primarily of the recorded interviewing of those who
experienced certain historical events first-hand by a trained historian.
Oral history, unlike documentary research,
brings the researcher into contact with living, breathing human beings. Their knowledge is
the object of value. By working with living informants, oral history researchers help to
create lasting documents of the subject under study, whether it be vanishing ways of life
or important social movements.
Persons who have recollections
and experiences of Pennsylvania State Police events and volunteer to share their spoken
memories with one of our trained interviwers.
Yes, you can put restrictions on any part of
your interview, and none of the restricted information will be used in any way without
your permission. In fact, at the end of the interview, our interviewer will ask you to
sign a Legal Release form that gives us permission to make use of the recorded materials,
and will state the restrictions you require, that is, in what ways it may and may not be
used.
Interviews are kept in an archive, with
others, for future use in research on topic. If you put restrictions on the use of your
interview, none of the information will be used in any way without your permission.
We welcome individuals that wish to
volunteeer as an oral history interviewer and we will train you at absolutely no cost to
you. For more information, please contact the Pennsylvania State Police Historical,
Educational & Memorial Center (717) 534-0565.... Visit our Oral
History Training Page for more information.
