The Oral History Association invites nominations for its 2017 Annual Awards. In 1993, the Oral History Association established a series of awards to recognize outstanding achievement in oral history. The awards include:
Doug Boyd presents the 2016 Elizabeth B. Mason award, small project, to Roger Gatchet
The purpose of the OHA Article Award is to recognize a published article or essay that uses oral history to make a significant contribution to contemporary scholarship; and/or significantly advances understanding of important theoretical issues in oral history; and/or is an outstanding example of sound oral history methodology.
The purpose of the Book Award is to recognize a published book that uses oral history to make a significant contribution to contemporary scholarship; and/or significantly advances understanding of important theoretical issues in oral history; and/or is an outstanding example of sound oral history methodology.
The purpose of the Elizabeth B. Mason Project Award is to recognize outstanding oral history projects. There are two awards given: one for small projects and one for major projects. The awards will not be given to an ongoing project or oral history program, although they may be given to a distinct project or interview series within such a program.
The Martha Ross Teaching Award recognizes a distinguished primary or secondary school teacher or professional involved in educational outreach at the precollegiate level who has incorporated the practice of oral history in the classroom in an exemplary way.
Oral History in a Non-Print Format
This award was established to recognize a film, video, performance pieces, radio program or series, exhibition, or drama that makes significant and outstanding use of oral history to interpret an historical event, person, place, or way of life. In recent years, this category has expanded to recognize digital projects including podcasts, mobile applications, and other products.
Stetson Kennedy Vox Populi (Voice of the People) Award
This designation recognizes individuals and organizations for outstanding achievement in using oral history to create a more humane and just world. Nominees may include those who use oral history as a means of furthering social justice as well as those collecting oral histories of social justice advocates. The award is named in honor of Stetson Kennedy, a pioneer oral historian whose work has been an important tool for advocacy on behalf of human rights. His work has also had a significant, continuing impact on the oral history movement itself. The Vox Populi Award was created to recognize work that has made this kind of difference in the world, while advancing our sense of the power of oral history in the process.
All nominations are due April 14, 2017. Award recipients will be announced in July of 2017 and the awards will be presented at the 2017 Annual Meeting in Minneapolis, Minnesota, October 4-7.
