Sarah Elizabeth Hickman is serving as Graduate Coordinator for the Hurricane Katrina Oral History Project. You can reach Sarah Elizabeth at the Gore Center - 615-898-2632 or by email seh2r@mtsu.edu.
|
Narrating Hurricane Katrina Through Oral History |
| With financial support from Executive Vice President and
Provost Dr. Kaylene Gebert, the Gore Center has embarked on a new project
to document the "Katrina diaspora." When Hurricane Katrina
struck the Gulf Coast on August 29, it soon became apparent that this
event would go on record as one of the worst natural disasters in American
history. The hurricane forced the evacuation of hundreds of
thousands of people, some of whom may never be able to return to their
homes. Dispersed across the United States, these evacuees are being
referred to as the "Katrina diaspora." Several hundred
people relocated to Middle Tennessee, either temporarily or permanently,
including approximately 50 college students who transferred to MTSU.
In addition, many MTSU students, faculty, and staff are from the affected
regions or have immediate family living there. Furthermore, hundreds
of people from Middle Tennessee have traveled to the Gulf Coast as
volunteer responders. It is the goal of this project to create a
documentary record of the experiences of as many of these people as
possible through the medium of oral history.
A committee of faculty and staff was organized to develop this project as a service learning opportunity for students. The committee includes Dr. Rebecca Conard (History), Dr. Kevin Smith (Sociology/Anthropology), Dr. Ida Fadzillah (Sociology/Anthropology), Deana Raffo (Service Learning Director), Dr. Lorne McWatters (History), Dr. Ronald Kates (English), Dr. Virginia Dansby (Psychology), Lucinda Cockrell (Center for Popular Music) and Dr. Lisa Pruitt (History and Gore Center). Approximately two dozen students, both undergraduate and graduate, will be conducting interviews. The Institutional Review Board governing human subjects research has granted approval to the project. On October 12, Dr. Rebecca Conard led a three-hour training session for all students who will be conducting interviews. Others who provided training included Martin Fisher, audio engineer for the Center for Popular Music, Dr. Virginia Dansby, and Dr. Lisa Pruitt. If you know of someone we should contact regarding an interview, please let us know!
|
Sarah Elizabeth Hickman is serving as Graduate Coordinator for the Hurricane Katrina Oral History Project. You can reach Sarah Elizabeth at the Gore Center - 615-898-2632 or by email seh2r@mtsu.edu.
|
|