RETIRED-COURSE: LGBTQ History
Learn about local queer history from the folks who paved the way and help preserve their stories. Our community partner is the Gay and Lesbian Archives of the Pacific Northwest (GLAPN). Help GLAPN save our history by doing an oral history/interview of an elder member of the community. GLAPN selects the folks students will interview. Students will work in pairs for the interview. Before the interview, students will learn about local queer history including anti-gay ballot initiatives, early gay-rights groups, and social groups. Students will also examine original sources (such as old newspapers, fliers, newsletters, etc.) and discuss the advantages and disadvantages of using oral histories and original sources to save local queer history.
Capstone goals are the following:
(1) To engage students in community involvement.
(2) To provide students with a meaningful service-learning opportunity.
(3) To further the mission of GLAPN by donating archive-ready oral histories and other documents to the GLAPN collection.
Final product: Three hard copies of the transcription; one for GLAPN, one for the person the student interviewed, one copy for the instructor. Email the WORD file of the transcription to the instructor. Also, turn in one copy (on a disc) of the audio file of the interview for GLAPN. Give a five-minute presentation to GLAPN during the final class about your experience doing the oral history and what was learned. Depending on the person being interviewed and the topics you cover, the interview should last a minimum of one hour and a maximum of two hours. Students will work in pairs - two students interview one person. Students must transcribe the entire interview. It may take 5 to 8 hours to transcribe one hour of the interview. Once you have completed the transcription, have the person you interviewed review it and then make any necessary changes.
