Every Badger remembers their time on campus a little differently. Some reminisce about a favorite campus tradition or late night at the library. Others recall student activism or a professor who changed the course of their lives. Those personal memories are part of the university’s history, too, and Troy Reeves has spent his career making sure they aren’t forgotten.
As UW–Madison’s distinguished oral historian and head of UW Archives’ Oral History Program, Reeves helps people document their experiences and preserve them for future generations. The collection includes more than 2,600 interviews and 5,500 hours of audio. But a good oral history is about more than nailing down dates and details.
“I’m interested in those facts,” Reeves says, “but what I’m really interested in is the story behind them.”
If you’re thinking about recording a family member’s memories, interviewing a fellow Badger, or documenting your own experiences, Reeves has five tips to help you get started with oral history.
Do your homework.
Before the interview, research your narrator and the topic you’d like to explore, then arrange a preliminary conversation to explain your project and find out what they’d like to share. They might flag something they’d rather not discuss or bring up a memory or experience you hadn’t thought to ask about.
“The work of the oral historian is like the work of the historian,” Reeves says. “You need to do your research.”
Ask for the story behind the fact.
Start with the basic questions, but don’t stop there. If someone tells you when they arrived at UW–Madison, ask what brought them here. Reeves might follow up with, “Can you describe your journey to get here?”
Ask about decisions, memorable experiences, favorite professors, and campus hangouts. Everyday details can reveal just as much as major historical events.
Keep poking, gently.
An oral history interview shouldn’t feel like a questionnaire. Listen closely to what your narrator says, and don’t be afraid to follow up.
If someone says they chose the UW because it was “nearby,” Reeves might simply repeat the word: “Nearby?” Or he might ask what “nearby” meant to them.
“I want them to know that I’m curious about as much of the story as they’re willing to tell me,” Reeves says.
But curiosity has limits. Sometimes, Reeves says, you simply aren’t going to get everything. If someone isn’t comfortable discussing something, respect that and move on.
Set yourself up to listen.
Whether you’re using a smartphone or a digital audio recorder, test it before the interview and make sure you have enough battery life and storage.
Reeves generally keeps interviews to about 45 to 50 minutes because he knows his ability to listen starts to fade around the hour mark. It’s often better to schedule another conversation than to push through when you’re no longer giving someone your full attention.
“A good listener should be listening with ears, eyes, brain, heart,” Reeves says.
Stay in the moment.
Reeves says oral history comes down to “two living human beings interacting,” so his biggest piece of advice for anyone conducting an interview is simple:
“Be present. Be curious.”
