Baby Boomer Oral History Project

 

“When an Elder dies, it’s like a library has burned to the ground.”

This proverb (possibly African in origin) is a powerful reminder of the importance of preserving invaluable knowledge collected through life experience, especially knowledge of a place and the way a community has changed over a lifetime.

The Westport Historical Society has gathered many oral histories over the years. Inspired by the archive created in 1976 for the Bicentennial and to mark the 250th anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence, as well as the work of Betty Slade and Claude Ledoux, we now seek to recruit volunteers to reinvigorate and strengthen our oral history program, with a focus on gathering life stories of the baby boomer generation 1946 – 1954 and Generation Jones (1954-1965). Our goal is to create an archive that will be used by future historians.

If you are interested, the first step is to learn more about how to conduct an oral history interview. On May 2 we offer a workshop conducted by Marta Martinez, founder of the Latino Oral History Project of Rhode Island, that will provide an overview of the interview process: best practices, using recording equipment, and a hands-on set up and practice session.

Training Workshop

10 AM  – 12 PM Saturday May 2, 2026

At the Bell School, 25 Drift Road, Westport

Qualifications for potential interviewers:

  • A familiarity with Westport (this is a requirement!)
  • Interested in other people’s stories
  • Prepared to interview one person by June 13, 2026
  • Willing to attend meetings (training session, follow up meeting in June)
  • Ability to operate a simple recording device (with training)

Seating is limited. Pre-registration is required by April 11.

To secure your seat please complete the application form. This form is designed to make sure you are a good fit for the program.

Application for Oral History Workshop May 2

Oral history workshop

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About You

Your Name(Required)
Your Email Address(Required)
Qualifications. This is a check list to make sure you are a good fit for this project.
Qualifications
How are you connected to Westport?
Potential interviewee
Why are you interested in participating?

We will follow up with you to provide further details. To support this program we ask for a $20 donation.

 

 

We are also interested in hearing from individuals who would like to be interviewed. 

Are you a Westport resident born between 1940 -1964? Have you spent most of your life in Westport,  from childhood to the present day either as a full time resident or summer resident? We would like to talk to you! The Westport Historical Society seeks to collect the life stories of Westport’s baby boomer generation (1946 – 1964) before it is too late!

If you are interested in being interviewed, please contact Westport Historical Society.

Topics of interest include: Your memories of going to school, home life, entertainment, making a living, changes in the community, and your hopes for the future.

The process will include:

  • A pre-interview meeting
  • An interview approx. one hour at a location convenient to the interviewee.
  • All interviews will be edited and then archived in the Westport Historical Society’s collection and will be made publicly available with permission of the interviewee.