Oral histories are timeless resources that paint a picture of the real human experiences and emotions of past events. In this blog, we cover 5 examples of oral history project who are using captioning to engage their audience in new ways.
The stories captured through oral history projects are incredibly important. They serve as resources for both education and research. So why shouldn’t we caption them?
Captioning and transcribing oral histories helps reach wider audiences. It makes your videos accessible to the d/Deaf and hard of hearing, as well as people who speak English as a second language.
Not only does captioning bring greater access, it also helps engage viewers and makes your content easier to share and discover.
1. Infinite History
2. Densho
3. StoryCorps
4. Fortunoff Video Archive
5. 360 Degrees
360 Degrees is a collection of stories from “inmates, correctional offices, lawyers, judges, parole officers, parents, victims, and others whose lives have been affected by the criminal justice system.”
Stories are focused on a specific case and told from the perspective of the person involved. According to the site, while the crime rate is down, the criminal justice system is expanding. The goal of the project is to shed light on “who is in prison today and why” to hopefully start conversations on ways to reduce crime and strengthen communities.
The 360 Degrees website houses a plethora of resources for those wanting to understand the crime system better. Since stories are recorded, the website provides a transcript of the recording, as well as photos, diaries, and other helpful resources that help paint a picture of those affected by each case.
