“Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced.”
Like many white Americans, I was shaken up by the killing of George Floyd and many other Black and Brown people over the past year. The protests that arose after Floyd’s murder compelled me to see how BIPOC people continue to be threatened and terrorized by systemic racism every day. Upon further investigation, and thanks to the courageous work of historians such as Isabel Wilkerson, Nikole Hannah-Jones, Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, Raoul Peck, and so many others, I have been reeducating myself on American history and the ramifications of systemic racism on all of us today.
These reflections have caused me to think about my responsibilities as a personal historian differently. When I conduct interviews, I have the power to steer my subjects into recollections that could either uphold one-sided accounts of history that privilege the dominant (e.g. white/male/cis/Christian) perspective, or urge them to think about how their stories are part of a larger social narrative that includes BIPOC and other marginalized people.
I realize that asking someone to reckon with their racism is not easy. This work is long-term and usually quite uncomfortable. However, most of the white people that I talk to are at least are willing to entertain the idea of exploring their white privilege, and many do not want to perpetuate racist narratives in their stories. And so we begin, knowing that we will make plenty of mistakes, feel extremely vulnerable, and be processing pain that could be generations deep.
A few anti-racist approaches to conducting oral history interviews
I can’t claim to be an expert on how to do this work, but I’m lucky to be in a position to be able to talk to many people. In particular, through my community oral history projects I have been able to try out anti-racist approaches by surveying a number of people who have different perspectives and relationships to the collective. Here are a few pieces of advice I’ve gleaned over the past year, conducting dozens of oral history interviews:
Research the community(ies) your interview subjects come from. What economic, political, and social forces were present in their community at the time they were a part of it?
Ask your subjects about these social forces that were present in their community. Ask how these forces may have impacted their lives personally (even if it is not readily apparent how they fit into the story your subject is trying to tell).
Listen carefully for cues. Notice when a subject brings up times they didn’t feel seen or heard, and interrogate that more.
Recognize and uplift intersectionality. Everyone has some power over others—and is under the power of others—in different ways. Explore each facet of an individual’s identity.
Be comfortable being uncomfortable. This is good advice for any oral historian and is relevant not only during interviews that may probe themes of racism. Encourage your interview subjects to also be comfortable being uncomfortable.
Be aware of trauma, and strive to do no harm. For people with PTSD, memories can still be charged and feel dangerous. Notice if a subject is becoming agitated and triggered. Check in with them, and steer them to a different memory or towards more factual observations of the event.
Remember that this is not therapy and you are not a trained therapist. Encourage your interview subjects to stick to the facts and only give their first-person accounts. Discourage hearsay.
When it gets hard, acknowledge the work, and also acknowledge the pain and suffering BIPOC individuals and communities have had to endure for centuries. We all need to do our part to make this world a better place.
As we approach Juneteenth, take the time to reflect on how systemic racism has shown up in your own life. You might be surprised at what comes up. Don’t judge, just notice the pain points, and then own them. It’s only when we allow these truths to be seen and heard that we can begin the hard work of dismantling racism.
Anna Brady Marcus is a writer and media maker who helps others tell their personal and professional stories via her Beacon, NY–based company, Anchor Your Legacy LLC.