Oral History: Resources and Archives

African American Migration to Philadelphia Oral Histories

"The first wave of the Great Migration begins in 1916 when African Americans leave the South to escape terror and segregation in search of better jobs, housing and education. The 269 interviews were recorded between 1987 and 1988. They include family history and all aspects of Black urban life experienced by the migrants in the City of Philadelphia.

The Great Migration Oral History interviews were made possible through a grant awarded to Charles L. Blockson by Mayor John Street’s administration and the William Penn Foundation."

Goin' North

"These interviews—conducted in the 1980s with African Americans who had migrated north during the 1910s and 1920s and with those in Philadelphia who witnessed their arrival—reveal the complex struggles to overcome racism both in the South and in Philadelphia; the search for opportunities in the North; and the worlds of church, work, school, and entertainment which these individuals inhabited. Students curated each interview with an OHMS index, featuring audio segments animated with images, GPS coordinates, and descriptive keywords.  Interviews are archived at the Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries." About

Feinstein Center Oral Histories

"Among its goals, Temple University’s Feinstein Center for American Jewish History promotes the study of the of the Philadelphia Jewish community. In 2001, through grants from the Albert M. Greenfield Foundation, and The Pew Charitable Trusts, the center conducted oral history interviews with fifty Philadelphia Jewish men and women who played significant roles in business, political, cultural, educational, philanthropic, and other arenas of the social fabric of the community."

Walter Massey Phillips Oral Histories

"Walter M. Phillips, Sr. (1912-1985) was active in Philadelphia civic and political life for over thirty years. He worked and volunteered in a variety of city and regional organizations. After retiring, Phillips initiated an oral history project, and between c. 1974 and 1980 interviewed over 150 civic and political leaders on subjects related to Philadelphia city government and history between the late 1930s and the 1970s, many with whom he had worked."