Oral histories

Since 2000, the Department of Communication and Rhetorical Studeis (CRS) at Syracuse University has been organizing a loose and interdisciplinary collective of scholars interested in issues of public memory. The Public Memory Project organized a series of events, speakers and reasearch projects over the years, from conferences to photography exhibits. In 2009 the Sojourner Storytelling conference presented "Memories of the 15th Ward", an evening of memories and stories related to the Ward and its "sense of home, neighborhood and community." The evening showcased video interviews with former residents, and a 42 minute documentary entitled "Tell Us About the Ward". These videos were produced by students from the Department of Communication and Rhetorical Studies with gracious support from numerous community members. We are honored to be be able to collect them here to preserve the memories of the 15th Ward, to commemorate the community, to bring attention to the changes caused by urban renewal, and remind us all that once things were not as they are now.

Click on the links below to view the interviews:

Shush Martin

Interview by Naty Zamora

David and Bernice Shultz

Interview by Dan Berlandy and Kela Woolcock

Martin Miller

Interview by Lincoln Cavalieri and Samantha Harmon

Manny Breland

Interview by Jenna Greb and Allie Whiting

Joe Brown

Interview by Will Utley

Judith Brooks

Interview by Joshua Mozes

Donald Fisher

Interview by David Silberstein

Bea Alpert

Interview by Wei Wong

Alfred Hurwitz

Interview by Peter Goodman and Amber Manko