In addition to learning about the rich societies of medieval Africa this week, we also have ruminated on the pros and cons of oral history: that is, history that is passed down by word of mouth rather than being written down. For this module assignment, I want you guys to ask a friend, roommate, family member, professor, hairdresser (literally anyone in your life) to narrate a big event in the last 50 years (I am thinking things like 9/11; the end of Apartheid in South Africa; the Fall of the Berlin Wall; the election of Barack Obama; etc.). Write down what they say (it doesn’t have to be very long, just a few paragraphs). Then, go and find a newspaper or magazine article on the event that was published at the time. Compare the two: what is different about the two accounts? Why? The goal of this assignment is for you guys to think about the limitations of oral history today versus the way it was practiced by the Griots. Why might our approach to knowledge limit our ability to practice oral history in our own time period?
Rubric: Write down your interview in the Word document and then cite/discuss a contemporary article about the event you are writing about. Must have a comparison between the two and a few sentences on the merits and faults of oral history. (all in all, five paragraphs for an A).
