Oral History Paper Sample

I interviewed Kawanna Bullock Clayton on October 23, 2017 for an Oral History Project with LGBTQIA Hamilton College Alumni. Kawana, or “K” as they disclosed they were comfortable being called at the beginning of the interview, graduated from Hamilton College in 2002. They identify as a black, lesbian or queer, masculine of center person. This analysis was written over the course of October 27 to October 29, and then revised on November 25 upon further reflection.

Oral history provides a vital way in giving voice to people who have been overlooked by formal scholarship. For this reason, it has and continues to be especially important for the LGBTQIA community. Nan Alamilla Boyd and Horacia N Roque discuss this in Bodies of Evidence: The Practice

Specifically, the concepts of “family,” “coming out,” and “ the role of art in identity exploration” surfaced over the course of the interview as crucial points of entry for beginning to understand K’s experiences as an LGBTQIA Hamilton alum. Upon reflection, it becomes apparent that further research over the course of the Oral History Project at Hamilton College that focuses on these three themes will be important in gaining a greater understanding of the LGBTQIA Hamilton alumni community. Future analysis as a result could provide insight about the contested relationship of LGBTQIA individuals to the notion of “family.” It could also help collect knowledge about how different intersectional categories of identity inform the LGBTQIA experience of “coming out.” Finally, it also has the potential to help investigate how “art” or other departments at Hamilton College can provide support for LGBTQIA students. Overall, there were specific motifs that emerged as central points of investigation for this study; however, additional research regarding these themes as well as others that this paper does not leave room to discuss are crucial for future queer oral history