HELP US PRESERVE THE STORIES THAT SHAPE OUR WORLD
Funding priority is given to individuals and organizations actively engaged in bottom-up oral history research.
Suggested contribution: $50
All donations are tax-deductible and deeply appreciated. Contributions are voluntary and not required for participation, but they are warmly welcomed in support of this work.
Why Your Support for OHRLCI Matters
Preserving Voices That Would Otherwise Be Lost
Donating to OHRLCI helps ensure that individual life stories—especially those shaped by major socio-economic, cultural, and political events—are recorded before they disappear. Many people who lived through transformative moments in history are aging, and their firsthand experiences risk being lost forever. Your support enables OHRLCI to reach back in time to preserve these critical memories, safeguarding them as part of our shared historical record.
Centering History on Lived Experience
OHRLCI focuses on bottom-up oral history that documents history from the perspective of individuals rather than institutions or elites. These personal narratives reveal how large-scale events affect real lives, families, and communities. Donations support research that brings forward stories of struggle, resilience, and change, helping the public better understand complex social issues through human experience rather than abstract data alone.
Building a Global Research and Learning Resource
OHRLCI serves as a research library and resource hub for completed and ongoing oral history projects. By supporting this work, donors help create accessible materials for professionals, students, and educators seeking reliable firsthand accounts. These resources strengthen academic research, classroom learning, and community-based history initiatives.
Supporting Researchers, Students, and Institutions
Financial contributions allow OHRLCI to directly and indirectly fund promising oral history projects and learning events. This includes providing support to individuals, community groups, and academic institutions engaged in oral history research and writing. Donor support expands opportunities for emerging scholars and community historians who might otherwise lack resources to conduct meaningful projects.
Strengthening Collaboration Across the Oral History Community
Through conferences, workshops, and expert consultation, OHRLCI fosters collaboration among oral historians worldwide. Donor support enables these networks to grow, encouraging knowledge-sharing and collective problem-solving. This collaborative model ensures that best practices circulate widely and that oral history projects benefit from diverse perspectives.
Ensuring Reinvestment in the Oral History Community
OHRLCI pledges to reinvest most of its funding directly into oral history research, education, and support initiatives. Donations therefore generate long-term impact by sustaining projects, training new historians, and preserving archives. Supporting OHRLCI means contributing to a cycle of reinvestment that strengthens the entire field and expands access to historical knowledge.