"I am an old man now... and it is time for me to tell these things."

August 27, 2005 2:49 PM

In the First Person"provides in-depth indexing of more than 2,500 collections of oral history in English from around the world. With future releases, the index will broaden to identify other first-person content, including letters, diaries, memoirs, and autobiographies, and other personal narratives... It allows for keyword searching of more than 260,000 pages of full-text by more than 9,000 individuals from all walks of life." You could start with the places or Historical Events listings, or just pick a keyword and dive in. (The post title is from the first interview in the collection, from July 1930, with He Dog, who was born in the same year as Crazy Horse: "We grew up together in the same band, played together, courted the girls together and fought together.") Via wood s lot.
posted by languagehat (6 comments total)

Love it. The genealogy researcher inside me thanks you.
posted by LadyBonita at 5:41 PM on August 27, 2005

Ah yes, I saw this at the lot yesterday, and I'm surprised that it wasn't posted here earlier.

In all seriousness, the best of the web. Get thee hence, Metafilter, and start reading. And thanks LH.
posted by jokeefe at 6:13 PM on August 27, 2005

I know it may seem puerile, but searching for the F-word keeps the stories pretty lively.

That poor guy got courtmartialled for not bringing the extra bowl of ice cream.

And architects swear a lot.
posted by StickyCarpet at 6:21 PM on August 27, 2005

I wonder if He Dog is "Dog Chief" from Black Elk Speaks.
posted by _sirmissalot_ at 6:44 PM on August 27, 2005

This is great. Thank you for posting it. I may have found a little family history by searching by my hometown.
posted by rxreed at 8:41 PM on August 27, 2005

Very, very nice. A stellar post. Thanks. Interviews from the Spanish Civil War and Kristallnacht within three clicks of each other!
posted by OmieWise at 6:09 AM on August 28, 2005