Former U.S. Marine Staff Sgt. Robert A. Henderson, 95, a Pearl Harbor survivor, tells Clemson University student Will Hines his story for the Veterans Oral Project, an undergraduate research project in 2015. (Photo by Ken Scar)
Since 2012, the Clemson Veterans Oral History Project has captured the stories of veterans from various time periods and across military branches. The program now has a new website and is seeking more veterans to share their stories.
The Creative Inquiry project originally started in the ROTC program but moved under the mentorship of history professor Vernon Burton in 2015. Following Burton’s retirement earlier this year, the program is now overseen by Special Collections and Archives, with military heritage archivist Erica Morris and instruction archivist Tara Wood as the mentors.
“Every person’s service is different and individual, but it all adds up to the greater story of America’s military history,” said Morris. “We need to continue to tell these stories because they are not just representing past history, but present history as well.”
Not only are the recorded oral histories preserved in Special Collections and Archives, but they are also submitted to the Library of Congress for its Veterans History Project (VHP). To date, Clemson has submitted more than 170 oral history recordings to the VHP — more than any other college or university.
Not only is Morris seeking veterans to share their stories, but she is also looking for students to participate in the CI project. Students from any major can take part.
“A lot of people think it’s just for history majors, but it’s really not. We train students on oral history methodology and research and how to use the recording equipment,” she said. “Students have to think critically about the questions they come up with, and they develop communication skills. They learn how to interact with people from different generations. They learn a lot of skills that they can put on a resume.”
Veterans from any time period can volunteer for the project, and they don’t have to be Clemson alumni or have a Clemson connection. The project provides an opportunity for all veterans to share their stories.
Veterans or students who want to participate in the project should email Morris at elmrrs@nullclemson.edu.