Applying Students’ Historical Thinking Skills to Oral Histories as “A New Way of Writing”

Key Points

• This article aims to demonstrate how students can use historical thinking skills to analyze oral histories and connect them to literary works.
• Utilized Federal Writers’ Project oral histories, including those of Ralph Ellison.
• Guided students in analyzing interview techniques and author perspectives.
• Explored connections between oral histories and later literary works.
• Facilitated deeper understanding of interview techniques among students.
• Established links between historical narratives and literary analysis.
• Enhanced students’ abilities to think critically about sources and perspectives.