Crowdsourcing Historical Memory with TellHistory

I’m thrilled today to introduce a project that combines my biggest interests--oral storytelling and cultural heritage outreach. It’s appropriately called Tell History.

And it was developed by Alex Whitcomb and Sarah Hayes. They’re crowdsourcing video-based memories that they tie to themes, timelines and maps. We all have a friend or relative who has a fascinating story to tell. TellHistory.com can help you help them to share that story in historical context. It’s also an inspiring story about how you can take your passion, and evolve it into a platform for the greater good. Listen as Alex and Sarah describe their own bit of history in the development of this project….

1. What has the response been like?
2. I know from personal experience that it can be very difficult to build engagement in digital projects. How have you gotten so many folks to contribute videos to the project?
3. Tell me a little about how Tell History works ...
4. I think it’s interesting that you use a Theme of the Week to focus your contributions. How do you identify those?
5. What kind of audiences are contributing to Tell History, and what kind of stories are capturing your attention?
6. You’ve made it very easy for folks contribute to Tell History. Describe that process ...
7. How have you been using social media to support the growth of Tell History?
8. What kind of stories and themes are you focusing on for the future?
9. Describe what your “big picture” goal is for Tell History ...
10. A project of this scope only happens because of people who believe in you and what you’re trying to achieve. Are there any folks who have contributed to the site that you’d like to give a shout-out to?
11. How do folks connect with you online?

And that was Alex Whitcomb and Sarah Hayes. If you'd like to learn more about Tell History, you can find shownotes from this interview--along with all the relevant links-- at voicesofthepast.org.

While you're there, check out the series called “DigitalHeritage 1-2-3” These posts each contain three stories or websites that are on my radar, with a little bit of analysis about how they might be useful to you.