OJAC Vimeo Channel features oral history

For several months, visitors to the Old Jail Art Center in Albany have been able to watch recorded interviews of several Shackelford County residents as part of SPOKEN: Ardon B. Judd Jr. Oral History Project, as well as shorter film clips of each interview.

Starting this month, the material is readily available to anyone, anywhere, who has internet access.

“We are pleased to announce the online premiere of our new oral history films and interviews,” said OJAC archivist Molly Sauder. “The first 11 films and interviews will be offered in alphabetical order on a bi-monthly basis through the OJAC Vimeo Channel.”

Shirley Caldwell’s interview is already available online at https://vimeo.com/311928493, and Sauder plans to post Watt (Palo) Matthews Casey’s interview on Feb. 12.

“I’ve gotten positive feedback from email as well as in person from folks who have visited the museum,” said Sauder. 

SPOKEN was established to record stories and life histories of the people of Albany and its surrounding region, and has been funded by donations in memory of OJAC board member and archives supporter Ardon Judd. 

“The project will preserve this rich history and make it accessible to visitors, students, and researchers,” said Sauder. “This wealth of information will be both a source of enjoyment and education for current and future generations. There is some overlap in the material covered in the various interviews, but each one is different.”

Sauder added that she hopes to add to the collection of oral history.

“We hope to film more interviews soon,” she said.