Durkeeville Historical Society

Oral History Repository and Listening Kiosk

Durkeeville – Who are we?

Durkeeville is an historic black neighborhood, bordering Springfield and La Villa to the west. Founded just after the Civil War by land speculator, J. H. Durkee, the plots in Durkeeville were the first chance for many former slaves to own their own land and houses.

Durkeeville Historical Society – Who are we?

Founded in 1998, the Durkeeville Historical Society strives to preserve the rich past of Durkeeville for future generations and to promote the area today to prepare for the future. We operate the Durkeeville Historical Center, full of exhibits, photographs, and artifacts.

Durkeeville Historical Society – what are we doing?

We at DHS are capturing oral histories and memories from long-time Durkeeville residents, in order to preserve these precious stories of life and growing up in Durkeeville. Many young people have no idea what living under segregation was like, or how the Civil Rights struggles played out here in their hometown. With these oral histories, these events can be recalled from actual participants.

Durkeeville Historical Society – what do we need?

We at DHS are fortunate that our President, Lloyd Washington, is a renowned and internationally-known video journalist. His guiding hand has made the oral histories that we have already collected focused, fascinating, and relevant.

We now need a place to store existing oral histories, as well as categorize and organize them as we continue this vital work. We also need a way for researchers and visitors to the Center to access and view these histories.

Our proposed solution? A central data repository residing on a server, which can be organized and cross-referenced, and a listening kiosk in the Center, where people can view these collected oral histories.

Durkeeville Historical Society – Our Project

• We will need a server with a defined file system where we can upload current and future oral histories and round tables.

• We will need an access portal, some software to allow people to select and play these oral histories.

• We will need a kiosk, with table and viewing area, set off by walls from the rest of the Center, so that people can sit and browse these memories.

Durkeeville Historical Society – why should we do it?

We are already a Center for our community.We have preserved many artifacts, memorabilia, and photographs for Durkeeville. We have deep roots in Durkeeville.We have already started collecting these oral histories.

Most importantly, the residents whose memories that we are trying to preserve are all aging, so the need to complete this project is growing more and more important.

Thank You for your consideration.