Dr. Bobby Johnson


Stephen F. Austin State University and the City of Nacogdoches will host the Preserve America Workshop on oral history from 10 a.m. to 4:15 p.m. Friday, June 25, on the SFA campus.

Dr. Bobby Johnson, professor emeritus of history, will present "Adventures in Oral History," describing the importance of oral history in preserving the past. Johnson has interviewed thousands of East Texas residents and gained insight from their perspective on topics such as World War II and the Great Depression.

Other presenters include Dr. Perky Beisel and Dr. Paul Sandul, both assistant professors of history at SFA.

"Participants in this workshop will learn about the theory and practice of oral histories and how they can be used to enhance the preservation and appreciation of the past," Beisel said.

Workshop attendees will discover the system of interview design, transcription and publication methods used by oral history practitioners to preserve valuable primary resources and make them available for future research.

The workshop will begin at 10 a.m. in Room 472 of the Ferguson Building and is free and open to the public. The workshop will be limited to 30 participants and registration is required. To reserve a space, contact Dr. Perky Beisel at (936) 468-2093 or pbeisel@sfasu.edu.

The workshop is sponsored by the Preserve America Cemetery Interpretation Project. To learn more about the project, contact Chay Runnels at runnelsc@sfasu.edu.