A project of the Byrd Foundation for Racial Healing

Contents:

• INTRODUCTION
• SESSION ONE: Orientation & Outline of Work
• SESSION TWO: Introduction to Interviews
• SESSION THREE: Conducting Interviews

INTRODUCTION

The goal of the James Byrd Jr. Racism Oral History Project, a project of the James Byrd Jr. Foundation for Racial Healing is to teach students ways in which to prevent and treat racism in their own lives, in their communities and in their schools. In accomplishing this task, Project staff begins the class by introducing students to the topic of racism, sharing with them their personal stories about how racism has affected and shaped our lives. We believe that by having an open and honest rapport, students feel comfortable enough to speak candidly about racism. on their daily lives, schools and communities. Byrd staff also teaches students how to conduct the oral histories by using a variety of creative mediums, such as essay writing, oral testimony on video and/or audio recording. 

Just as the Truth and Reconciliation Commission in South Africa works to heal the community in the transition from violent apartheid to a democratic society, the Project provides an opportunity for people to talk about their experiences with racism, inspire new leadership, heal the community and helps to inform and influence public policy. We have found that in this process, students become more cognizant of racism, learn more about themselves, work to find personal healing and begin a dialogue with others on this often, painful discussion of racism.  Byrd staff has found that our curriculum often inspires youth to become leaders against racism or other human rights concern in their own communities. 

Through this work, participating students honor James Byrd Jr. and individuals who have been slighted, ignored, undervalued, shamed or abused through an act of racism. By participating in this Project, students are also actively helping to build an archive for public use that continues to form an important part of our American history. By individualizing history through personal memory, we all become richer with the gift of oral history.

The curriculum we present is based on the ideal time frame of three individual class sessions. Byrd staff recommends that the first class be an hour and a half to properly engage students, build trust, introduce the topic and the work ahead. Other class sessions can be completed within 50 minute class periods. However, this curriculum can be modified for any amount of time available at your school with your discretion.

Confidentiality & Consent
Due to the private nature of these oral histories, students also have the option to speak on condition of anonymity. Students are also welcome to use their first and last name, if they so chose. In order to share the audiotapes with the public, the person being interviewed will need to complete a consent form. If the student is younger than l8 years old, his/her parents must sign the consent form as well. 

Pre-Classroom Homework
Before Byrd staff arrives at the school, Byrd staff works to coordinate a homework assignment with the classroom teacher. Previous assignments that have been given to students include: creative writing assignments, art projects that reflect an individual’s response to racism and a brainstorming exercise on how racism affects their lives

SESSION ONE: Orientation & Outline of Work

1. Ice Breaker (5 Minutes)
   Introduction of classroom facilitator and students. The facilitator asks each student to give a brief introduction of who s/he is and provides a touch of personal history.

 

2. Racism Pop Quiz (5 Minutes)
   The teacher will give their students a quiz to test their knowledge on racism. Worksheets will be provided for students. Please be sure to stress that this is not a typical quiz; it will not be graded and that their name is also OPTIONAL.  These worksheets are important in determining the working knowledge of students and are extremely helpful to the Project in determining curriculum changes in the future, if needed.

 

3. Discussion of James Byrd Jr. (5 Minutes)
   The facilitator will introduce James Byrd Jr. to students that James Byrd Jr. was a family man in Jasper, Texas with three kids who was killed in 1998 when three white supremacists chained him to their truck and dragged him three miles along the road, outside of Jasper, Texas. This crime has been labeled as the worst hate-crime in US history.

   His family has never been the same and has since created the Byrd Foundation for Racial Healing. The foundation works to educate, prevent and treat racism. Thus far, the Foundation and its projects have educated thousands of individuals at schools and community organizations. There are now approximately 2,000 oral histories that describe how racism has affected our community.

4. Introduction of the James Byrd Jr. Racism Oral History Project  (15 minutes)
   The facilitator will introduce the project and lead an open discussion on racism in America. The discussion will include the correct answers to the questions presented on the quiz. The facilitator introduces him or herself and outlines the Project which includes: introduction of racism, mock interview role-playing, conducting oral histories and a debriefing session.

 

5. The facilitator will also tell the students why their participation in this project is important and essential in decreasing racism in our communities.

 

6. The facilitator asks why we are conducting oral histories on racism. Some answers include:
   • To decrease racism in our communities.
     These interviews provide an opportunity to go on record about personal experiences with racism. We are gathering data about racism in order to share it with the public. The act of ?testifying? or bearing witness is powerful and useful to raise the level of discussion on racism.
   
   
   • To document our experience with racism
     As historians and race educators we are documenting the stories of racism. We are recording the stories of victims, by-standers and perpetrators. Researchers and the public will then be able to study our tapes and learn more about the realities for youth dealing with racism in the U.S. The knowledge gained from these interviews will help reduce prejudice in the world.
   
   
   • To encourage dialogue on racism
     The interviewing process will help open the lines of communication between classmates and the community. Through active listening, all people become more aware of the experiences of other people and cultures. We hope that people will see their own story in the stories of others.
   
   
   • To heal & memorialize victims of racism
     The oral histories conducted help heal individuals and form an archive full of our experiences with racism. These stories also serve as a memorial to those individuals who have been slighted, ignored, undervalued or abused because of racism.
   
   
   • To build advocacy skills & leadership
     Through the interviewing process, the Byrd Project seeks to build leaders and motivate the public to take some small action that will decrease racism in the world.
   
   
   • To understand the links between racism & genocide
     The facilitator will define and explain genocide with examples from our recent history. While hearing the tragic stories of the people of Cambodian, Bosnia, Tibet, East Timor, Rwanda, Borneo and elsewhere, we learn more about the links between racism and violence. By learning more about the history of genocide in the twentieth century, we may learn how to heal.
   
   
7. Classroom Discussion: the impact of racism in our lives. (45 minutes)
   We would like students to be prepared to speak on this topic. The facilitator will introduce the topic and lead a short discussion. Students will be asked to explain how racism has impacted their lives.

   The facilitator will tell students that if they don?t want to say something personal they can talk about how racism has affected our country. Students may discuss any and all aspects of racism in their own community.

8. Homework Assignment:  (3 minutes)
   Students will be asked to think about the oral history, structure their interview and write out questions they would ask in the interview.

SESSION TWO: Introduction to Interviews

1. Introduction to Interviewing and Interviewing Techniques (5 Minutes)
Students will be asked to record their own personal oral histories. The facilitator emphasizes that the job of the interviewer is to make the person being interviewed feel comfortable. Doing an oral history about racism is an intimate and vulnerable process. The best interviewer is an active listener. The strongest interviews have an open-ended quality in which the people being interviewed tell their story open and honestly. It is important to avoid giving opinions unless they serve to encourage the person being interviewed to elaborate. In the end, interviewers want to help the people they are interviewing analyze their experiences with racism.

2.  Formulating interview questions (10 minutes)
The facilitator talks briefly about the importance of the questions asked in an oral history. The facilitator asks the students to talk about some of the questions they would ask and writes them on the board. The facilitator explains which questions would work better and why. The students write down the questions. The following are possible questions:

• Have you ever been the victim of racism?
• How has racism impacted your life?
• Have your parents experienced racism? How?
• What is racial stereotyping? Has this ever happened to you?
• Has anyone ever called you a racist name?
• Have you ever called anyone a racist name?
• How does it make you feel when you are labeled?
• Have you intervened to question or stop a situation when you saw a racist act?
• What was the situation? How did you feel?

3.  Tips for completing a successful oral history: (5 minutes)
The instructor begins a discussion about the important components of a successful interview which include:

• active listening
• good eye contact
• focus
• follow-up questions
• no interruptions
• avoid judgment

4.  Conducting a sample oral history (7 minutes)
Note to Instructor: Please have tape recorders available and have students practice speaking slowly and clearly. Please use some of the questions above for this exercise. Be sure to discuss the issue of confidentiality.

The facilitator asks for two volunteers to come to the front of the classroom and asks the students to pretend they are engaging in their oral histories on racism. The two volunteers conduct an interview and are set them up with a microphone. This interview might or might not be recorded. The facilitator will give pointers on using the equipment. There is an advantage to using a separate microphone so that sound quality is high enough for radio broadcast. The students will need to be reminded that the microphone should always be held close to the mouth of the person who is speaking. 

• What is your name or pseudonym?
• Where were you born?
• How old are you?
• What school do you attend?
• What grade are you in?

Please advise students to add any of their own questions. When the interview is finished, the facilitator gives the other students the chance to ask questions about the interview. These might be questions for the person being interviewed or general questions about the process of conducting oral histories. Finally, the facilitator asks for feedback from the participants as well as the rest of the class about the interview experience.

5. Solutions to reduce racism We want to end this discussion optimistically so we ask students to brainstorm things we can do to as individuals and as a community to reduce racism. The following are some ideas that have come from students:

• Make a play about it.
• Have workshops in schools.
• Make posters saying ”No to Racism!”
• Involve teachers what will help raise awareness at your school.
• Have a “Racism Awareness Week” at your school.
• Correct people politely when they make a racist comment.
• Do your oral history.

6. Homework: (3 Minutes)
Students will be asked to write a two page essay on how their individual actions can help decrease racism in their schools and/or communities.

SESSION THREE: Conducting Interviews

1. Questions
   Ask students if they have any questions before the class begins to conduct their oral histories.


2. Distribute tape recorders and microphones (5 minutes)
   Ask students to have paper out in case they think of a question and do not want to interrupt the respondent.


3. Oral Histories (40 minutes)
   On the day of the interview students should be urged to put aside any shyness and consider the gift their work represents to the family of James Byrd Jr.  Participants should be encouraged to be as articulate as possible.
   Have students pair up in groups of two or three depending on class size and tape recorder availability. Each student will have the opportunity to be the interviewee and respondent. There is a tendency to do short interviews. If students say they are ‘done’ after l0 minutes, ask them to go back and keep going. Students can refer to their list of questions they’ve developed. If a student is acting particularly uninterested, please offer the student to draw or write an essay about his/her experience with racism.


4. Debriefing (10 Minutes)
   Providing oral histories is a gift to this project, to each other, and to the community. This process however, can be difficult and painful in bringing up painful memories and experiences. As such, any facilitator in this process must debrief students. You may ask students to describe how they felt during this entire process. It is important to encourage participation and let students speak freely during this activity.


5. Evaluation Forms (5 minutes)
   Facilitator will ask students to fill out an evaluation form to be sent to the James Byrd Project in order to assess students experience with the Project.

Guidelines for Conducting Additional Interviews with Family & Community Members

Often, students would like to conduct additional interviews with their family or neighbors. People’s interviewing skills improve with each interview they do. We would also like students to use what they have learned to interview someone outside the classroom, perhaps a parent or neighbor. We recommend that students do two additional interviews outside of class with friends or family.

Time Allotment: The length of an interview will vary depending on numerous factors. An hour-long interview is suggested. Please take the time necessary to ensure a complete interview.

Location: Choose a comfortable private space where you can focus your interview and not be interrupted. Notice if you are picking up peripheral noise that interferes with the sound quality of the tape.

Equipment: You will need to practice with the tape recorder and a blank tape to make sure your voices are being recorded. It is best if you use a hand-held microphone when doing interviews. When you complete the taping, please label the cassette with the date, the names of the interviewer and interviewee, and your phone numbers.

Confidentiality: Remind respondents that they can remain anonymous by using a pseudonym. The taking of an oral history about racism is an intimate exchange for both people involved. What is said must be kept in confidence.

Consent:  In order for tapes to be used [by the James Byrd Jr. Racism Oral History Project] for any purpose, the person being interviewed will need to fill out and sign a consent form.

Additional Class Activities

1. Ask students to keep a journal for a month after they do their interviews, documenting their experiences and feelings. We are interested in the students' reflections and what they learned doing their interviews.
2. Ask students to read the newspaper and cut out articles relating to racism or ones that are racist.
3. Ask the students to write to the Byrd family simply to say hello or to share their thoughts on racism. We ask students to send their condolences.