New Roots Wins Elizabeth B. Mason Project Award from Oral History Association
September 27, 2016
UNC Global Affairs
New Roots/Nuevas Raíces: Voices from Carolina del Norte has received the 2016 Elizabeth B. Mason Project Award in the major projects category from the Oral History Association (OHA), an organization committed to the development of oral history.
The award, which recognizes outstanding oral history projects, will be presented to New Roots at the Oral History Association’s annual meeting in Long Beach, California, on Oct. 13. Winners receive an award plaque and one-year memberships in the OHA.
New Roots is a research initiative of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill that documents the migration, settlement and integration of Latino communities in North Carolina through oral history. Founded in 2007, the project has generated over 160 interviews, with around 40 new interviews conducted annually by bilingual staff and students. The interviews address various themes, such as migrant experience, adult education, youth activism, language and communication.
“It is an honor to be selected for this award, which also honors the many people who have shared their stories and are shaping North Carolina history. We hope the archive will serve as a valuable resource for Latino communities, students and researchers now and in the future,” said Hannah Gill, director of New Roots.
The initiative is led by the Latino Migration Project, a joint project of the Institute for the Study of the Americas (ISA) and the Center for Global Initiatives, in collaboration with the Southern Oral History Program and UNC Libraries. New Roots also receives support from the National Endowment for the Humanities and the U.S. Department of Education.
“We’re delighted by the success of the New Roots initiative and are grateful for this external recognition of their work,” said Louis Perez Jr., director of ISA. “New Roots exemplifies the kind of engaged scholarship that’s possible at UNC, which has a long tradition of interdisciplinary and collaborative research.”
Since 1966, the OHA has helped foster best practices for oral history and oral historians. In 1993, the organization established a series of awards to recognize outstanding achievements in oral history, with results announced during its annual meetings in October.