The First Families project highlights for the public and future generations the ways in which African American families have experienced Vancouver and enhanced the wider community through their work, fellowship, and activism.  The project encourages and presents multiple points of view to document differences and similarities in African American experiences, rather than projecting a particular bias. Interviews are conversational rather than guided, using techniques such as open-ended questions, and are often conducted in the presence of family or friends to elicit full responses, personal reflection, and opinions.
While oral histories can be factually inaccurate, emotional remembrances and personal interpretations of events offer vivid insight into narrators’ points of view and capture a human quality not accessible through documents and artifacts. (Left: Wallicia Harrison)Narrators’ experiences as set forth in First Families activities deal with current social, cultural, and political concerns in Southwest Washington and statewide. Their stories of economic struggle, community, family ties, migration, racial prejudice, religious devotion, and civil rights activism reflect issues that are as significant to Vancouver citizens today as they were sixty years ago. The First Families project illuminates these connections between the past and present and strengthens the foundation for continued work along these lines. The families themselves are the project's foundation and core audience; its success depends entirely upon their participation. Happily, they are responding to requests for interviews with keen interest and willingness to share their stories. They appreciate the goals of the project and are eager to see it go forward.
 Ollie Stevens and family |