Oral history can be a project in itself or a means of gathering information for another activity. Either way, it can be very satisfying and a wonderful way to connect youth to the community and your community to the larger themes of American history. Oral histories, like all primary sources, are the raw material of historical scholarship, and working with any primary source can be very exciting, especially for young people. Recording oral history has an element of detective work, as the interviewer hears the subject's story unfold and tries to understand what happened. And through oral history, young people can get a firsthand account of the impact of events on people and communities, not simply a description of the events.
Oral histories are only as accurate as human memory and individual perspective.
To ensure balance, the amateur historian should make sure he or she interviews more than one source and should also verify any significant historical facts. The first step in conducting an oral history is locating subjects for interviews. You can start with people you know whose families have lived in the community for generations. You can also ask your local librarian or historical society to suggest individuals who have some personal experience with the subject you are studying. Community churches or synagogues often have records going back several generations about people's lives and may be a good place to find someone to interview.