I then returned to Louisiana and followed David Duke through the most distant reaches of the hinterland in my own homeland. I also spent a lot of time interviewing people elsewhere in the Deep South, particularly in the Mississippi Delta. I think it's important to gather the voices of people who have witnessed history, particularly the voices of those who have been forgotten. Many are old. Time is not on our side.
Oral history is rewarding beyond measure.
The task of gathering oral history requires careful preparation and a degree of honesty rarely required of today's youth. The student is asked to enter the world of another person, to see things from a different perspective, to step outside of themselves. The first thing the students should do is divide up in groups of four. Each group serves as a team. It is imperative that two people record the interview.