Week 7 - Upcoming Story Day

This week, my primary focus was again on completing the final determinations for the 35th USCT and conducting research on the unidentified individuals among them. I still have not found any information on the men in the repositories I have used (Ancestry and National Archives), but I will reach out to my team for some guidance on other repositories to look in.

On Tuesday, our team gathered for a meeting led by Dr. Gannon. She shared her experiences working with the VLP (Veterans Legacy Program) Institute and expressed her vision for the Olustee project going forward. It was an insightful discussion that shed light on the project's future direction in bringing these men's stories to light; in the upcoming week, each team member will have an individual meeting with Dr. Gannon to provide a comprehensive progress update and receive further guidance on our next steps.

Looking ahead, a VLP Story Day is scheduled for next Friday, July 7th. During this event, we were asked if we would be comfortable conducting interviews with veterans. While I have never conducted interviews before, I am open to trying. Admittedly, the idea makes me a bit nervous, but I believe it will be a valuable opportunity to expand my skill set. We will be provided with a set of questions to ask the veterans, and from there, we will guide the conversation. Participating in oral history firsthand will allow me to practice this important form of documentation.

It also allows me a chance to view and participate in public history, an area I study but have not experienced during my graduate career. The Story Day is geared at getting the community together to understand the shared experiences of war and conflict and providing veterans an outlet for their life stories. There was talk that a 100-year-old career veteran would be present, and the idea of being able to talk about their presence in multiple different conflicts and historical events is so exciting! With the guidance of Dr. Gannon and the set of questions provided, I hope to make the most of this opportunity. I am eager to receive more personalized direction after meeting with Dr. Gannon next week and continue making progress on the Olustee project.

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