The oral history component of the collection contains interviews of 19 people on 29 cassette tapes along with transcripts, and signed release forms. The audio recordings are available for streaming. Transcripts, when available, can be downloaded in PDF format.
The interviewer on the tapes is Joseph A. Conforti. The interviewees are males and females who emigrated from countries such as Italy, Armenia, the Azores. Portugal, Ukraine, Poland, Colombia, the Dominican Republic and Canada from the turn of the 20th century to 1975. There are also interviews with African Americans who were part of the Black Diaspora from the South to the North which occurred after the Civil War and through the 20th century.
The interviews ask questions about their native countries, remembrance of travel to and arrival in America, welcome by fellow countrymen, and help from benevolent and mutual aid societies. Topics discussed also include work, customs and traditions, and assimilation while maintaining ethnic and racial identity.
