Local history comes alive for grad students

BY ADRIENNE FRANK

Everyone has a story to tell. And three AU graduate students are helping share those stories.

When Banding Together: Then and Now opens at the Anacostia Museum and Center for African American History and Culture in fall 2006, the exhibit, which chronicles the history of marching bands and other musical ensembles in Washington, D.C., will feature personal accounts from local band members and directors collected by students in Laura Kamoie's oral history class.

Cynthia Welborn, Danielle Snyder, and Heather Heckler, who's interning at the Smithsonian museum this summer, conducted in-depth interviews with nine musicians and instructors, who discussed everything from uniforms and instrument maintenance to funding issues. The transcripts, excerpts from which will be featured in the exhibit, range from 15 to 50 pages.

“An individual's narrative is the easiest way for others to make a personal connection to the past,” said Kamoie.

The students also acquired photographs, memorabilia, trophies, instruments, and programs from the last 50 years. “Those 3-D objects really make an exhibit come to life,” explained Kamoie.

“Through this project, they have learned that history is important and relevant in people's lives,” she continued. “Not only are they learning a lot about the community where they're going to school, they're giving back to that community.”

Kamoie and her students first learned of the project through Dorothy Marschak, director of Community Help in Music Education (CHIME), a District-based nonprofit dedicated to increasing funding for music programs.

“CHIME is interested in the advocacy part of the exhibit,” explained Kamoie. “Basically, if we understand the history of bands in D.C., it will help us advocate the importance of funding those programs today.”

And while the exhibit is still a year away from completion, Marschak has already used the students' interviews to secure funding from the D.C. government for summer music camps. “It's a small step,” said Kamoie, “but a positive one.”