Research Interview: Alaskan Pioneers

I came across a really wonderful interview collection that wasn’t quite what I was looking for in terms of classwork, but seemed like it could very well become one of my favorite things! In looking for a research interview collection, I investigated the Alaskan Pioneers project—though quickly realized that the interviewer’s questions had been eliminated from the transcript, which therefore made it difficult for me to compare the sorts of questions asked in a research interview to those asked in a life history interview. However, the transcript of the interview with Edward Crawford was so entertaining because of the jokes that Edward told to the interviewer, and also his teasing over the difference in their ages. The interview was conducted in the late 1960s when Edward was in his 80s. All of that interesting interplay is in addition to the initial fact that this interview is already about a subject I love to learn about—North American pioneering practices and encounters. I noticed that there seems to be a reel associated with the interview, so I’ve asked for this to be requested from Offsite so I can listen to it too. I’m really looking forward to hearing how much of this person’s presence can be contained and conveyed in a recording. This is just the kind of old, distant portrait I love.