Kate O'Brien
Park Ridge, Illinois
She presented a paper on Studs Terkel at the Oral History Association National Symposium.
O'Brien first became interested in Chicago oral historian and radio broadcaster Studs Terkel when she started thinking about how to define what it means to have an American identity, and specifically a Chicago identity. "An amorphous concept, I know," she jokes. "I wanted to get at what makes history from an individual perspective, from the 'everyman' standpoint."
O'Brien became involved with the Oral History Association's Symposium because one of the sources she used for her paper was chairing a panel there dedicated to Terkel and wanted a student's perspective on his work. "Presenting there was absolutely fantastic," says O'Brien. "I was struck by how generous and supportive the atmosphere is in the world of oral history." She says she felt honored and grateful to participate and have the chance to meet so many people who were so passionate about history.
Another bonus of her symposium participation: O'Brien's paper has been published in the Oral History Association of Australia's academic journal, "Islands of Memory."