Morris Museum Announces Covid-19 Oral History Project

The Morris Museum wants to hear from you. The Morris Museum's COVID-19 History Project is an easy, informal outlet for teachers, students, "essential" personnel, journalists and community members to share their short reflections and stories about the ongoing COVID-19 crisis.

The Museum has dedicated two phone lines, one with English instructions (973.971.3727) and one with Spanish instructions (973.971.3735), for calling in these stories, which can be up to five minutes in length. These oral histories will be left as voicemails, which the Museum will later download, catalog, and archive.

Talk to us. The Museum wants to hear how our remarkable and resilient friends and neighbors are dealing with the health emergency. We want to hear from adults and children. The Museum retains all rights to these submitted voicemails and their contents. We ask that, before calling, you visit the What's Your Story? Web Page for guidance, suggestions and prompts.

For English instructions visit: https://morrismuseum.org/covid19-history/.

For Spanish instructions visit: http://www.morrismuseum.org/covid-19-historia

"We want to give our museum community a simple means for sharing, documenting, and preserving their experiences during this crisis period," said Dr. Cleveland Johnson, Executive Director of the Morris Museum. "What could be easier than leaving a voicemail?" "We hope this outlet can be a small relief from the isolation many people may feel. Our stories knit us together as a community"

Although the Museum will accept anonymous submissions, the material will have more historical value if callers provide their names and some brief information about themselves. Specific anecdotes and stories are welcome, as are more general musings about life during this period and thoughts for the future.

The Museum's web page dedicated to this project, https://morrismuseum.org/covid19-history/, suggests some specific themes or questions to prompt one's thinking before calling. There are also some specific prompts given for child participants to consider.

The Museum is also happy to accept written submissions, as emails to MorrisCountyCovidHistory@morrismuseum.org. Files may be attached, but the Museum retains all rights to all submitted emails and attached materials.