Minnesota’s Greatest Generation – Share Your Story

“Share Your Story” is one component of the Minnesota Historical Society’s “Minnesota’s Greatest Generation” project, which aims to collect and preserve the stories of MN individuals living through the “generation defining” decades of the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s. It was publicly launched in August 2005 (60th Anniversary of VJ Day).

1) Collection Principles: stories that adhere to the project mission are submitted by the general public and reviewed by the MNHS editing staff. Once submitted, the MNHS reserves non-exclusive rights to all written, photographic, sound or a/v material for the duration of the project, including publication/broadcast, etc. (authors/filmmakers will retain original copyright to their work). The intent is to provide a way for individuals to share their story with a broader public and to collect archival and research materials for future generations.

2) Object Characteristics: This is an internet-only project--all text, image and a/v files are submitted online. Images consist of a thumbnail and larger image (typically 300-500 px square), which can be saved, but are only screen resolution. A/V files play directly from the web page (I don’t know enough to try to get around it); you can “email to a friend,” which sends a link to the page. Pages with audio files include transcripts. The oral history and movie pages I looked at were either made by the MNHS staff or submitted through a movie competition, which was another component of the Minnesota’s Greatest Generation project. These were of very good quality. Some of the images in the Virtual Resources Database are zoom-able.

3) Metadata: all stories are edited by MNHS staff and entered into a searchable database (search by category or keyword or browse story/image archives) and placed on the website. Data includes: main character, gender, hometown, date & location of story, author, connection of author to main character, creation date and individual ID#. Image data includes file size, resolution, alt text (eg: Mike pitching horseshoes – known as “barnyard golf”).

4) Intended Audience: anyone with a “Minnesota Connection” or interest. The site can be browsed, is suitable for research purposes, and “teachers tools” are available for grades 4-12.

"The project encompasses Preserve Your Family History which includes oral history interviews and preservation workshops, Share Your Story which is a way for families to collect and to share written stories, In Their Words tells the stories of the Greatest Generation through an interactive website, a three-year documentary film competition called Making a Movie: Moving Pictures, RetroRama an evening of music, martini’s and ‘50s inspired retro fashion by local designers, and publications, educational outreach efforts, public programs, and a collecting initiative. "Our Stories, Our Lives", a 6,000-square-foot exhibit will open at the Minnesota History Center in late August 2008. It is expected to remain on view for ten or more years. "

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