oral history
noun
1
: a recording containing information about the past obtained from in-depth interviews concerning personal experiences, recollections, and reflections
also
: the study of such information
2
: a written work based on oral history
oral historian
noun
Examples of oral history in a Sentence
I'm reading an oral history of the Great Depression.
Recent Examples on the Web
Exhibits—which feature a combination of original documents, multimedia installations, and moving oral histories—chart the struggle from slavery through Reconstruction and Jim Crow to the Montgomery Bus Boycott, the Freedom Rides, and the landmark campaigns of the 1950s and ’60s.
—
Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 27 Dec. 2025
Rios said a wide range of celebrations and programs are planned next year to commemorate America's birthday, ranging from large fireworks displays and statewide potluck suppers to student contests and citizen oral histories.
—Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 26 Dec. 2025
Her professional work includes books, executive memoirs, private business histories, biographies, museum exhibits, corporate museums, oral history programs, ghostwriting, historical research, and speechwriting.
—Nia Bowers, USA Today, 12 Dec. 2025
The American Museum of Science and Energy offers interactive exhibits on the city’s wartime role, while the K‑25 History Center showcases more than 250 artifacts and oral histories from the uranium enrichment plant.
—Diana Leyva, Nashville Tennessean, 8 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for oral history
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Lauren Dana Ellman, Travel + Leisure, 27 Dec. 2025
Rios said a wide range of celebrations and programs are planned next year to commemorate America's birthday, ranging from large fireworks displays and statewide potluck suppers to student contests and citizen oral histories.
—Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 26 Dec. 2025
Her professional work includes books, executive memoirs, private business histories, biographies, museum exhibits, corporate museums, oral history programs, ghostwriting, historical research, and speechwriting.
—Nia Bowers, USA Today, 12 Dec. 2025
The American Museum of Science and Energy offers interactive exhibits on the city’s wartime role, while the K‑25 History Center showcases more than 250 artifacts and oral histories from the uranium enrichment plant.
—Diana Leyva, Nashville Tennessean, 8 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for oral history
Cite this Entry
“Oral history.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oral%20history. Accessed 5 Jan. 2026.
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