Reflections: Oral Histories seeks to chronicle a more personal and inclusive history of the University of Virginia by collecting and sharing the stories of University students, staff, faculty, alumni, and Charlottesville community members who have contributed to its rich and complex institutional narrative. With the ongoing participation of members from across the University and Charlottesville communities, we hope to encourage an intergenerational transfer of knowledge and a more comprehensive, diversified collection of stories that enrich and carry our University’s history forward.
The Latinx Oral History Initiative seeks to uphold this mission, as well as recontextualize the understanding of the Latinx identity by capturing the diverse stories of Latinx students, alumni, faculty, staff, and community members. This Guidebook serves to detail the purpose of this initiative, methodologies, initial findings, and implications for future work.
“The history of any institution of higher education is incomplete without the history of the student body.”
Michele Christian, Professor at Iowa State University
The University of Virginia’s history is not complete without the stories and histories of underrepresented groups at the University. Entering our Bicentennial, the institution must understand that the history they celebrate is one in which the voices of marginalized people are often silenced. Given that these experiences were historically under-recorded, it is the duty of Reflections: Oral Histories and the Latinx Oral History Initiative to uncover these stories and work to reclaim this history. In a University that can be historically difficult to navigate as a minority student, it is imperative that we offer these stories as a reminder of where we’ve been, how we’ve grown, and what we should aspire to be in the future. Ultimately, it is the duty of the University to go further than acknowledging this history, but to contextualize it through actions towards a more equitable institution.
We hope that this Guidebook assists other students who wish to complete historical research. Our method is constantly evolving; thus, we hope to improve our previous efforts and showcases stories that demonstrate the variability in life at UVA. If you are interested in sharing your story, please contact us at reflectionsuva@gmail.com. We are also on social media, so stay connected to hear more about our interviewees and future projects.
