Engagement at Oak Read

Historic Columbia Foundation, in partnership with Richland Library, AARP South Carolina, and the senior residents of Columbia Housing Authority’s Oak Read housing unit, has recently conducted a special community history project called “Engagement at Oak Read.” Senior residents of the Oak Read community were invited to participate in a number of sessions on local history that helped them develop techniques of telling and sharing their own personal stories. These personal history projects will be presented at a special Red Carpet Party on Tuesday, October 28, 2014 at the Seibels House in Columbia, SC. SC Humanities supported this project through a “Know Your History, Community, Family” grant in February 2014.

Residents at Oak Read housing unit in Columbia were invited to participate in the “Engagement at Oak Read” Project. Over the spring, summer, and fall, they were able to participate in a variety of sessions, including:

“History From Things” with Fielding Freed, Historic Columbia’s Director of Historic House Museums
“History From the Ground with Archaeology and a Field Trip to the Mann-Simons Site” with Dr. Jakob Crockett and Joseph Johnson, HC Archaeologist
“History From Photograph” with John Sherrer, Director of Cultural Resources
“Homeplaces, Workplaces, Resting Places: African American sites Bus Tour of Columbia”
“Geneaology and Family History” with Debbie Bloom, Richland County Public Library’s Walker Local History Room Manager
“Family History Workshop” with Debbie Bloom
“Sharing Your History From Your Things” with Fielding Freed and John Sherrer
“What’s Your History?” – 3 workshops aimed at creating the 2014 “Sharing Our Histories” book

Residents will have the chance to celebrate and share their “Sharing our Histories” book at a special Red Carpet Party on Tuesday, October 28, 2014 at 2:00 p.m. at the Seibels House. More information is available from Historic Columbia Foundation at 803-252-7742.

The mission of SC Humanities is to enrich the cultural and intellectual lives of all South Carolinians. SC Humanities programs and initiatives are balanced, reflecting sensitivity to the diversity of ideas, encourage open dialogue, demonstrate integrity, and are ethical in operations.

Image: John Sherrer with Historic Columbia examines historic photographs with a resident from Oak Read Highrise; photo courtesy of Historic Columbia Foundation