MSUM COVID-19 Community History Project

What do you mean by Individual Experience?

Everyone is experiencing the COVID-19 Pandemic differently. While oral history is one way to document this experience, we know that not everyone is comfortable sharing their experiences in that format. There are many types of personal (or individual) experiences that people can do to share their story without involving others. 

What type of Individual Experience will be accepted for this project?

Here are some examples of types of individual experiences we are interested in collecting:

• Journals or diaries that document this time
• Reflection papers
• Self-Interviews (Audio or video recordings)
• Creative works (poetry, drawings, comics, scrapbook, etc.)
• Images of your experiences (photographs, brief videos, etc.)
• Scrapbooks

If you have an idea not listed here, please contact the Archives.

What forms and resources are available for this project?

Please see the Forms page to get appropriate forms and sample questions. Additional information about types of individual experiences can be found in the Resources for this Project page.  Format requirements can be found on the How to Submit page.

What is an Oral History Interview?

An oral history interview is where one person interviews another about their experiences.  They are usually recorded (audio or video).  It can be about aspects of a person’s life or around a specific experience. 

What is expected of an Oral History Interview for this Project?

For this project, oral histories can be recorded and should include some background information about the person being interviewed and then focus on their experiences during the coronavirus COVID-19 pandemic.

Individuals can be interviewed multiple times throughout the pandemic to document their ongoing experience.

What forms and resources are available for this project?

Please see the Forms page to get appropriate forms and sample questions.We cannot accept oral history interviews without releases from all participants. Additional information about conducting oral histories can be found in the Resources for this Project page.

How is MSUM and the Moorhead Community responding to this crisis?

MSUM and the greater Moorhead community has been responding rapidly and nimbly to the pandemic, whether it has been through business closures, changes to work environments, changes to education delivery, or quarantine orders. We are also seeking documentation of these events.

Examples of documents we can collect include but are not limited to:

• Closure notices
• Modified business hours, business practices, menus, etc.
• Images of hearts in windows, sidewalk messages, and other community expressions of support.
• Screenshots of social media, media, memes, and other online responses

What forms and resources are available for this project?

Please see the Forms page to download the appropriate donation form. Please see the How to Submit page on how to send your materials to us.