Documenting Summer Hill:
oral history process

Fourteen audio interviews were conducted by students enrolled in HIST4426 Documentation and Interpretation at Kennesaw State University. Subsequent interviews were conducted by project researcher Melissa Massey, project coordinator LeeAnn Lands, and other student-volunteers.

Initial contacts with former and current Summer Hill residents were made through recommendations from the Etowah Area Consolidated Housing Authority.  All residents in the Summer Hill census tract group were mailed notification of the project and asked to return a postcard if they were interested in being interviewed.  Subsequent contacts were made through interview subjects, who were asked to recommend other people for us to contact. We also had the opportunity to interview former Summer Hill School students at Gray’s Chapel AME Church in Adairsville. This event was graciously arranged by Rev. Louise Young Harris. 

Interviews were transcribed by Mim Eisenberg (Wordcraft, Inc.) and Diana Godwin (sponsored by the Federal Work Study Program).

Some interviews were later edited by Melissa Massey and LeeAnn Lands to correct spellings, name and place references.  Biographies and key word lists have been added to some oral histories.  Edited and unedited transcripts are noted.