Professor Stewart’s blog article focuses on memory and oral history

Professor Catherine Stewart’s book might have been released in April, but she’s not done writing.

The Cornell College history professor’s second blog article as a guest author for the University of North Carolina Press was recently posted. She writes about the challenges of memory and oral history and reflects on her own experiences conducting oral history interviews as part of the research for her book, “Long Past Slavery: Representing Race in the Federal Writers’ Project.”

Stewart interviewed historic figures for her book, like author and folklorist Stetson Kennedy. She writes about that experience in the blog.

“I wrote Mr. Kennedy a formal letter, and received his invitation to visit him at his home, Beluthahatchee, in St. Johns County, Florida,” Stewart said. “On my arrival in St. Augustine, the 89-year-old Mr. Kennedy declined to meet with me until I had been screened by his fiancée, 65-year-old Sandra Parks.”

Stewart’s first blog article for the University of North Carolina Press was released at the end of April.