Oral Histories
In 1976, students from the Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA) were presented with a project to explore and photograph the neighborhoods of East Baltimore. Through this exploration, two students in particular, Elinor B. Cahn and Joan Clark Netherwood were inspired and driven to expand the project to include Oral Histories of the people they photographed. With the help of their instructor, Linda G. Rich, they created the collection: The East Baltimore Documentary Photography Project. The culmination of their project resulted in multiple exhibitions and a photography book, “Neighborhood: a State of Mind.”
The Oral Histories were intended to be included as interviews paired with the photographs taken of the individuals. They provide contextual knowledge about the neighborhood and its residents, describing the ethnic groups, political climate, and culture of East Baltimore in the late 70s and early 80s from the perspective of those in the community who have lived within the city for varying years. The specific neighborhoods discussed within the Oral Histories are Canton, Butchers Hill, Fells Point, Highlandtown, and Patterson Park.
As stated within the original proposal of the project: “The neighborhoods of East Baltimore are a microcosm of the American Experience - made up of Poles, Ukrainians, Italians, Greeks, Czechs, and Germans who migrated to the United States in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries” (Joan Netherwood). These interviews were taken during a dynamic time period when the city’s leading industries and workforce were changing, and Fells Point had recently become a historical district. The city experienced an influx of both immigration and migration through the city that affected the ethnic and racial makeup of all neighborhoods in Baltimore. Despite being of different ethnic groups, the people of East Baltimore had many commonalities that were critical to their way of life. The people of East Baltimore were zealously religious, of moderate means, limited educationally, hard workers, and motivated by close-knit families and pride of ownership.
Through these tapes, you will discover popular gathering places such as the local tavern, common political motives and key figures of the community, the interaction of varying ethnic groups, and the communities perception of what it was like to live in East Baltimore during the varying times that these tapes were recorded and personal experiences that the individuals had at the time. This, in tandem with the photographs in the collection, create a picture that captures the complexity of the community of East Baltimore.
This collection contains audio cassette tape recordings and physical as well as digital transcripts. These individuals provided a very subjective first-hand account of the transformation of their neighborhoods. This collection of oral histories may contain language and ideas that are offensive, derogatory, and/ or harmful. Their individual beliefs and words are not a reflection of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC).