Contact:

Leo J. Goodsell, Executive Director

Berrien County Historical Association

P.O. Box 261

Berrien Springs, MI 49103

Tele: (269) 471-1202

Berrien County Historical Association and Sons of Italy Present Oral History Program

BERRIEN SPRINGS, MICHIGAN: The Berrien County Historical Association in partnership with the Sons of Italy will present a free program on how to conduct oral interviews. The training will be March 12 at 6:30 p.m. at the North Berrien Historical Museum, 300 Coloma Avenue, Coloma, Michigan. Leo Goodsell, executive director of the Berrien County Historical Association said, "We will provide the training as well as sample forms to be used in conducting oral interviews." This project will focus on interviewing long-time Italian residents of Berrien County. For more information about the training or project, call (269) 471-1202.

The Berrien County Historical Association, in partnership with the Sons of Italy, Benton Harbor, will research the history of the Italians of Berrien County, Michigan from the 1910s until the present. We seek volunteers to help us conduct oral histories, transcribe the interviews, and assist with research. Training will be provided. It is not necessary to be Italian to participate in the project. This project is funded in part by a $15,000 grant from the Michigan Humanities Council, an affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Leo Goodsell, Executive Director of the BCHA said, "We are very fortunate to have such an overwhelming show of support for this project by scholars from around Michigan. One of the goals of this project is to increase our knowledge and understanding of one of the various ethnic groups that make up Berrien County's rich heritage." Anyone interested in volunteering, or anyone who is Italian or married to an Italian or has knowledge of the Italians in Berrien County, please contact Karen Heyn or Leo Goodsell at the Berrien County Historical Association at (269) 471-1202.

Research results, and oral or videotapes will be deposited in the archives of the Berrien County Historical Association. The information from the oral histories, as well as information obtained from other historical documents and photos, will be used in a brief publication and for photographic displays about Italians of Berrien County.

The Berrien County Historical Association is located at the 1839 Courthouse Complex, 313 N. Cass Street (old US 31), Berrien Springs, Michigan.