Project #11

Project:#11 Community & oral history

We all live and belong to a community. Further define yourself by defining the community(s) in which you live and participate.

  • You may wish to give this some thought.
  • Look up community in the dictionary.
  • Identify your communities before you write.
  • Virtual Communities
  • Mythology
  • Cultural Sites
  • Oral Histories
  • City Lore Based in New York, the City Lore organization is a nonprofit organization devoted to promoting the cultural heritage of the city through a variety of programs and events. Two online exhibits dealing with the Puerto Rican Day parade and the making of lace highlight some of their more recent work. A resources link on the site leads to several helpful articles that highlight the study of urban culture and folklore, along with a list of related links. One of the best parts of the site is an area dealing with New York Favorites, which is essentially a list of places and sights that local New Yorkers have submitted to the site. Finally, the site contains City Lore's online People's Hall of Fame, which recognizes the life-long contributions of persons who have dedicated themselves to the maintenance and practice of a number of folkways and traditions.
  • American Folklore Maintained by Sandra E. Schlosser, a freelance author, this site contains numerous tales of American folklore. Casting a broad net, the sections are organized around different themes, such as Famous Characters, Historical Folklore, and Regional Folktales. Along with these areas, there is also a complete alphabetical list of all the different tales on the site. One of its best parts is a section on Tall Tales, which relate different stories about ghosts, holidays, and various places that have arisen out of the American folklore tradition. The site is a good way to get reacquainted with the folklore tradition in America, while serving as a solid introduction to the subject for young people.
  • Will Durant Foundation While Will Durant is most well-known for his massive 11 volume Story of Civilization, the Will Durant Foundation Web site tells visitors about some of his other projects and life achievements, along with those of his wife, Ariel Durant. The site begins with a short essay offering a brief synopsis of Durant's life, including his relationship with his wife and the publishing icons Dick Simon and Max Schuster. The site contains articles written by Will Durant on a variety of subjects ranging from ancient Greece to the nature of civilization. For those interested in asking questions about Durant and his work, there is also an open and moderated discussion forum, along with a place for interested visitors to purchase any number of volumes authored by Mr. Durant and his wife.

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