I See My Light Shining

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My light Shining

The Baldwin-Emerson Elders Project

Established by award-winning author Jacqueline Woodson, the Baldwin-Emerson Elders Project captures and celebrates the untold stories of activists, storytellers, and community builders who have witnessed and shaped great change in American public life.

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Established by award-winning author Jacqueline Woodson, the Baldwin-Emerson Elders Project captures and celebrates the untold stories of activists, storytellers, and community builders who have witnessed and shaped great change in American public life.

Ten writers Ten regions Hundreds of histories
preserved

Collections

In 2020, ten award-winning writers were selected as Baldwin-Emerson Fellows and began traveling across America to capture the oral histories of extraordinary elders from all walks of life.

By 2023, the Fellows gathered hundreds of oral history interviews, which together create a distinctive new portrait of American life.

  • Denice Frohman

    Latina Lesbian Elders: Love and Belonging in the Northeast

  • Robin Coste Lewis

    Westward Black Journey: Cultural Fusion in Los Angeles

  • Caro De Robertis

    Queer San Francisco Reimagined

  • Caleb Gayle

    Tulsa's Legacy

  • Eve L. Ewing

    Midwest Black Migration: Tales of Movement and Belonging

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 Explore all Collections

Interviews

In their interviews, elders reflect on their own life histories as well as major historical events, giving unparalleled insights into their decisions, actions, and experiences. Each interview is an invitation to celebrate and honor the individuals who have contributed to shaping American history and culture.
  • Gwendolyn Mosley

    Retired teacher and lifelong Albuquerque resident

  • Melissa Smith-Hohnstein

    Clinical director, adoptee, and child advocate

  • Rodger Randle

    Politician, mayor, professor, democracy center director

  • Larry Phillips

    Albuquerque native, retired General Electric employee, and business owner

  • KB Boyce

    Transmasculine musician, artist, and activist

Explore
 Explore 239 interviews

A
Federal
Writers'
Project
for
the
21st
century!

The Baldwin-Emerson Elders Project is a nationwide initiative focused on preserving the histories of Black, Latine, Asian, Indigenous, and queer elders. Produced by Baldwin For The Arts and the Columbia Center for Oral History Research, with backing from Emerson Collective, the Elders Project draws inspiration from the Federal Writers' Project.

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more
about
The
Project
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‘There's a lot of work yet to be done.’
Kent Ford
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