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1. I’m ready to help! What can I do?

Join one of our collection teams! Team members reach out to folks they know and guide them through the process of submitting photos, stories, documents and interviews to the initiative’s online archive. The AAHI committee is organizing nine collection teams. Each team is led by a member of the AAHI committee and will be responsible for capturing the history in a particular area. Go to the list of collection teams and their leaders.

2. If I join a collection team, how much do I have to do?

You can do as much or as little as your schedule or level of interest allows. We are grateful for any and all efforts to help us accomplish our mission of preserving the African American experience in Winston-Salem.

3. Can I be on more than one collection team at a time?

Yes!

4. What are you collecting?

We are looking for anything that helps tells the everyday history of Winston-Salem’s African American community during the years of segregation:

Photos:
Not just of civil-rights-related events, but of church picnics, family reunions, neighborhoods, sporting events, etc.

Documents:
Programs for school graduations, debutant balls, class reunions, concerts;  documents of historical interest or signed by significant people; etc.

Stories (Either written or recorded):
Anecdotes and memories of life in Winston-Salem. We’re interested not only in memories of events of community-wide interest (for example, the visit here by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.) but also, stories that provide a window into everyday life for the Winston-Salem’s African American population during segregation and the years of desegregation (for example, recollection of a family trip or of going to a movie theater).

5. What other resources can I consult to help me?

Oral History Resources page of the Southern Oral History Program

Resources page of the American Association for State and Local History

6. Why won’t my file upload on the submission portal?

The chief reasons that a file does not upload on the submission portal are that it is either too big, or it is not a format that the portal accepts.

7. What is the largest file size?

Make sure you file is no larger than 250 MB. That is the maximum size limit for uploads.

8. What format can the files be in?

Make sure you file is in one of these formats:  jpg, pdf, mp3, mp4, doc, docx, xls, xlsx, mov.

9. My oral history file is larger than 250 MB. What do I do?

You have two options: 

1. Send the file using a file transfer service
2. Put it on a thumb drive and deliver it to us.

10. How can I send the city the file?

Securely Send, at Securelysend.com is free and easy to use. Simply input an email, upload your file, and click "Send It". Securely Send lets you send files up to 2 gigabytes.

If you use this option, be sure to also upload a submission form(AAHI Form Link). Fill it out, save to your computer and upload with the video file.

You can also send large files through Hightail or Drop box if you have a paid account with them. The free versions are not practical because they restrict the size of the files you can send.

11. Can I drop it on of on a thumb drive?

YES!

All thumb drives must be accompanied by a submission form(AAHI Form Link). Fill out the form, print it and put it and the thumb drive in an envelope with “AAHI” printed on it and drop it off:

• At either of the city’s drive-through payment windows at the Stuart Municipal Building(Facility Info Link) or the Black Phillips Smith Government Center(Facility Info Link).
• In the payments drop box where you pay your water bill in person inside the Stuart Building.
• In the night depository on the Church Street side of the Stuart Building.

12. I can’t join a collection team but I have a good story that should be preserved. What should I do?

Send us an email at AAHI@cityofws.org. Someone will get in touch with you and arrange to get your story.

13. How can I get my items scanned?

All branch libraries have copy machines that work like a scanner to scan documents into PDF files. It is self-services, free of charge. Ask the staff to help you if you need any help.