Documentary projects are central to the SFA’s mission. Oral history interviews and short documentary films tell the stories of our region. They connect us to people and traditions that define everyday life.
Since the formal inception of our documentary initiative in 2005, we have collected hundreds of stories about the makers of barbecue and boudin, tamales and tupelo honey. We deliver the bulk of our oral history archive here online. We have also created culinary tourism resources like our signature Trail projects, as well as our iPhone app, SFA Stories.
Oral history also presents classroom possibilities. Interviews offers young scholars an opportunity to hone skills including researching, archiving, writing, and more. Through fieldwork, students contribute to history, creating a primary source for use in future scholarly research. We invite you to use our collection as inspiration to develop curriculum plans or other projects.
Documentary projects are a wonderful way to give back—to a person, a place, or a community. Our oral histories and films do just that: Give back to the people who have dedicated their lives to the craft and culture of Southern food and drink.
