Vermont Historical Society

The Vermont Historical Society will capture, preserve, and share the stories of Vermonters during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly those who worked on the front lines and shaped the state’s response. The society will conduct 100 oral history interviews with government officials, health care workers, educators, retail workers, and others most directly affected by the earliest days of the pandemic. Project staff will work with an advisory committee to develop the list of interviewees and meet again during the midpoint to assess gaps. Staff will hire four field interviewers and provide training to collect the oral histories, which will also be used to create a book and a limited-series podcast. They will assess the project using qualitative and quantitative measures, including the number of oral history interviews produced and made accessible online; the diversity of people interviewed as well as their experiences shared; and the number of podcast downloads.