One of my favorite Alaskan resources, whether doing research or just for my own enjoyment and learning, is the Project Jukebox website. The interviews are fascinating to listen to, many feature video presentations, and they often include slideshows with photos and images. There is a broad range of topics, covering almost every subject relating to Alaska.
From the site: “The Oral History Program is part of the Alaska and Polar Regions Collections of the Elmer E. Rasmuson Library at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. The program was established in 1981 to collect and curate audio and video recordings that relate to various aspects of Alaska's history and the people who have contributed to its rich heritage. The collection contains over 13,000 individual recordings, including interviews with politicians, pioneers, and Native elders. Key collections include "Alaska Native Songs and Legends" by the Alaska Library Association (searchable index located on ANKN site), "Early Day Alaskans" by the Tanana-Yukon Historical Society, "The Alaska Native Elders-In-Residence Program" by the UAF Alaska Native Studies Department, and "On the Road Recordings with Old Timers" funded by British Petroleum Corporation.”
My own favorite collections reflect some of my personal interests:
From the site: PLEASE NOTE: Our new projects work best in Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Internet Explorer 9 or Safari (for Mac users). If you have problems viewing the site, please make sure you have the most up to date browser. Our site has problems with mobile devices, so if you are using one and can't access something, please try on a laptop or computer. Contact us if you have any questions.
Check out the Gates of the Arctic Research Portal for all information at the University of Alaska relating to those resident zone communities.
As Project Jukebox enters its latest technological phase in delivering oral histories, related documents and archival material, all of our new projects will be available online in our new presentation format. Until funding is secured to convert all of our old projects into our newest format, many of our older projects will remain in our older online format. What this means is that some of the older projects may no longer work as they once did, especially if you are using a new web browser to access them. As funding is secured, we will begin to upgrade our older projects into our new presentation delivery format and they will be fully functional again. The project banners listed above are in our new format. The projects listed below are still in older formats. Click on any of them to go directly to the project.
Alaska Highway: Changing Communities
Aleut/Alutiiq Cultural Atlases - this will take you to the Alaska Native Knowledge Network; you will have to sign in
Central Reflections, Then and Now Project Jukebox
Dalton Highway: Multi-media history of Alaska's Arctic Road
The Fairbanks Jukebox: The Interior Experience
Fairbanks Native Association Project Jukebox
Fort Yukon Photo Album
ANILCA D2 Hearings in Anaktuvuk Pass, May 12, 1973
History at Risk radio series: Linking Alaskans to the Past
Nanwalek and Port Graham Project Jukebox
Nunivak Island Place Names Project Jukebox
Pioneer Miners of Alaska Project Jukebox
Rampart Project Jukebox
Tanana Tribal Council Project Jukebox
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