The Chattanooga History Center (CHC) announced that it has received a $2,000 Arts Build Communities (ABC) grant that will allow for an oral history project involving the creation of digital archives.
Upon completion, the archives will reside at the CHC and be included in the center’s new exhibits.
The grant, administered by Allied Arts of Greater Chattanooga and funded by the Tennessee Arts Commission and the Tennessee General Assembly, will support artist fees incurred to gather one-on-one interviews with generations of former foundry workers from the Chattanooga area, including the few remaining active foundries.
“This project is an important part of telling the story of Chattanooga
through the voices of those who made our city,” said CHC Executive Director, Dr. Daryl Black. “This project fits perfectly with the mission of the CHC--to connect the past, present and future by exploring the land, river and people of Chattanooga.”
Artistic director and photographer Mary Barnett says pre-production has already begun and that the initial series of interviews will focus on the
older generations of foundry workers. The ABC grant will allow the CHC to collaborate with Barnett, who created, “And the Iron Did Swim,” a series of photographs that documented the closing of Chattanooga’s most prominent remaining industrial site, the U.S. Pipe Foundry.
Barnett says she started recording conversations with workers during the demolition of the foundry and hopes to continue a broad gathering of voices.
“The goal is to capture the earliest time period of Chattanooga’s industrial storyline. We want to ensure that the oral history will not duplicate the written record, but will supplement it, adding unique material available nowhere else,” she said.
Production is scheduled to end June 30th. Those who are interested and feel they can contribute to the industrial story of Chattanooga are asked to contact Mary Barnett directly at 423.822.0289 or acmecatalyst@gmail.com.