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NORTH AMERICAN Newsline AUGUST 16, 2024 | The Indian Eye 26

National Indo-American Museum

Launches New oral history initiative

OUR BUREAU
Chicago, IL

he National Indo- American
Museum (NIAM) launched
Tits latest Oral History initiative
called Broadening Narratives on July
19, 2024. The event, held at NIAM’s
Umang and Paragi Patel Center at
815 S. Main St. in Lombard, was at-
tended by the Consul General, Mr.
Somnath Ghosh, other invited speak-
ers, and members of the community
including those whose stories are al-
ready featured on NIAM’s website
https://oralhistory.niam.org/
Funded by the Gaylord and
Dorothy Donnelly foundation, the
Broadening Narratives project seeks
to go beyond the portrayal of Indian
Americans as a highly educated and
successful immigrant group.
It will diversify NIAM’s Oral
History collection by adding the voic-
es of Indian Americans from a broad
range of socio-economic levels, in-
cluding marginalized and under-rep-
resented groups, such as LGBTQ+,
retail clerks, gas station attendants,
people living in shelters or on gov-
ernment assistance, and the undoc-
umented.
The Consul General spoke of
the importance of a community
capturing its own story in authentic,
first person voices instead of leav-
ing it solely in the hands of others
to interpret the Indian American
experience. NIAM Board members
explained the process by which in-
terviewees would be sought out and
interviewed by well trained profes-
sionals on the project team.
Team members including Project
Director Padma Rangaswamy, Board
member Devalina Law, Exhibition
Chair Raja Nadimpalli, and Project Consul General Somnath Ghosh Project Director Padma Rangaswamy
Manager Amita Banerji, addressed
the audience. NIAM digital archivist and researchers. ed his life to the cause of Indian inde- bard on Thursdays, Saturdays and
Ina Cox and NIAM consultant Peter Members of the audience also pendence from the British. His great Sundays from Noon to 4 pm. Group
Alter, Chief Oral Historian at the viewed NIAM’s latest exhibition granddaughter, Nisha Grover, was tours at other times are available by
Chicago History Museum gave the Desi Roots and Wings, which nar- one of the featured speakers at the appointment. Admission is $10, free
audience a fuller understanding of rates the little-known history of Indi- Broadening Narratives event. She for children 5 and younger. Free
how to get the most out of the NIAM an immigrants to the US from 1620 presented a fascinating family story parking is available.
oral history web pages. to World War 1. Among the many of her great grandfather, his world- The National Indo-American
The new oral histories will be individuals whose story is told in the wide travels, and his connection to builds bridges across generations and
posted on the NIAM website and exhibition is revolutionary freedom the homeland. connects cultures through the color-
made accessible to the widest pos- fighter Har Dayal Mathur (1884 – Desi Roots and Wings is open to ful stories of all Indian Americans.
sible audience, including historians 1939) who lived in the US and devot- the public at 815 S. Main St. in Lom- -- Asian Media USA

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