Oral History Collection
India Association of Minnesota Oral History Project
The goal of this multi-part oral history project between the India Association of Minnesota and the Minnesota Historical Society was to record the experiences of Asian Indian immigrants in Minnesota.Descriptions from the individual interviews are available by clicking on any of the narrators below.
Phase I, 1993-1995
The 16 narrators, some of whom arrived in the state as early as the 1950s, describe their family of origin, the social context in which they were raised, and their decision to immigrate to the United States. Interviews focus on values and attitudes, comparing and contrasting the "Indian way" with the "American way," especially as these ways relate to family, marriage, parenting, work and community life. Narrators also speak about their association with Indian social groups and religious organizations in the U.S. View library catalog record.
Narrators:
Phase 2, 1997-1998
These interviews track the adjustment and development of Indian Americans, many of whom are children of the narrators interviewed in phase 1 of the project. The second-generation narrators are between 18 and 40 years of age and most grew up in bilingual homes. They found that the social lives of their parents revolved primarily around the Indian immigrant community, while their lives often included few, if any, Asian Indians. A recurring difference between the original immigrants and their children appears around the social issues of dating, marriage, and child-rearing. View library catalog record.
Narrators:
