Colorado celebrates 150 years of statehood with oral history initiative

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Colorado is celebrating 150 years of statehood this year, an anniversary that coincides with our nation's 250th birthday, and one way many are marking the occasion is through a big project to record Colorado's oral history.

The America 250 - Colorado 150 Commission has launched a storytelling initiative to create " A Portrait of Colorado at 150."

The goal is to capture the history of everyday Coloradans with a goal of 150 oral histories recorded by the end of the year, according to our Denver news partners.

The goal is to capture the history of the everyday Coloradan.

"I think my first apartment on Capitol Hill was $145 a month. That is very cheap, if you can imagine. And that was a studio apartment by myself," Pamela Webb told 9News, representing an example of a small detail about the history of Colorado, the project hopes to capture.

According to 9News, so far, Dr. Kim Kennedy White, a project leader, has collected 36 recordings and said the public can submit their own oral histories for inclusion in the collection. 

"We live in such a diverse state, both geographically and its people, and so going out and finding out what's important to each of these counties, each of these areas. What's their identity?" says Dr. White.

The commission in charge of the project, which is also making film documentaries and radio pieces, is looking to include experts from artists, curators, and business owners.

To learn more about the oral history project and to learn how to submit your own material, click here.

Stay up to date with the latest local news, sports, and investigations by downloading the KRDO13 app. Click here to download it from the Apple App Store. Android users can download it from Google Play here.