Missing stories

The history of ethnic and minority groups in Utah has never before been told from the perspectives of its average citizens. This ambitious venture in oral history tells a new story in a new way. Eight communities - representing Utah's oldest, largest, and most culturally viable racial and ethnic groups - tell their own stories in their own voices. What these voices tell us is the story of how individuals and families fared and how communities were settled, developed, and maintained through most of this century. They share accounts of parents and grandparents who endured the ordeal of losing their lands to white settlers, or made transcontinental, transpacific, and transatlantic voyages to try this "new" land. They recall the arduous task of sustaining families and earning livelihoods on reservation allotments, in mining towns, on small farms, and in growing cities. These many voices, at their most eloquent, share stories of catastrophes and triumphs, many of which have acquired mythic stature within their communities. . The oral elements of this history are artfully supplemented by prefaces to each section, where respected historians from each of the communities offer important background and historical context to the interview materials that follow. The book also features many photographs of the interviewees, adding another dimension to their vivid narratives.