ABSTRACT
Oral tradition in the African American community is a cultural form/practice that has been resistent to the hazards of assimilation. Studies and accounts of African American oral tradition have tended to concentrate on folktales; and their respective connections to the African motherland. The rich variety of oral narratives in the African American community encompasses a diversity of forms. Among these forms are family histories or renderings/tellings of real-life experiences, events, and ancestors, passed down from generation to generation within the same family. John J. Gumperz emphasizes the importance of language in that "social identity and ethnicity are in a large part established and maintained through language". Personal narratives of older African American women have proven to be rich sources of valuable information. Several histories of African American women confirm their positive status within the family and the community. The majority of family histories usually related stories of slaves and ex-slaves, their hardships, and their ultimate triumphs over unimaginable difficulties.
