ABSTRACT
People shape their daily lives by stories of who they and others are and interpret their past in terms of these stories. Dr. Irene Bishop-Goggans’ life work of scrapbook keeping is an example of how organized pictures, and newspaper clippings can be transformed into history, and can serve as a counter-narrative by marginalized communities to refute negative stereotypes. Her life history, presented through personal interviews along with her scrapbook collection, document the history and culture of an entire community of people. The information serves as a valuable resource for researchers interested in creating and constructing meaning about the lived conditions of African Americans in Milwaukee, Wisconsin from 1940 until 2017. Additionally, this chapter offers educators activities for teaching and learning from scrapbooks as a way to supplement oral history narratives.
