The Initiative

Historical preservation is a quality-of-life issue. If a person does not have clean drinking water or electricity, chances are that person will not think to properly document his or her history, hardships, and accomplishments. Plus, history never feels like history when it’s still with us. Too often, by the time society realizes the value and impact of a person’s life, that person is no longer with us. The General History Project wants to tell stories of people who’ve influenced a part of the world that may not have the resources to record it.

Now don’t get me wrong: it’s not like we’ve got it all figured out in the West either; most of us in America don’t make time to sit down with our elders to learn about our past and listen to their stories. But for people who depend entirely on oral history to learn about their past, documenting the lives of those who possess this knowledge becomes paramount. We want to share this knowledge with unborn generations.

Mission

The General History Project is a Georgia 501 (c)(3) non-profit corporation committed to preserving oral and cultural histories throughout the world. It seeks to record the life stories of aging community leaders in their own words. By allowing access to these primary sources, we promote cultural awareness and enrich the lives of all people, young and old. While The General History Project focuses on historical preservation in the developing world, it will consider any important story.

Purpose

The purpose of this project is to educate the public and make historical preservation possible in places where competing factors of sickness, poverty, and instability take precedence. It is only through a coherent understanding of past struggles and shared history that a nation’s people will be proud, and they will work together to make their country a better place.

Core Values

• Mutual understanding and celebration of common humanity.
• Respect for the past, with appreciation for the remarkable capacity of people and situations to change.
• Tolerance, unity, curiosity and education.

Opportunity

It is a great opportunity to speak with those who shaped history. Many developing nations achieved independence only forty to fifty years ago. The General History Project seeks to record the life stories of people who stood for what they believed in and fought for freedom. Some leaders worry about repercussions if they speak of their experience, so unsung heroes live in repressed fear. Powerful narratives enliven history and encourage listeners to learn general history through the eyes of one person. We must record their stories before their legacies get buried with their bodies.

Background

Laura Lee met The General in October of 2006 while backpacking the East Coast of Africa. She began to learn Kenyan history first-hand from The General and his life story. Although she was a history major at UVA, she knew little about Africa. She realized that the best way to learn about a culture and a place is to get to know someone from it and let him or her teach you.

The General inspired Laura Lee. He’d seen so much bad in people but continued to look for the good. At 85-years-old, he was an active community leader: Chairman of the indigenous governing council, Chairman and founder of a successful Farmers’ Cooperative, a Presbyterian Church elder, and a productive tea farmer. In the 1950s, he spent over two years fighting in the forests for Kenyan independence. He spent another three years in detention camps and rehabilitation centers. He was involved in politics during the entire Independence movement. He is one of the founding fathers of Kenya.

In December of 2006, Laura Lee returned to the United States but did not forget about The General. She couldn’t believe that someone so significant could go unrecognized and undocumented. He was a role model that she wanted to introduce to future Kenyan generations and to the world. Two years later, with the support of friends and family, The General History Project began to take shape.

She teamed up with her friend Lindsay Tabas to build this website. The Atlanta law firm of Hunton & Williams accepted Laura Lee as a pro-bono client to help The General History Project become a tax-exempt organization. She filed the Articles of Incorporation for The General History Project in February of this year, and the IRS approved its application to be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit shortly thereafter.

She received enough donations to purchase audio and video recording equipment, research materials, and a roundtrip plane ticket to Nairobi. She found a great team of professors who were interested in and supportive of her work, namely: Professor John Mason of University of Virginia, Professor Ted Rosengarten of the College of Charleston, Professor Melvin Konner of Emory, and Professor Jeffrey Fadiman of San Jose State University. They all mentored her in preparation for the project.

In March, Laura Lee moved to the Eastern Province of Kenya and conducted an extended series of interviews with The General on his tea farm. She collected over 100 hours of material from The General and related contacts. Now, Laura Lee is working to transcribe and organize this material and find out the best place for it.

Board of Directors

Professor John Mason, Associate Professor (1995) at University of Virginia in Southern Africa, Modern Africa, History of Photography

Professor Theodore “Ted” Rosengarten, Distinguished Visiting Professor of History and Jewish Studies at the College of Charleston and University of South Carolina.

Lindsay Tabas, M.I.M.S. University of California – Berkeley, Senior Business Analyst at Sycle.net

Jessica Musick, B.S., B.A., M.B.A. University of Georgia.