Oral History of Exxon Valdez now available online

Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Project Jukebox

The council recently partnered with the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ Oral History Program to create an online oral history of the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Through the University’s Project Jukebox website, visitors can access video, audio, and written resources that offer a rich understanding of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill.

The personal stories of twenty people who experienced the spill firsthand are highlighted in the project. Each person talks about the impact the spill had on their life and the environment, the cleanup response, the long-term effects of the spill, and changes in the oil industry since 1989. Twenty-five years after the Exxon Valdez oil spill, Project Jukebox is helping preserve this piece of history. Many of these stories are being told for the first time. The experiences documented on the Project Jukebox site are now accessible to the public.

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Oral history of Exxon Valdez now complete and online

Exxon Valdez tanker leaking oil in Prince William Sound, April 13, 1989. Photo by Charles N. Ehler. Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Collection, ARLIS.
Exxon Valdez tanker leaking oil in Prince William Sound, April 13, 1989. Photo by Charles N. Ehler. Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Collection, ARLIS.

The council recently partnered with the University of Alaska Fairbanks’ Oral History Program to create an online oral history of the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Visitors to the Project Jukebox website can access video, audio, and written resources that offer a rich understanding of the 1989 Exxon Valdez oil spill.

The stories of twenty people who experienced the spill firsthand have been recorded talking about the impact the spill had on their lives and on the environment, the cleanup response, the long-term effects of the spill, and changes in the oil industry since 1989.

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Personal stories of Exxon Valdez spill to be preserved in University of Alaska Fairbanks’ oral history archives

By ALICIA ZORZETTO
Digital Collections Librarian

Twenty-five years after the Exxon Valdez disaster, the voices of 20 local citizens are being preserved as part of the Oral History Program at the University of Alaska Fairbanks.

The university created this archive of stories, known as “Project Jukebox,” to preserve audio and video recordings related to aspects of Alaska’s history and its people. This year, the council is partnering with the university to create an Exxon Valdez oil spill portion of the archive. Funding is provided by the council as well as a generous contribution from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

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25th Anniversary Commemoration – Events

A fishing vessel practices using oil spill boom and skimmers during fishing vessel training last year. The fishermen bring valuable knowledge about local waters during a spill response. Photo by Jeremy Robida.
One of the most important changes in Prince William Sound is the inclusion of local fishing vessels in oil spill planning and response. The fishermen bring valuable knowledge about local waters during a spill response. Participants in this program are trained annually to transport response equipment, and deploy and tend boom. Find out more about this and many other changes at one of the events listed.

Several public presentations were held in March 2014 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Exxon Valdez oil spill. The presentations focused on the improvements in oil spill prevention and response in Prince William Sound since 1989.

Dates and locations:

  • Valdez:  March 4th at the Valdez Museum
  • Seward:  March 6 at the SeaLife Center
  • Cordova:  March 11 at the U.S. Forest Service in Cordova
  • Homer: March 13 at the Pratt Museum
  • Kodiak: March 18 at the library
  • Glenallen: March 21 at the Wrangell Institute for Science and Environment
  • Anchorage: March 24th at the Loussac Library

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