Vanderscoff Oral History
Preserving stories of life,
innovations, institutions
& Community
Vanderscoff Oral History
Preserving stories of life, innovations, institutions & community
Cameron Vanderscoff
Oral Historian | Writer | EDUCATOR | INTERVIEWER
Why does your Oral History Matter?
People often ask me IF their story ~
about their life, work, community
is important enough to be told.
Yes! First-person stories open a rare window into your time in history — that only you can tell it best.
We make it easy for you from idea to interview to print or digital publish.
Why does your Oral History Matter?
People often ask IF their story--about their life, work, community-- is important enough to be told.
Yes! First-person stories open a rare window into a time in history that only you can tell best. We make it easy for you from idea to interviews to print & digital publish.
Let’s talk about your story idea.
Let’s talk about your story idea.
What's new in
VANDERSCOFF Oral History?
Cameron posts projects and events that are guaranteed to open doors to exciting and rare stories of people, places, times in our world. Our sample projects are posted below:
MEMOIR AND FAMILY ORAL HISTORY
STREET SOJOURNER
An Oral History Memoir of Jean Rice
by JEAN RICE and Cameron Vanderscoff
with LYNN LEWIS
A story of surviving homelessness on the streets of New York City. An in-depth look at his life journey from living in the Jim Crow laws in the South, to NYC, to Attica, to becoming a key Civil Rights Advocate.
MEMOIR IN PROCESS — NOT YET PUBLISHED
Land Below, Sky Above
An Oral History of Stanley Clifford Henjum I
BOOK TWO: 1935-1943
AN EDUCATION FROM FARM TO COLLEGE
by Clifford Henjum and Cameron Vanderscoff
Book Two is the second installment of Mr. Henjum’s 102 year oral history in words and images, exploring his early years 1935-1943. Growing up on a farm with no electricity and through the Dust Bowl, he would attend high school and be the first in his family to attend college. Within days of starting at St. Olaf College, World War II would be declared in Europe. His life and career plans would abruptly change with war on the horizon. Oral history interviews conducted with Mr. Henjum. Photos were digitized to archival standards and the book designed and published.
Land Below, Sky Above
BOOK ONE: Roots, 1921-1935
by Clifford Henjum and Cameron Vanderscoff
Book One is the first installment of Mr. Henjum’s oral history in words and images, exploring his early years 1921-1935 growing up on the family farm through the Depression and Dust Bowl. The full book series traces his remarkable 102 year life story, from his beginnings as a farmboy in rural Minnesota to his career in service of his country in World War II, then as an aerospace engineer in the space industry, and as a son and family man throughout. Oral history interviews conducted with Mr. Henjum. Photos were digitized to archival standards and the book designed and published.
INSTITUTIONAL & COMMUNITY ORAL HISTORY
THE EMPTY YEAR
An OralHistory of the Pandemic(s) of 2020 at University of California at Santa Cruz
Edited by Cameron Vanderscoff and Irene Reti
At the University of California, Santa Cruz and across the world, 2020 was a year of not just the COVID-19 pandemic, but pandemics, plural. In addition to COVID-19, the CZU Lightning Complex fires exploded across Santa Cruz County. While these pandemics can be mapped and tracked and tallied with numbers, for it to be understood and felt for many, if not most people, we need stories. A collection of twenty-two oral history interviews exploring the ways people have encountered and interpreted this time.
Seeds of Something Different
An Oral History of the University of California at Santa Cruz
A two-volume look at 50 Years of innovation in higher public education.
By Irene Reti,
Cameron Vanderscoff,
Sarah Rabkin
This two volume oral history on this innovative public university, chronicles the first 50 years of UCSC through more than 200 first person oral histories. The cover image by famed photographer Ansel Adams, starts the journey into a treasure trove of archival images that are featured in this book to illustrate the stories being told.
MULTIMEDIA ORAL HISTORY EVENTS
UCSC HOSTS ONLINE series
Seeds of something different ONLINE INTERACTIVE Series
Hosted by Irene Reti,
Cameron Vanderscoff,
Sarah Rabkin WITH guest speakers
6 part weekly online series focused on a different era of this forward thinking university, exploring the book, Seeds of Something Different, An Oral History of the University of California at Santa Cruz. Guest speakers included esteemed leaders in administration, faculty, facility planning, architecture together with students and community representatives — involved in the founding of UCSC and/or the continued innovation over fifty years. Open to public, students, alumni, educators, parents. FREE.
Oral History & MEDIA
SF Chronicle: Datebook
How Ansel Adams saw UC Santa Cruz
Wednesday, June 10, 2010, San Francisco Chronicle
By Sam Whitling
Article on the two volume book set, “Seeds of Something Different”, that features the works of Ansel Adams. Ansel Adams, was the Campus Photographer when the young campus of UC Santa Cruz was just forming. “Already one of the most famous photographers in the world, Adams had come to Santa Cruz on assignment…”
Radio INTERVIEW
“A Closer look at the book “Seeds of Something Different” and the feat of creating a public university in the 60’s that can last- and it’s now been over fifty years. This campus fostered accomplishments and discoveries by students, alumni and faculty that have been enormous.”
Cameron Vanderscoff talks with KTRC HOST Richard Eeds |
Host, Richard Eeds Radio Show, Santa Fe
1260 KTRC Talk Radio
What's New?
Cameron posts projects and events that are guaranteed to open doors to exciting and rare stories of people, places, times in our world. A few of our sample projects are below:
MEMOIR & FAMILY ORAL History BOOKS
STREET SOJOURNER
by Jean Rice
and Cameron Vanderscoff
with Lynn Lewis
A story of surviving homelessness on the streets of New York City. An in-depth look at Jean’s life journey from living under the Jim Crow laws of the South, to Attica, to becoming a key Civil Rights Advocate.
STREET SOJOURNER IN PROGRESS —
NOT YET PUBLISHED.
Land Below, Sky Above
An Oral History of Stanley Clifford Henjum I
BOOK TWO: 1935-1943, AN EDUCATION FROM FARM TO COLLEGE
by Clifford Henjum
and Cameron Vanderscoff
BOOK TWO is the second installment of Mr. Henjum’s oral history in words and images, exploring his early years 1935-1943. Growing up on a farm with no electricity and through the Dust Bowl, he would attend high school and be the first in his family to attend college. Within days of starting at St. Olaf College, World War II would be declared in Europe. His life and career plans would abruptly change with war on the horizon.
Land Below, Sky Above
An Oral History of Stanley Clifford Henjum I
BOOK ONE: Roots, 1921-1935
by Clifford Henjum
and Cameron Vanderscoff
BOOK ONE is the first installment of Mr. Henjum’s oral history in words and images, exploring his early years 1921-1935 growing up on the family farm through the Depression and Dust Bowl. The full book series traces his remarkable 102-year life story, from his beginnings as a farmboy in rural Minnesota to his career in service of his country in WW2, then as an aerospace engineer in the space industry, and as a son and family man throughout.
INSTITUTIONAL & COMMUNITY ORAL HISTORY
THE EMPTY YEAR
An OralHistory of the Pandemic(s) of 2020 at University of California at Santa Cruz
edited by Cameron Vanderscoff and Irene Reti
At the University of California, Santa Cruz and across the world, 2020 was a year of not just the COVID-19 pandemic, but pandemics, plural. In addition to COVID-19, the CZU Lightning Complex fires exploded across Santa Cruz County. While these pandemics can be mapped and tracked and tallied with numbers, for it to be understood and felt for many, if not most people, we need stories. A collection of twenty-two oral history interviews exploring the ways people have encountered and interpreted this time.
Hardcover: 554 pages
Radio INTERVIEW
Cameron Vanderscoff talks with Richard Eeds about “Seeds of Something Different”| Host, Richard Eeds Radio Show, Santa Fe, 1260 KTRC Talk Radio, April 7, 2020
Seeds of Something Different: An Oral History of the University of California at Santa Cruz
By Irene Reti,
Cameron Vanderscoff,
Sarah Rabkin
This two-volume oral history on this innovative public university, chronicles the first 50 years of UCSC through more than 200 first person oral histories. Remarkable interviews are complimented by a visual story with images by Ansel Adams and more. Available in Print and eBook
MULTIMEDIA
UCSC Virtual series
Seeds of something different Weekly series
Hosted by
Irene Reti
Cameron Vanderscoff
Sarah Rabkin
WITH guest speakers
6 part weekly online series focused on a different era 1960’s – 2020 of this forward thinking university. Open to public, students, alumni, educators, parents. FREE.
A History of Creativity and Change in Six Sessions
A Pioneering Era and The Rising Counterculture (1960s)
Guest Commentators: Frank Zwart and Ed Landesman
The Changing City on a Hill (1970s)
Guest Commentator: J. Herman Blake
Rocks Ahead: Reorganization of the College System (1980s)
Guest Commentators: Bill Domhoff and George Blumenthal
Open the Door: Finding a Place on "A Very White Campus" (1990s)
Guest Commentators: Bettina Aptheker and Rosie Cabrera
A Research University with Experimental Roots (2000-2010)
Guest Commentators: Murray Baumgarten and Gary Griggs
"For Times We Can't Imagine" (2010-2020)
Guest Commentators: Jim Clifford and Donna Haraway, Nirupama Chandrasekhar, Stephen Yogi
How to Start telling your story?
About Cameron Vanderscoff
Cameron Vanderscoff is an oral historian, writer, educator and founder of Vanderscoff Oral History. He is a project designer and interviewer conducting and managing projects for individuals and institutions throughout the U.S. and internationally. He holds an MA in Oral History from Columbia University, focusing his consulting work on best practices to collect and preserve stories for his clients. He holds two Bachelor of Arts degrees from University of California Santa Cruz in Literature/Creative Writing and in History.
He is co-editor of the celebrated oral history “Seeds of Something Different” chronicling the fifty year story of the University of California at Santa Cruz and its innovative experimentation in public education. As co-founder of the Okinawa Memories Initiative, he is developing oral histories and curriculum for university and community education and dialogue.
He works with The Narrative Trust, and his versatile portfolio also includes projects with Columbia University, the Apollo Theatre and multimedia webinars, courses and presentations to reach new audiences.
Cameron has conducted oral history projects focused on diverse topics, including education, science and technology, aerospace, business, theatre, farming, music, World War II history, and most recently took a deep dive into the oral history of renowned artist Robert Rauschenberg for the book, “Robert Rauschenberg: An Oral History”. Cameron is based in New York and California, conducting oral histories nationally and internationally. He is active in the Oral History Association (OHA) and served on its Publications Committee.
About Cameron Vanderscoff
Cameron Vanderscoff is an oral historian, writer, educator and founder of Vanderscoff Oral History. His work includes projects with the Narrative Trust, Columbia University, the Apollo Theatre, and other individuals, businesses and institutions. He earned an MA in Oral History from Columbia University and has consulted widely across the U.S. and internationally. He holds two Bachelor of Arts degrees from University of California Santa Cruz in Literature/Creative Writing and in History.
He is co-editor of the book, “Seeds of Something Different: An Oral History of the University of California at Santa Cruz”. His oral history work has ranged from topics in history, education, technology, business, theatre and includes taking a deep dive into art through oral histories for the acclaimed book “Robert Rauschenberg: An Oral History”. Cameron is co-founder of the Okinawa Memories Initiative, a UCSC Center chronicling oral and visual histories for study and curriculum.
Online & In-person
We offer interviews in-person or online via videoconferencing. We make it easy for you to feel at ease knowing your story is being saved.
Thank you for visiting
Vanderscoff Oral History. We offer in-person and online oral history interviews. We make it easy for you.
Oral History is changing how History is remembered.
One story at a time.