In the spring of 2022, Kingston Library and the Reher Center for Immigrant Culture and History launched a collaborative project to gather, document, preserve, and share the oral histories of the immigrant experience in our community.

This project was motivated by a lack of materials in the library’s Local History collection on the immigrant experience of the latter twentieth and early twenty-first century, as well as the value the Reher Center for Immigrant Culture and History place on the preservation of community history, particularly during a time of rapid demographic change in our city.

This project is ongoing. Please contact us if you are interested in sharing your story.

Oral History Collection

The following interviews were recorded between March and June 2022. The interviews were conducted by students from Bard College under the direction of Assistant Professor of Sociology and Environmental and Urban Studies, Peter Klein, using a question framework established in partnership with members of Vida Real, LGBTQ Community Center, A.J. Williams-Myers African Roots Center, Ukrainian National Women’s League of America, Humanamente, and the Ulster County Italian American Foundation.

Kingston Immigrant Oral History Project is supported with federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds allocated to the New York State Library by the Institute of Museum and Library Services and administered by Southeastern NY Library Resources Council.

The views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in these interviews do not necessarily represent those of the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Click on any of the records below to access the oral history, bibliographic information, and transcript of the interview*. All recordings are used under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial–ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License

*Interview transcripts may contain inaccuracies. The process for editing transcripts is ongoing and final versions will be uploaded upon completion.

SubjectDescriptionDate of InterviewLength of Interview
Bowman, SatoruPersonal History [Japan] - Migrated 2004 to study at SUNY New Paltz and settled in Kingston, NY03/26/202221:14
Brown, Jane MariFamily/Personal History [Italy] - Family migrated from Italy to New York in 192005/19/202232:43
Crans, MariannaPersonal/ Family History [Ukraine] - Migrated 1956 via London, with parents, who fled Ukraine after World War II03/26/202220:46
Farina, HongPersonal History [Vietnam] - Migrated 2020 to Kingston, NY.05/19/202214:22
Fiori, MarielPersonal History [Argentina] - Migrated in 2003 to study at Bard College and settled in Kingston, NY.05/14/202247:28
Garfalo, GerardoPersonal History [Italy] - Migrated 1966 to Brooklyn and settled in Kingston, NY.05/19/202234:44
Gonzalez, Laura AlessandraPersonal History [Puerto Rico] - Migrated 2012 to Westchester county and then settled in Kingston04/24/202231:47
Hazan, MayaPersonal History [Latvia] - Migrated 1998 to study and settled in Kingston, NY04/24/202220:03
Jule-Quintanilla, HugoPersonal History [El Salvador] - Migrated 1999 to study at Alfred State College and settled in Woodstock, then Kingston.04/24/202213:42
Lopez, EdinPersonal History [Guatemala] - Migrated in 2020 and settled in Kingston, NY.05/14/202234:26
Mazariego, DeysiPersonal History [El Salvador] - Migrated in 2006 to Rockland County and then settled in Kingston, NY05/14/202223:17
Mazariego, RubenPersonal History [El Salvador] - Migrated in 1992 to reunite with family and settled in Kingston, NY.05/14/202218:47
Mercado, ErickPersonal History [El Salvador] - Migrated in 2002 and founded Vida Real Congregational Church in Kingston, NY.05/14/202240:16
Reynolds, TheresaFamily History [Italy] - Grandparents migrated early 1900's, settled in Kingston.05/14/202224:54
Rios, Lidia Gabriela Vilma Cirila AliagaPersonal History [Perú] -Migrated in 2021 and settled in Kingston, NY. 04/24/202239:16
Robathan, TimothyPersonal History [Australia] - Migrated 2016 via London and settled in Kingston, NY03/26/202220:32
Villa, AmeliaPersonal History [Mexico] - Migrated in 1992 to Queens, NY and settled 1998 in Kingston, NY.05/14/2241:57
Vischer-James, Sarah-MariaPersonal History [Switzerland] - Migrated 1996 as High School Exchange student03/26/202220:36
Zahedi, EssiPersonal History [Iran] - Migrated 1979 to escape Iranian Revolution03/26/202241:02

Contact Us If Your Are Interested in Contributing Your Story

(845) 331-0507

circulation@kingstonlibrary.org.