Past into Present: Effective Techniques for First-Person Historical Interpretation

By Stacy F. Roth

Book Overview

First-person interpretation -- the portrayal of historical
characters through interactive dramatization or roleplaying -- is
an effective, albeit controversial, method used to bring history
to life at museums, historic sites, and other public venues.
Stacy Roth examines the techniques of first-person interpretation
to identify those that have been most effective with audiences
while allowing interpreters to maintain historical fidelity.
Past into Present focuses on first-person
interpretation's most challenging form: the unscripted,
spontaneous, conversational approach employed in "living history"
environments such as Plimoth Plantation in Massachusetts, Conner
Prairie in Indiana, and Colonial Williamsburg in Virginia. While
acknowledging that a wide range of methods can touch audiences
effectively, Roth identifies a core set of practices that combine
positive communication techniques, classic interpretive
philosophy, and time-tested learning theories to promote audience
enjoyment, provoke thought and inquiry, convey important messages
and themes, and relate to individual visitor interests. She
offers numerous examples of conversation and demonstration
strategies, visitor behavior profiles, and suggestions for
depicting conflict and controversy, and she provides useful
character development guidelines, interpretive training advice, and recommendations for adapting first-person interpretation for
diverse audiences.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0807847100
• ISBN13: 9780807847107
• Release Date: May 1998
• Publisher: University of North Carolina Press
• Length: 272 Pages
• Weight: 1.01 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 5.9" x 8.9"

Customer Reviews

Past into Present

I have participated as a living history first person interpreter for over 6 years, and have been a visitor at many living history sites across the country. I am also the period costume coordinator for a living history site. I have seen first hand many effective and ineffective presentations. While reading and searching for textbooks for our upcoming "Dame School" program for young ladies at our site, I came across this book. Since the text is clear and written to be interesting as well as educational,I have chosen it as a textbook for our "school". I believe our young students will be able to relate well to the book, and that we will be able to use this book to guide them to more effectual presentations. I also highly recommend it for adults. This book is very good at giving hints on how to engage visitors in conversations useful in imparting stories of the site one is working, as well as methods to diffuse potential problems. It presents varied types of sites which were reviewed by the author, and gives good examples of what is effective and what is not. This book also discusses class distinctions and first person interpretations of difficult and traumatic events and activities of the past, such as slavery. To give a well rounded view of history, first person interpreters can't just present the rosy side of life! The extensive listing of living history sites which is in the back section of the book would be very useful to persons who are considering the hobby or profession of first person interpretation.

Great Book For Reenactors and Museum Docents

Television, movies, computers, even video games have changed the way we look at history. Recently written books on history are now in a style that gives the reader a greater understanding of what our founding father's and 19th century pioneer's daily lives were like. Everything, it seems, is three dimensional today. Try visiting an American History museum - it's not your father's museum, that's for sure! In her book, "Past Into Present," Ms. Roth just about covers every aspect of presenting history in all its glory and gore by using the process known as 1st person. First person brings the folks from the distant past back to life by having a re-enactor or a museum docent dress in period clothing, doing a job or a chore from the past, and speaking as if they actually ARE that long-dead person, alive again, here to share their knowlegde of times gone by. I, myself, impose a 1st person technique for my civilian impression in the 21st Michigan Civil War reenactors, and I must say that "Past into Present" truly helped me understand the importance of what I am representing while doing my impression. Through her book Ms. Roth also helped me see the pros and cons of being a 1st person living historian as well - how to stay in character, for instance, without jumping back and forth between first and third person. From what I have seen at some re-enactments - and even at a museum - some living historians do not give the past the justice it deserves. They are the ones who should own this book as well. I've learned to give the reverence these folks from the past that we are emulating the respect they so deserve. The writer can get a bit wordy (so can I, can't you tell?) but if you are one who is a bit more passionate about the past and would rather get deeper involved in history than the average person, then I would suggest you taking a gander at this book and read how you can become one from the past into the present at your next reenactment.

Sharing History

As a new recruit in the growing international army of Civil War reenactors, I was anxious to evolve past the usual march-and-shoot mass maneuvers into effective first-person interaction with spectators. But having never even seen a living-history interpreter, I wasn't sure what to do. Then I found Ms. Roth's delightful book on the internet! She interviewed scores of experienced interpreters at the best living-history museums in the United States and Canada to find out how they hook -- and keep -- the interests of their visitors. The result is some imaginative out-of-the-box approaches that make visitors think they're being entertained instead of educated! The fun that the interpreters obviously have with their roles is infectious -- I could hardly wait to try it! This is a MUST read for anyone who's ever thought of going to a historical reinactment as either a participant or a spectator.