Riding the Train For the First Time: Oral History for the Untrained Oral Historian

On this episode of Trains of Thought, Jean-Philippe Djehoury speaks with Dr. Stacey Zembrzycki, oral historian and author of According to Baba, about two unlikely but powerful oral historians: her Ukrainian immigrant grandmother, Olga Zembrzycki, and Stanley Grizzle, a Black Canadian porter and civil rights leader. Neither had formal training in oral history. But both became key figures in preserving the memory of their communities—Sudbury’s Ukrainian immigrants and Canada’s Black railway porters. How? And at what cost? Together, we explore the concept of experiential authority: the intuitive power and pitfalls of storytelling from within a community. From ethical tensions to emotional breakthroughs, this episode is a guide for every passionate memory keeper wondering: Do I need to be trained to do this work? The response of our guest might surprise you. (Spoiler: Yes, you can do it without training. Tune in to know how!) Whether you’re an untrained storyteller, an emerging historian, or someone recording your community’s past at the kitchen table, this conversation is for you.