Dr Barbara Lemon on a unique record of Australian history in, 'The Memory Tapes'

The Memory Tapes is a new podcast from the National Library of Australia that brings history to life through the voices of the people who lived it. Drawing on one of the nation’s most significant oral history collections, the series explores remarkable stories of resilience, innovation, creativity, migration, activism and everyday life. In each episode, oral historian Dr Shirleene Robinson AM combines firsthand accounts with expert storytelling to reveal the people behind Australia’s history.

From Nobel Prize-winning scientists and pioneering artists to community leaders, workers and families, The Memory Tapes offers listeners a rare opportunity to hear Australians tell their stories in their own words. These recordings capture not only historical events, but the emotions, memories and experiences that give them meaning. Through ten themed episodes, the podcast opens a window into the National Library’s extraordinary Oral History Collection, inviting audiences to discover the voices that have shaped Australia’s past and continue to inspire its future.

In this episode Gregory Dobbs chats to Dr Barbara Lemon about why oral history is an essential part of the Australian record of our history, how the emotional truth contained within these recordings communicates something beyond mere facts and opinions, and how listeners can access The Memory Tapes podcast and book through the National Library of Australia's website.