From the Archives: Preserving the Past, Empowering the Present Through the Doris Duke Native American Oral History Revitalization Project

The Doris Duke Native American Oral History Revitalization Project highlights critical ethical and methodological issues in oral history practice. Between 1967 and 1975, philanthropist Doris Duke funded seven universities—the University of Arizona, University of Florida, University of New Mexico, University of Oklahoma, University of South Dakota, University of Utah, and the University of Southern California (which dropped out early on)—to collect more than 6,500 oral histories from Indigenous communities in the United States and northern Mexico. At many of the universities, these recordings were conducted without informed consent or long-term governance by the interviewers or their descendants. This article examines efforts by the University of New Mexico and the University of Arizona to engage Native Nations in determining access to their own histories. We focus on these two institutions for practical reasons related to willingness to collaborate, though we acknowledge that comparative analysis on the administrative records of all seven participating universities would provide valuable insights for future research.We also explore the theoretical and methodological implications of digital repatriation, institutional constraints, and Indigenous sovereignty in contemporary archival practice. In doing so, we contribute to oral history theory by centering Indigenous methodologies and relational accountability. Finally, we offer transferable lessons for ethical engagement with historically marginalized communities. Our analysis demonstrates both the possibilities and limitations of digital modalities in supporting Indigenous self-determination over cultural heritage materials.