Hand in Hand Productions

Funds are now being raised for the Saint Paul Police WomenÕs Oral History Project

The Saint Paul Police WomenÕs Oral History Project will record, and preserve oral history interviews from retired and current female officers. Women as sworn officers are relatively new, only since 1975. This project will explore the struggles, success and impact females have had on the culture of his unique urban department. Through these interviews public and academia will gain insights into the challenges of being a female in law enforcement. This womenÕs project is an extension of HAND in HAND ProductionsÕ Saint Paul Police Oral History Project that has completed 25 interviews with retired and current members of the department to preserve the history and culture of this extraordinary, innovative metropolitan department. HAND in HAND Productions was created in 1996 to produce a Minnesota gang oral history research project. 103 interviews were completed with gang members from five ethnic groups. Qualitative analysis was conducted and a report submitted to the Minnesota Legislature. Based on the research and using excerpts from the oral history interviews, HAND in HAND provided educational presentations to over 100 conferences and in-service training for agencies around the State of Minnesota and nationally. These oral histories were placed in the archives of the Minnesota Historical Society in December, 2001. In 2005 HAND in HAND completed the Rondo Oral History Project where thirty-three interviews were conducted with members of the historic Saint Paul Rondo neighborhood, transcribed and edited for clarity, and placed at the Minnesota Historical Society, Ramsey County Historical Society and Saint PaulÕs Central and Rondo Outreach Libraries. A book, Voices of Rondo: Oral Histories of Saint PaulÕs Historic Black Community was published in September 2005, and won the 18th Annual Minnesota Book Awards in the category of Collections and Anthology. A two-one-half hour companion DVD was produced for education purposes and is available with the book. HAND in HAND Productions is a small agency, governed by a board of directors and committed to conducting oral histories and promoting the value of oral histories as a respected way to preserve history. Although a small agency, HAND in HAND continues to be dedicated to preserving the history of unique cultures in Saint Paul, Minneosta. For an expample of our quality work visit our web page at: www.oralhistorian.org HAND in HAND Productions is fiscal agent for the Saint Paul Police Historical Society.