Click on the link here: (Past Daily’s Fall Fundraiser) to lend your support and help keep history alive.
If you’re a fan of history, or just like to be aware of the world around you, there are people you know about, figures who are pivotal and an indelible part of our culture and society – ones who will remain as touchstones of our human story.
One of those people is the guy at the top of this page. Mohandas Gandhi, leader of one of the largest independence movements in history. His message of non-violent protest changed the course of events and signaled the end of colonial rule in India and eventually throughout much of the world. As our own Civil Rights Movement began to take shape in the 1950s, it was Gandhi’s practice of Peaceful non-violence which served as the model for Dr. Martin Luther King and his followers in the fight against segregation and discrimination.
Yet, when recently shown a photo of Gandhi to a group of people, most of them asked who the “Bald-headed African-American guy was”.
It’s situations like that which make me realize history is something you just can’t take for granted. Sure, there’s a lot going on these days – it seems that we’re bombarded by images and stories and “shiny objects” – but no real information, not much of it anyway.
That’s why I decided to try and do something about it. I’ve been collecting historic sounds all my life; putting them in boxes and on shelves and gathering over the years to the point where there are hundreds of thousands of hours of history, people, events and culture.
But it didn’t do any good, sitting in a dark room on shelves, collecting dust. History is living and breathing – reference points to know how things evolved the way they did – how often things turned out the same way.
All of this could go to a library (as it mostly likely will, eventually), where it would sit in another dark room, on shelves, collecting dust. And what good would that do?
As the Internet and streaming technology improved, the idea of making all of this history available felt like the right thing to do; give back what you learned. Share what you know about and what has changed your life.
And that’s what I’m doing – and doing it every day, and will until it’s all on-line and available to everyone, everywhere, all the time.
But I can’t really do this alone. Putting up posts, digitizing and scanning, writing and editing take up most of my time; some 12-14 hours a day. So once a year I ask for some help, a little boost – help in paying all the bills associated with doing this site, with keeping all the vintage equipment repaired or replaced, keeping the shelves from sagging and the discs and tapes form falling apart.
So once a year I pass the hat – asking your help in pitching in to help keep us up and running – a few bucks here and there; the price of a cup of coffee or a movie ticket – a little from you means a lot to me.
I know these are crazy times – with so much going on that’s beyond our comprehension, seemingly every day. That’s why I’m asking you only give what you can, give what you’re comfortable with. The response so far, even two days in, has been amazing – so many of you have chipped in, given what you can, sent best wishes and crossed fingers and it’s been completely humbling. I promise, we’re going to do this as quickly and painlessly as possible.
I am grateful to all of you who have pitched in and to those of you who have passed this along so far. Because of that, we have so many new friends visiting, it’s been incredible.
The problem with the Internet is that you often don’t know if you make any difference or not – sometimes it’s just your own energy that keeps it going; that gut instinct you feel that you’re doing the right thing. But judging from the outpouring of support, contributions and e-mails, I’m not alone and that is the most gratifying thing imaginable.
So if you could click on the link right here: (Past Daily’s Fall Fundraiser) or the on the link above – make your tax-deductible pledge for any amount you want. It is appreciated more than you can imagine and will help keep us up and running and giving you the very best of what we have, every single day.
Big hug,
Gordon
