SOMALI SKYLINE TOWER ORAL HISTORY PROJECT

The interviews in this collection come from the Somali Skyline Tower Oral History Project, which was a two-year collaboration between the Minnesota Historical Society and Commonbound Communities, funded by the Institute of Museum and Library Services in Washington, D.C. In 2004, fifteen young Somali women from St. Paul public schools joined together to create two films about what it is like to be Somali in Minnesota, "Two Homes, One Dream: The Somalis in Minnesota" and "What's with the Hijab?" Both films explore a variety of topics about cultural identity and adjusting to life in America as Somali person. The filmmakers interviewed themselves, their peers, community activists, and elders in the Somali community to present a range of viewpoints. These interviews are among those conducted for the project.

Interviewed by Andy Wilhide, Hodan Abdibudul, Sumaya Yusuf, and Bibi Abdalla at various locations in the Twin Cities Metro Area.

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Availability:

The collection is open for research use.

Preferred Citation:

[Indicate the cited item and/or series here]. Somali Skyline Tower Oral History Project Oral history interviews of the Somali Skyline Tower Oral History Project. Minnesota Historical Society.

See the Chicago Manual of Style for additional examples.

Accession Information:

Accession number:

Processing Information:

Processed by: Jennifer Huebscher, April 2011.

Catalog ID number: 990073520210104294

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Use Restrictions: None.

Biographical Information: Abdisalam Adam grew up in Somalia, went to school in Nigeria, and came to the United States on a student Visa. Adam worked for a magazine in Madison, Wisconsin, before coming to Minnesota. He has been married and raised a family since moving to Minnesota, and he currently works as an ESL (English as a Second Language) teacher.

Scope and Content: Subjects discussed include growing up in Somalia; attending school in Nigeria; living in Saudi Arabia; moving to the United States on a student Visa; first impression of the United States; working for a magazine in Madison, Wisconsin; Somali communities in Minnesota; religious awareness of Minnesotans; Somali weddings; recently visiting Somalia and returning in the future; important aspects of Somali culture; maintaining Islamic and Somali culture in the United States; the role of families in Somali culture; influence of television; opportunities for Somali teens; working as an ESL teacher.

Interviewed by: Sumaya Yusuf and Andy Wilhide.

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Use Restrictions: None.

Biographical Information: Maryan Del came to the United States from Somalia in 1992. Del lived in Virginia before moving to Minnesota and currently works for the Confederation for the Somali Community. She is head of the Somali Girls Power program.

Scope and Content: Subjects discussed include growing up in Somalia; first impressions of the United States; expectations when moving to Minnesota; Somali communities in Minnesota; being separated from her family; attending college; exposure to different cultures; adopting part of American culture; important aspects of Somali culture; maintaining Somali/Islamic culture; ways Somalis are losing their culture; opportunities for Somali teens; hardships facing Somali teens; negative aspects of American culture; working with Somali teens.

Interviewed by: Sumaya Yusuf and Andy Wilhide.

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Use Restrictions: None.

Biographical Information: Mohamed Jama was born in Nairobi, Kenya but grew up in Somalia. Jama moved to Minnesota in 1992 with his immediate family and currently works as a teen outreach worker for the Street Works program.

Scope and Content: Subjects discussed include growing up in Somalia; traveling conditions when coming to the United States; first impressions of the United States; cultural differences; hearing stories about the United States from his father; expectations of Minnesota; life in Minnesota; the language barrier; lack of resettlement support networks in the early 1990s; gang issues in Minneapolis; positives of moving to the United States; working with AmeriCorps; the importance of the Brian Coyle Community Center; advice for future Somali immigrants; preserving Somali and Islamic culture; cultural importance of women; losing culture; negative aspects of the “hip-hop” culture; evolution of Somali music; obstacles and opportunities for Somali teens; Somali involvement in politics.

Interviewed by: Bibi Abdalla and Andy Wilhide.

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Use Restrictions: None.

Biographical Information: Hared Mah grew up in Somalia and lived in Kenya before moving to the United States in 2001. He attended Wellstone International High School and was accepted at the University of Minnesota.

Scope and Content: Subjects discussed include problems with the police in Kenya; growing up in a chaotic environment in Somalia; coming to the United States; going through New York, Chicago, and Minneapolis; the importance of learning English; family in the United States; first impressions of the United States; differences in public transportation; getting lost in the Mall of America; studying American history; adopting American culture.

Interviewed by: Andy Wilhide.

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Use Restrictions: None.

Biographical Information: Abdi Sheikh is from Somalia and came to Minneapolis in 2001. He attended Abraham Lincoln High School and transferred to Wellstone International High School. After high school graduation he plans on attending Normandale Community College.

Scope and Content: Subjects discussed include attending Koraning School in Kenya; moving to Nairobi from Somalia; troubles with the police in Kenya; learning English and Swahili; thoughts on America pre-immigration; leaving friends in Kenya; immigrating to the United States; struggling in high school; transferring to Wellstone International High School; being interested in religious history; high school graduation; plans to attend Normandale Community College; recreational activities in the city.

Interviewed by: Andy Wilhide.

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Use Restrictions: None.

Biographical Information: Sumaya Yusuf and Bibi Abdalla have both worked with the Minnesota Historical Society by conducting interviews for the Somali Skyline Tower Oral History Project.

Scope and Content: Subjects discussed include respect for parents and elders; how Somalis in the United States are losing their culture; uniqueness in Somali culture; the importance of poetry and songs; trying to maintain Somali language and traditions; Somali culture relating to African-American culture; Somalis and Americanization.

Interviewed by: Andy Wilhide and Hodan Abdibudul.

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This collection is indexed under the following headings in the catalog of the Minnesota Historical Society. Researchers desiring materials about related topics, persons or places should search the catalog using these headings.

Topics:

Immigrants -- Minnesota.

Islam -- Customs and practices.

Muslims -- Minnesota.

Social integration -- Minnesota.

Somali Americans -- Minnesota.

Somalis -- Social life and customs.

Somalis -- Minnesota.

Persons:

Abdalla, Bibi, interviewee, interviewer.

Abdibudul, Hodan, interviewer.

Adam, Abdisalam, interviewee.

Del, Maryan, interviewee.

Jama, Mohamed M., interviewee.

Mah, Hared, interviewee.

Sheikh, Abdi, interviewee.

Wilhide, Anduin, interviewer.

Yusuf, Sumaya, interviewee, interviewer.

Document Types:

Interviews.

Oral histories (document genres)

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