The louis armstrong house museum will solicit oral histories from the local community about louis and lucille armstrong to add to the armstrong archives and utilize in expanded programming

The Louis Armstrong House Museum received a $100,000 Project Grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) under the Museum Grants for African American History and Culture (AAHC) program (CFDA 45.309). The funding will support the museum's efforts to solicit and record oral histories from the local community about the life, work, and community impact of jazz legend Louis Armstrong and his wife Lucille. The museum staff will conduct one-on-one and group interviews, catalog the recordings in a searchable database, and make the database accessible online for public use. The museum will then utilize the interview content to inform their programming, develop a digital exhibit, and host community workshops. This grant-funded project will expand the museum's Armstrong archives and enable enhanced programming that illuminates Armstrong's significant cultural contributions.

Located in the former neighborhood of louis armstrong, the museum staff will gather accounts of the armstrong families from surviving community members about armstrong's life, work, and community impact. Staff will record one-on-one and group interviews, catalog those interviews within a searchable database, and make the database accessible online for public use. As a result of the project, staff will use content from the interviews to inform museum programming, a digital exhibit, and community workshops.