Representatives of Marshall University’s History Department will be at the West Virginia Capitol from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 22, for History Day, and they will be hoping to record residents’ memories of their state history.
They will have a table, along with a camera and lighting, at the event and will invite attendees to record their memories of historic events and places for the Clio history app (www.theclio.com).
The Clio app, which was named for the muse of history in Greek mythology, provides GPS-guided information on historical and cultural landmarks in both small towns and large cities across the United States. The videos filmed at History Day may be used to enhance entries found through the app.
“We also hope to compile a short video about the value of history based on respondents’ answers to questions about what West Virginia and West Virginia history means to them,” said David Trowbridge, creator of the Clio app and an associate professor of history at Marshall.
The filming and interviewing will be done by Americorps members and students, with the help of librarians and faculty, Trowbridge said. Professors and students will be on hand to demonstrate Clio, talk about West Virginia history, and share some of the virtual reality technology.
The filming will be done by Kyle Warmack, a ten-year veteran of the film and television industry. Warmack recently relocated to West Virginia from Los Angeles to volunteer as an AmeriCorps member with Clio. “My lifelong passion for history inspired the move,” Warmack explained, “because Clio allows me to study and share history in a way that reaches so many people so that I can see the difference I am making.” Warmack has embraced West Virginia and works to spread awareness of Clio while also using the platform to record and share the histories of its residents.
For more information, contact Trowbridge by e-mail at  david.trowbridge@marshall.edu or by phone at 304-696-2717 or visit www.wvculture.org/history/historyday/historyday2018announcement.html.
