's interest in storytelling stretches back to her childhood.
From her grandfather, she learned how stories can shape the way we view the world. When she learned that she and her grandfather, a World War II veteran, had differing views on Hiroshima, Hogan became aware of the way perspective shapes a story.
鈥淎s a young person I grew fascinated, not only with history, but in finding different perspectives, in particular, marginal perspectives鈥攑erspectives that might not be in the textbooks I was exposed to,鈥� said Hogan in an interview with Frank Stasio on The State of Things.
She carried that interest in storytelling and history throughout her career. Hogan is best known for her work as a historian documenting the Civil Rights movement. Over a decade, Hogan interviewed 150 activists from Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, an activist group that played a major role in sit-ins and freedom rides.
鈥淓ach time I thought there can鈥檛 be a more amazing person than the person I just interviewed. Then they鈥檇 direct me to the next person, who of course blew my hair back again,鈥� Hogan said.
Her interest in history and storytelling ultimately led her to Durham, where she became the director of the this summer. She took over for Tom Rankin, the previous director who stepped down after 15 years at the helm of CDS.
鈥淥ne of the things I鈥檓 most looking forward to is learning the communities that surround the institution and to try to figure out what are the issues that are important to people there,鈥� Hogan said. 鈥淗ow can we collaborate in a productive matter?鈥�
Hogan wants CDS to connect more with the Durham community at large, even as it sits at the crossroads of academia and the documentary community.
Both journalism and academia contribute to 鈥渙ur expansion of knowledge, our understanding what鈥檚 going on with our government, our society, our day to day lives,鈥� said Hogan.
According to Hogan, while academicians and journalists face different day to day realities, at CDS the two disciplines come together.
