Woman 2 Watch-Vickie Oldham
Vickie Oldham, Historian
This week’s Woman 2 Watch, Vickie Oldham, is former tv host and reporter turned historian. Victoria stumbled across a little known, unreported story about the courage, sacrifice and determination of runaway slaves escaping plantations in Georgia, Alabama and other parts of the south. The story of Angola inspired Oldham to “find a way, make a way” to a new career. She set out to tell the story of Angola in a documentary. Read more about Vickie below…
FG: How did you come upon the story of Angola? Why did you feel it was important?
VO: I was tapped to “fix” a script about the history of my hometown in Sarasota, Florida that would be the roadmap for the development of a documentary. The team who hired me had problems with the work of the writer initially contracted to complete the project. When the request was made, I debated internally about whether to accept the assignment because I had less than a week to write words that fit the archival photographs, video, graphics on hand. A love for history is the impetus that led me to accept the assignment. While reviewing the prior work, I noticed the writer did not include the existence of Blacks in our area until the Civil War segment. That point may seem trivial, but to me, it was a glaring omission. The contribution that enslaved Africans made to the development of Florida and my hometown was significant and was a source of pride for me. I included the Angola story in the script and substantiated the information. I had learned this information 10 years prior while reading a book called, Florida’s Peace River Frontier. A few pages described the exploits and love for freedom the inhabitants possessed. After the documentary was completed, the courage, determination and enterprise of the people who lived in the settlement in 1812 constantly stayed with me and the story’s lessons kept me awake at night. I decided to search for funds to tell the Angola story through a familiar medium, the documentary. The story about how to handle life’s transitions had a profound impact on my life. The people of Angola undoubtedly faced fear and uncertainty when they ran to wild Florida escaping slavery in the Carolinas, Georgia and Alabama. They taught me how to face uncertainty and fear with courage, determination and creativity on the journey toward career fulfillment.
FG: What were some of the challenges you faced?
VO: Initially, the biggest challenge was fundraising. After winning approval for the first grant proposals, grant writing wasn’t the huge mountain I had envisioned. Several years ago, the History Channel distributed a call for proposals. The grant amount was small, only $10,000. I wondered if the work I’d put into the application process would be worth it. After developing a program to educate teachers and students about Angola, I decided to apply for the grant. My plan was to leverage the support of the network by pursuing larger grants. The idea worked. The HC proposal was accepted. I expanded the proposal, then applied for a Comcast Foundation. It was also approved. Another exciting component of Looking for Angola was birthed, the project’s educational programs.
FG: How did it develop into a documentary?
VO: After completing the documentary about my hometown, the story of Angola kept nudging. I couldn’t forget about the bravery of the people. The story wouldn’t allow me to rest. I started asking the team who hired me questions about funding opportunities. I learned about Florida historical preservation grants from them. I also talked to history experts in my area to find out what they knew about Angola. Information about it existed only in scholarly journals and academic publications. Because the story touched me so deeply, I wanted others struggling with transition to be helped. I applied for a state historic preservation grant of $25,000 to produce a documentary. In the fact finding phase, I learned that no archaeological work had been conducted to find artifacts linked to the story. At that point, I included an archaeological excavation into the grant; and the proposal was approved. The documentary is entitled, “Looking for Angola”.
FG: How many of your business decisions are based on know how vs intuition?
VO: Honestly, I knew nothing about grant writing or archaeology. Intuition as a journalist always propels me to pick up the phone and connect with experts who can answer my questions. When experts sense sincerity and no hidden agenda, they are more than willing to help.
FG: What do you consider to be some of the major highlights of your career?
VO: The fact that I’m leaving a legacy about Angola to generations unborn brings great joy and is at the top of my career highlights list. I produced and hosted a television show called, “Common Ground” on the ABC affiliate in my hometown. Interviews I conducted with Dr. Maya Angelou, Eartha Kitt, BB King, Poet Amiri Baraka, Aretha Franklin, Danny Glover, Angela Bassett, Wynton Marsalis, Ben Vereen, Tuskegee Airmen, Dr. Joselyn Elders, Chris Rock, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Nancy Wilson, Smokey Robinson, Dr. Billy Tayor and the likes are major career highlights.
FG: What is a spiritual mantra that you live by?
VO: “Find a way. Make a way” summarizes the philosophy I live by. There are times that I don’t and won’t know exactly how to get to my destination, my goal or my mission. I have learned that there are several roads that can lead to the same destination. If the road I take isn’t the right way, it’s best to stop, get off that road as quickly as possible, then find another one that leads there. A good idea is to always ask questions of people with similar goals who’ve accomplished the task. When there is no carved out road to reach my desired end, I’ve learned to be prepared to make my own way, carve my own path.
FG: What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given?
VO: My grandma always advised me to get a good education. She said, “you can never have enough”. She was a proponent of higher education; and an advanced degree beyond 4 years of college. But beyond that, she believed advised me to be open to learn from people everywhere, from different backgrounds and influences. “They all have something to teach you,” she said.
FG: If you knew then, what you know now, what would you tell younger self?
VO: Stay focused. There will always be a distraction that comes to steal your focus. Don’t allow it. Stay the course. Keep the faith.
Finish this sentence….
FG: Women should stop ______________________ and _____________________
VO: complaining about their external looks and start doing something to boost their internal beauty.
For more information on Vickie Oldham and Looking for Angola please visit www.lookingforangola.org or email oldhamv@fvsu.edu.
