UML 16. Tith, Vera T. and William A. Oral History Interview, 1993

UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS LOWELL

CENTER FOR LOWELL HISTORY

TITH, VERA T. AND WILLIAM A. ORAL HISTORY INTERVIEW, 1993​

UML 16

EXTENT:1 audiocassette tape, 1 audio CD, 1 transcript, 1 partial transcript.

ABSTRACT: 

The Vera T. and William A. Tith oral history interview collection consists of one audiocassette tape, 1 audio CD, a complete transcript, and a partial transcript of an oral history interview conducted by Sheila L. Kirschbaum with Vera Thong Tith and William An Tith on February 13, 1993. Topics covered include but are not limited to Vera and William's children, their lives in Cambodia before they left, living and working in a Thailand refugee camp, resettling in the United States, and their lives now in Lowell, Massachusetts.

Items in the collection have been digitized: https://umlseada.omeka.net/collections/show/13

Vera Thong Tith was born as Dy in Cambodia in 1952. She completed her university degree in Phnom Penh and taught mathematics and French at a secondary school in Cambodia for two years.

William An Tith was born as Savoeun in Cambodia in 1950. He completed his university degree in Phnom Penh and was employed as an electrician before the Vietnamese invaded Cambodia in 1979.

Vera and William Tith married in August 25, 1974, and had their first child, Samnang, in 1979. During their time at a Thailand refugee camp, from 1979-1981, Vera and William taught young children at a school. They left the Thailand refugee camp in 1981 and resettled in Brooklyn, New York. After a year in New York they moved to Lowell, Massachusetts. They had their second child, Deanna, in 1983.

Vera became the first teacher of Cambodian descent in Lowell when she began teaching in 1985. William was employed at Wang Laboratories for 10 years before he was laid off. William was also a Cambodian Mutual Assistance Association (CMAA) leader beginning in 1987.

Information gathered from the partial transcript. It is recommended that researchers listen to the audiocassette tape to verify the accuracy of information from the transcript and this biographical note.

This oral history interview collection consists of one audiocassette tape, 1 audio CD, a complete transcript, and a partial transcript of an oral history interview conducted by Sheila L. Kirschbaum with Vera Thong Tith and William An Tith on February 13, 1993. The audio recording is low with static and other imperfections throughout, many times making voices inaudible for seconds. The full and complete transcript of the oral history interview was completed in 2020. The partial transcript is mostly summarized content from the oral history interview with some direct transcription and other notes and was completed in 1993.

Topics covered in the oral history include but are not limited to Vera and William’s children, their lives in Cambodia before they left, living and working in a Thailand refugee camp, resettling in the United States, and their lives now in Lowell, Massachusetts.

Content warning: Mentions of war, death, and other situations readers and listeners may find distressing.

For a listing of related collections at the University of Massachusetts Lowell and elsewhere, please visit: https://www.uml.edu/Research/SEA-digital-archive/related-collections.aspx. 

For more information about the SEADA, please visit our home page at www.uml.edu/seada, or email us at seada@uml.edu.