Collect, Document, and Record SGU Veterans’ Oral History Project

A grant to collect, document, archive, preserve, and make available to the public the oral histories/stories of the Hmong Special Guerrilla Units veterans and their wives/widows.

In 2023, SGU received a state grant to document these oral stories. Final programming for this project will be released in Summer of 2025 as a part of the commemoration for the Hmong Minnesotans’ 50th Anniversary in America (since migrating to the US in 1975).

The purpose of this SGU Veterans’ Oral Story Project is to archive, collect, document, and record oral stories of the Hmong Special Guerrilla Units (SGU) veterans. To this day their oral stories still remain largely undocumented. Without any real effort in this humanitarian work, the Hmong of Minnesota is at risk of losing an important generation that has contributed to the vibrant culture, history, and story that partially defined today’s Minnesota. Moreover, there is a sense of urgency for this Project due to the Hmong veterans’ health and aging population. Plus, the Covid pandemic has taken a toll on this veteran’s group.

These following educational components for this SGU Veterans’ Oral History Project are developed to educate, engage, and bring awareness to the Hmong veterans and their families’ stories. Since these veterans’ generations are aging, the preservation of their narratives are becoming more important. Their personal accounts are historic in that they shed light to our past and to understand their perspectives to the events that had shaped their and our experiences today. These contents exist in physical forms and online for community and persons with interests in Hmong veterans’ history and stories.  

• Educational retractable banners
  These 8 single-sided educational retractable banners will help viewers with some knowledge on the Hmong history background, their involvement from the war, and migration to Minnesota and/or the United States. 

• 50 participant posters  
  The 50 brief biography posters are the 50 participants who were interviewed in the project. These brief biographies are important as they provide first-hand accounts of the Secret War, their lives living in the refugee camps, and resettlement to the US.   

• Documentary film
  This documentary offers a glimpse into the participants’ stories and how the events that unfolded back then had impacted their lives. (Work in progress)

• 50 participants’ full interviews
  Available in this archive are the 50 participants’ full oral stories. These narratives allow learners to delve deeper into their lives as veterans and war-torn survivors.

SGU envisions that these components will be used as traveling exhibits to best tell the participants’ stories and brief Hmong history. Since SGU has no large physical space to accommodate this exhibit, SGU will be outreaching to community centers, schools, and institutions to host this exhibit. This exhibition could run from 2 weeks to 2 months, depending on the borrower’s interest in having these educational components at their facilities. 

This traveling exhibit will provide the community and students the opportunity to learn about these individuals’ stories and life experiences. Some key points to take away from this exhibit are: 

Understanding Our History: History opens a path to trace and learn about our origin, and where our narratives fit within the larger context of regional and world events. 

Shaping Our Identity: This project helps connect us to our parents and ancestors’ stories and legacies that defined who we were and are today. 

Strengthening Bonds: Stories help us understand and navigate complex issues, and strengthen family and community relationships as we reflect on our differences and similarities through multi-generational life experiences. 

Cultural and Heritage Preservation: The recording and documentation of these stories and history enable us to preserve what uniquely identified our culture and people. Without this effort, much of our stories will perish with the generation who has contributed to the growth and development of our heritage and society. 

History Inspires: Our history is often marked by adversities. These stories may offer lessons and inspirations in overcoming war and humanitarian challenges.