Working the Port, a project of the Library of Congress and the Houston Arts Alliance, will collect the stories of the diverse men and women who have made their living in the many occupations and industries found along the Houston Ship Channel. From shipboard to shoreside, from the loading docks to the board rooms, Working the Port will conduct interviews with dock, rail and oil industry workers, engineers and executives, merchant marines and marine biologists, environmental specialists and international traders. By recording the stories and experiences of the very people who populate these industries, the project will shine a light on this very special workplace.

Folklife & Traditional Arts Program Director Pat Jasper will be leading the project. All documentation developed through Working the Port will become part of the collections of the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress. In 2012, a series of public programs based on the interviews will be announced.

If are you or have been a part of the Houston Ship Channel workforce, we’d like to know about you and hear your story.  Sharing your story preserves a history that only people who lived it can communicate. No matter your age, whether you are active or retired, we are looking to individuals who have made their living in the sector.  There are also volunteer opportunities associated with Working the Port, so let us know if you would like to be involved. If you would like to be involved in this project, please contact Rati Ramadas at rati@haatx.com.