A Twist of Fury: The 1936 Gainesville Tornado

Abstract

This project was conducted in collaboration with Dr. Dee Gillespie, Gainesville State College, and the Northeast Georgia Historical Center. It is a documentary of the events surrounding the 1936 Gainesville Tornado, and includes oral interviews with actual survivors of the event. Our method of approach was to conduct an oral history interview which was to be filmed for historical record by Media Studies students at Gainesville State College. Preparing for these interviews required us to conduct background research prior to the interview. Our research included studying authoritative books, articles, journals, and photographs regarding the tornadoes and the events surrounding them. Through our research, we discovered that the tornado devastated the city and took a great toll on human life; however it did not destroy the resilience or the spirit of the people.