Collections : [Center for Documentary Research and Practice]

This project, sponsored by a CLIO grant from the Indiana Historical Society, consists of interviews with Indian Americans living in Indiana. The interviewees, the majority of whom were born in India and immigrated to the United States, discuss a variety of topics including: Indian foodways, Indian traditions, Indian national politics, education, career choice, family history, parenting philosophy, reasons for coming to the United States, reasons for remaining in the United States, citizenship and naturalization, marriage and dating customs. media coverage of India, and differences between Indian and American cultures. This project was co-directed by Professor M. Gail Hickey of the School of Education at Indiana University-Purdue University at Fort Wayne.

This project discusses the history of philanthropy and fundraising as a profession. The interviewees, all workers of different generations, discuss the various issues and changes the field of fundraising has faced over the years, with a major focus on fundraising in America. The changing public image of philanthropy, the introduction of women into the field, and the skills and techniques needed within the profession are all discussed in depth throughout the interviews. The major differences between various types of fundraising are also discussed.

This collection of interviews contains experiences remembered by World War I veterans nearly sixty years after the war. Topics range from transportation to Europe, training, and the quiet after the armistice to weapon description, recreational activities, and opinions about the French. In general, little detail is given about specific battles, but there are descriptions of being gassed, fired on, and seeing dead and wounded soldiers.

This project consists of interviews with war veterans. Interviewees discuss their war and military experiences. World War I through the Vietnam War are covered in this project. The interviews include discussions of military food, shelter, weapons, and travel.

Interviewees discuss the history of forestry in Indiana. Acquisition of land, harvesting, and forest land management are discussed. Many of the interviewees worked in the Hoosier-Wayne National Forest, and they describe the history and growth of that forest.

The Hamburg University Nursing Home Study consists of a number of interviews of both staff and patients at the Bloomington Convalescent Center (BCC). The interviewees discuss perceptions of nursing home life, differences between living outside and inside such a facility, and the state of the elderly in America today. The interviews center around topics such as patient reminiscences of earlier life and family.

This collection of interviews reflects efforts on the part of three women to expand Planned Parenthood in Bloomington and Indianapolis, Indiana. The interviewees are former directors and a treasurer of these associations. They provide insight into the development of the clinics, funding resources, and the expansion of services. They also shed light on the changes in societal attitudes toward contraception and family planning.

This project discusses labor in Indiana. The main topics include the labor movement in Indiana, women and work, coal mining, and auto workers. The United Auto Workers, United Mine Workers of America, and other labor unions are discussed. The interviewees discuss participation in labor strikes and the leadership in their unions.

This project consists of Indian American views of all aspects of life in the United States and India. Most interviewed in this project were born in India and came to America in search of better education, or because their spouse came for more educational and business oppurtunities. They discuss their reasons for immigrating to the United States, and their reasons for remaining to raise their children. They talk about the ways they practice Indian traditions and values in an American context and the importance of the larger Indian American community in their lives. They also discuss advantages and disadvantages of living in America, and what they miss or don't miss about their homeland of India. Other topics discussed are educational background, work history, religion and religious practice, and raising children. This project was co-directed by Professor M. Gail Hickey of the School of Education at Indiana University-Purdue University at Fort Wayne.

This collection of interviews focuses on ongoing social problems in the United States and the world, such as overpopulation, famine, and depletion of the Earth's resources. The interviewees are almost all former Indiana University professors in their seventies. All of the interviewees are asked to recall their teenage years and share their opinions about current teenagers. They also discuss their media habits in detail. For example, each interviewee is asked how many hours of television he or she watches daily and which programs are preferred. They are also asked about their reading habits and whether or not they listen to the radio. Interviewees are asked to judge the reliability of news programs on a variety of media. Finally, interviewees are asked to provide predictions for the future of society.