Collections

This collection of interviews presents a sampling of life in Burma over the last quarter of the 20th century and into the 21st century. The interviewees, who are all now living in the United States, share their experiences of growing up in a time of transition and political upheaval within their home country. Many of them were involved with the 1988 demonstrations that took place in Rangoon and nearby villages. Almost all spent some time living in fear of arrest, surviving in refugee camps, and hoping for better opportunity. They express varying opinions of their hope for a future democratic Burma and express their appreciation for the lives they have now. This project was co-directed by Professor M. Gail Hickey of the School of Education at Indiana University-Purdue University at Fort Wayne.

"Bloomington Cares" Oral History Project was a class project used to study voluntary organizations that focus on historical and cultural activities in the Bloomington community.

This project contains an interview with Marion Woltman, the late Mr. Donnelly's wife. Ms. Woltman, born in 1877, discusses her marriage to the former congressman, author, and vice presidential candidate for the People's Party. She talks about her early childhood, in particular, her emigration to the United States from Norway. Ms. Woltman also speaks about her job as secretary for Mr. Donnelly at the Representative before they were married. Ms. Woltman reflects on her late husband's reading and eating habits and discusses the circumstances surrounding his death in 1901.

These interviews consist primarily of interviewees discussing their relationships with Claude Barnett, their work at the Associated Negro Press, and Barnett's ongoing efforts at improving race relations. In addition, many interviewees comment on the difficulties they encountered while working for the Press and its impact on the Civil Rights Movement.

In this project, educators from Indiana state Christian schools reveal their beliefs about how modern public schools fail to impart the moral education and values that they feel are a requisite part of education. Many interviewees comment on the morally inadequate, corrupt, and even threatening environment that public schools represent to Christian (and other) students. The Christian teachers also elaborate on the teaching methods and programs used to teach students in their schools, as well as the state regulations the Christian schools must adhere to in order to remain open.

The four interviews in the project discuss the creation of the Committee for Environmental Information. The interviewees talk about how they became involved in the group and the politics that they had to deal with along the way. Also discussed are the political and military situations of the time.

This project consists of an interview with Carl Bachmann who is a former member of Congress and mayor of Wheeling, West Virginia. Mr. Bachmann talks about his experiences with the Fish Committee, which conducted an investigation of communist activities in the United States during the nineteen twenties and nineteen thirties. As a member of this committee, he secretly attended communist meetings and participated in the hearings and final reports. He briefly addresses why the committee never introduced any bills and discusses the committee's role in informing Americans about the extent of communist activities in this country. Finally, he discusses William Borah's 1936 presidential campaign in detail.

This project examines the impact of unionization on Guide Lamp and Delco Remy, two automobile plants in Anderson, Indiana, between the years of 1930 and 1982. It details the events of the 1937 sit-down strike at Guide Lamp and the various improvements in working conditions, wages, job security, and benefits that the United Auto Workers helped to influence at the two plants. The project highlights changes in policy towards women, minority groups, and retirees in the factory workplace, and it offers descriptions of the evolving roles of management and the union and changing relationships among workers in the two plants. Finally, the project details the history of the two plants within the community of Anderson at large, and it offers commentary on the then-current problems and challenges facing the automobile industry as a whole.

This collection of interviews gathers information about economic development from some key locations in southwestern Indiana, Indianapolis, and northwestern Indiana, among others. Topics include environmental issues, Brownfield redevelopment, tax incentives, and labor unions. Many issues are the same from one region to another, but some regions, such as northwestern Indiana, emphasize environmental or Brownfield redevelopment over unions or workforce training.

The interviews in this project deal with the history of Indiana, from specific counties, organizations, and institutions to individual residents' memories and experiences. Some of the topics covered include state prisons, education in Indiana, the Lutheran Church in Indiana, and the history of several towns and counties in the state.