Oklahoma State University Library’s Oral History Program Documents State and Campus History The Oklahoma Oral History Research Program (OOHRP), based at Oklahoma State University’s Edmon Low Library, preserves firsthand accounts of individuals and communities across the state. Founded in 2007 as part of the OSU Library, the program focuses on broadening archival inclusion by recording and sharing oral histories that reflect Oklahoma’s diverse cultural and intellectual heritage. OOHRP conducts its own projects and supports external initiatives aimed at documenting personal and communal experiences. Its growing archive includes interviews on topics such as women’s lives during the Dust Bowl, farm families, Cooperative Extension educators, Native American artists, Germans from Russia, African American heritage, circus performers, OSU alumni, and notable Oklahoma figures like Angie Debo, Henry Bellmon, and Wilma Elizabeth McDaniel. As a department within the OSU Center for Oklahoma Studies, OOHRP promotes ethical oral history practice in line with the Principles and Best Practices of the Oral History Association. Staff provide training and guidance to students, faculty, and community members on interview methodology, project design, and technical aspects of recording and preserving narratives. Interviews are transcribed and made publicly accessible through the program’s website at library.okstate.edu/oralhistory/. The OOHRP also shares content via its podcast, Amplified Oklahoma, which features voices from the archive and discussions with experts, students, and interviewers on topics related to Oklahoma history and culture. Located in Room 207 of the Edmon Low Library in Stillwater, the program can be reached at 405-744-7685 or liboh@okstate.edu. OOHRP continues to expand its efforts to document underrepresented voices and ensure that personal memories contribute to a more complete historical record of Oklahoma and Oklahoma State University.
17