Oral Histories
PURPOSE STATEMENT
The Stanford Historical Society's Oral Histories Project documents the institutional history of the University, with an emphasis on the post-WWII period, through interviews with leading faculty, staff, alumni, trustees, and others. The project furthers the Society's mission "to foster and support the documentation, study, publication, and preservation of the history of the Leland Stanford Junior University."
Oral history is a method of collecting historical information through interviews between a narrator with firsthand knowledge of events and a well-informed interviewer. The interview recordings and transcripts provide substantive additions to the existing collection of written and photographic materials in the Stanford University Archives for scholarly use. If appropriate, the interview may form the basis for broader dissemination through means such as an article in the Society's journal or a campus lecture.
Like any primary source material, oral history is not intended to present the final, verified, or complete narrative of events. It is a unique, reflective, spoken account, offered by the interviewee in response to questioning, and as such it may be deeply personal. By capturing the flavor of incidents, events, and personalities, the oral history approach provides details and viewpoints that are not often found in traditional records.
For current faculty, staff, and university leaders, these interviews may serve as reminders of past concerns and contributions, and foster a sense of responsibility, both toward those who came before and those who will follow. For the narrators, the interviews present an opportunity to express their perceptions about Stanford's evolution and role, and to offer their own legacy of memories to the University.
COLLECTIONS
Under the leadership of the late Fred Glover, Society volunteers have recorded numerous in-depth interviews with individuals who have figured prominently in Stanford's history. These are available in the University archives at http://library.stanford.edu/depts/spc/.
Also, as part of its program on the history of the biological sciences and biotechnology, the Regional Oral History Office of the Bancroft Library at the University of California, Berkeley has interviewed several Stanford faculty and staff. These transcripts and supporting materials have been placed in the Bancroft Library and are available on its website at http://bancroft.berkeley.edu/ROHO/.
- Paul Berg, Ph.D., "A Stanford Professor's Career in Biochemistry, Science Politics, and the Biotechnology Industry,"
- Arthur Kornberg, M.D., Biochemistry at Stanford, Biotechnology at DNAX
- Niels Reimers, "Stanford's Office of Technology Licensing and the Cohen/Boyer Cloning Patents,"
- Arthur L. Schawlow , Optics and Laser Spectroscopy, Bell Telephone Laboratories, 1951-1961, and Stanford University 1961-1999
JOINING THE ORAL HISTORIES TEAM
The Stanford Historical Society welcomes any individual who would like to participate in the oral histories projects. Volunteers may participate in any or all aspects of the project, including conceptualization, background research, conducting interviews, and transcribing recordings. Training will be provided if needed. Please contact Charlotte Glasser in the Historical Society office at 650-725-3332 or cglasser@stanford.edu.
