Oral histories fill in the little details in Texas history
11:32 AM CDT on Sunday, June 13, 2010
DENTON – Deep in a library, past the political science books and the law books, sits a group of books that come straight from the mouths of Texans.
They come from brand-name Texans, like Barbara Jordan and Kay Bailey Hutchison, who reflect on their careers. They come from lesser-known folks, too, who discuss country living and fighting in war.
They share defining moments in their lives, and in their own words, as part of the Oral History Program at the University of North Texas. The collection of transcripts includes about 1,800 interviews conducted over more than 40 years – and it continues to grow.
It's a treasure trove for historians and future historians who can get intimate details about life in Texas and beyond that aren't always included in books or newspapers.
"It gets at history from the bottom up," said Todd Moye, the UNT program director. "It really democratizes the sorts of stories that historians can tell."
Reading or hearing people tell stories in their own words brings history