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  Oral History Interview: Larry Blackaby

  Larry Blackaby

  This interview is one of a series titled the Veterans History Project. Larry Blackaby was a veteran in the Vietnam War. He discusses: detailed information about basic training; detailed information about his experiences serving in Vietnam; a brief section on snakes in Vietnam, including an anecdote; a story of how he almost died; his experiences as part of military intelligence; R & R (Rest and Relaxation); his family; and other topics as well.

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  Oral History Interview: Raymond E. Black

  Raymond E. Black

  This interview is one of a series conducted concerning Lincoln County History. Raymond Black discusses: his family; his father (a local preacher at a Methodist Church) who opened a store called Blacks Brothers Merchandize; his father buying timber for the Armstrong Timber Company; the railroads; farming; individuals such as Jason Pridemore & Ray Gene; buying and trading items such as eggs at the general store; the Island Creek Coal Company; work during the Great Depression; road building; oil drilling; gas wells; different churches and religions (Methodists, Baptists, Mormons, and the Church of Christ); the timber industry; a brief mention of the Amherst Coal Company buying goods; a brief mention of a church revival; and other topics.

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  Oral History Interview: Sheridan Estel Blackshire

  Sheridan Estel Blackshire

  This interview is one of a series concerning workers in various West Virginia industries and businesses. Mr. Blackshire left his father's farm in Sissonville, West Virginia at age sixteen to begin work for Appalachian Power in the area of DuPont, West Virginia. In 1973, he was living in Elkview, West Virginia. Topics discussed in this interview include: food preservation, land leasing, marketing livestock, and hunting.

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  Oral History Interview: Donald Blagg

  Donald Blagg

  This interview is one of a series conducted concerning the Oral History of Appalachia. In this interview, Donald Blagg discusses his experiences as a lawyer, his education, working with the courts, his family, government, people he knew, and his health.

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  Oral History Interview: Curtis D. Blair

  Curtis D. Blair

  This interview is one of a series concerning workers in various West Virginia industries and businesses. Curtis D. Blair is an independent produce dealer. He talks about his start in the produce field, how to get the produce, who usually buys the produce, and the effect war rationing had on the produce business. As of 1973, Mr. Blair was living in Huntington, West Virginia.

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  Oral History Interview: William E. Blake

  William E. Blake

  Mr. Blake was born in Ronceverte, West Virginia. In 1974 he was residing in Nitro, West Virginia, where he was editor and publisher of the Kanawha Valley Leader. Mr. Blake discusses family history, education, and his newspaper career.

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  Oral History Interview: Pauline McGraw Blatt

  Pauline McGraw Blatt

  This interview is one of a series conducted concerning West Virginia town histories. This interview focuses on Huntington, West Virginia. Mrs. Blatt discusses her family, particularly her husband and his job experiences in the public and private sectors. Also, the interview covers the Depression, the Fesenmeier beer business and the 1937 Ohio River flood.

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  Oral History Interview: Frederick R. Bledsoe

  Frederick R. Bledsoe

  This interview is one of a series conducted with former employees of the Huntington Owens-Illinois, Inc. glass bottle factory. Mr. Frederick R. Bledsoe, born December 24, 1934, began working at the Owens glass factory in 1953 as a selector and later was promoted to machine operator. In this interview, Mr. Bledsoe discusses the details of the work he performed at the factory as well as opportunities for advancement and the hot, dirty, dangerous environment he worked in. He also talks about shift work, company-sponsored activities, race and gender discrimination, automation, downsizing, and worker-management relations. Mr. Bledsoe was Vice President of the mold makers' union for five years and then President for nine years. He discusses some of the details of those positions including the many grievances he handled and the union-company relations. Mr. Bledsoe tells about the September 1993 meeting he attended where he was informed of the company's intention to shutdown the Huntington facility. In December of 1993, Mr. Bledsoe was laid off along with approximately four hundred other factory employees.

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  Oral History Interview: Mary Jane Blevins

  Mary Jane Blevins

  This interview is one of series conducted concerning the Oral History of Appalachia. Mary Jane Blevins was an employee of the Southwestern Community Action Council. She discusses: her hometown of Goody, Kentucky; her employment history (including teaching Vocational Home Economics); the Head Start Program for pre-school children; her experiences as a teacher; a brief discussion on sex education; parent education; anemia in children; how she came to work for the Council and her experiences there; nutrition in children; as well as other topics.

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  Oral History Interview: Margaret S. Bobbitt

  Margaret S. Bobbitt

  At the time of the interview, Mrs. Bobbitt had been a librarian at Marshall University's James E. Morrow Library for forty-two years. Concerned primarily with the growth of Marshall's library, Mrs. Bobbitt discusses librarian education, 1932 library staff, the change from closed to open stacks, the effect of the Depression on the library, and Marshalls centennial celebration in 1937.

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  Oral History Interview: W. C. Bobbitt

  W. C. Bobbitt

  This interview is one of a series conducted concerning education in West Virginia. Mr. Bobbitt of Clay, West Virginia, is a retired school teacher and administrator. He recalls his school experiences during the period of 1905 to 1927.

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  Oral History Interview: Don W. Boham

  Don W. Boham

  This interview is one of a series conducted concerning the lives of men who worked on the railroad in West Virginia. Mr. Boham has been with the Penn Central for thirty-four years. This interview is a discussion of the railroad in Appalachia, with historical background of the origin and growth of the railroad. As of 1973, Mr. Boham was living in Charleston, West Virginia.

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  Oral History Interview: Mr. and Mrs. S. H. Boland

  S. H. Boland

  This interview is one of a series conducted concerning rural life in West Virginia. Mr. and Mrs. Boland have spent most of their lives in Summers County, West Virginia. Mrs. Boland's parents died when she was young, and she and her two older sisters lived together on their farm until they married. Mr. and Mrs. Boland discuss their childhood experiences, education, courting practices, work experiences (Mr. Boland was Hinton fire chief for forty- seven years), the development of their rural district, and life in the country compared to city life.

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  Oral History Interview: Marjorie, M. Bond

  Marjorie M. Bond

  This interview is one of a series conducted with former employees of the Huntington Owens-Illinois, Inc. glass bottle factory. Ms. Marjorie Bond was a mother of four who was originally employed at Huntington Tent and Awning but began working at Owens-Illinois, Inc. in 1944. At first she was a selector, but she later received other duties such as being a crew leader. She describes her jobs and duties at the plant as well as the jobs that were assigned to women and the jobs that were assigned to men; men received preferential treatment at the time and a lawsuit resulted. Owens also employed African- Americans. Ms. Bond discusses shifts, company social events (such as picnics), work related dangers, the labor union she belonged to (GGDBA), strikes she participated in, and other topics as well. She ends by discussing her retirement and her social life afterwords.

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  Oral History Interview: Ruby Booth and Maude Chadwick

  Ruby Booth

  This interview is one of a series conducted concerning rural life in West Virginia. Maude Chadwick is the daughter of Ruby Booth, and at the time of the interview both were living in Wayne County, West Virginia. Mrs. Chadwick talks about going to school, meeting her husband, and the house in which she grew up. Mrs. Booth discusses entertainment, courting, and preserving food.

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  Oral History Interview: Kathleen Bowen

  Kathleen Bowen

  This interview is one of series conducted concerning the Oral History of Appalachia. Mrs. Bowen grew up in Clay County (WV) at Schoonover Knob. She discusses: very detailed information about her life on a farm; her education; her family; church and religion; the Great Depression; stories about holidays (mainly Christmas); music and games; several anecdotes; and other topics.

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  Oral History Interview: Margaret Sharpe Bowermaster

  Margaret Sharpe Bowermaster

  This interview is one of a series conducted concerning the Oral History of Appalachia. Margaret Sharpe Bowermaster was a nurse who working in Richmond, Virginia an later in West Virginia. In this interview, she discusses her education, her experiences working at a hospital, medical and surgical procedures, patients she lost, and work she did after retirement.

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  Oral History Interview: Randy Bowles

  Randy Bowles

  This interview is one of a series conducted concerning West Virginia Vietnam veterans. Mr. Bowles discuses: duties during the war (including cut and point); his experiences during the war; morale during the war; his views on draft resisters; his experiences after the war (including his employment, which included Galpin's Music Company, K-Mart, a laundry, a post office in Charleston, and as a leather worker); as well as the Vietnam Veterans of America Home and its relationship to other veterans organizations.

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  Oral History Interview: Orpha Bowling

  Orpha Bowling

  This interview is one of series conducted concerning the Oral History of Appalachia. At the time of the interview, Mrs. Orpha Bowling lived in Greenup (Ky), but has also lived in Buchanan County (VA), Jamboree (KY), and North Matewan (WV). She discusses: her personal history; her family; family members serving in the military; her jobs and duties on the farms they lived at; race relations; anecdotes; home remedies, rural doctors, and health problems (such as spinal meningitis & typhoid fever); midwifes and delivering children; her education (including anecdotes); life in a coal camp; an anecdote about Girl Scouts & Boy Scouts; and other topics.

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  Oral History Interview: Wanda Boyd

  Wanda Boyd

  This interview is one of a series conducted with former employees of the Huntington Owens-Illinois, Inc. glass bottle factory. At the time of the interview, Mrs. Boyd was residing in Lavalette, WV. She discusses her employment at the Owens- Illinois Plant in Huntington, WV.

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  Oral History Interview: Mrs. J. C. Bradbury

  J. C. Bradbury

  This interview is one of a series conducted concerning West Virginia town histories. This interview focuses on Huntington, West Virginia. Mrs. Bradbury recalls her youth in this interview, beginning with her Christmas in 1887. She talks about living in West Virginia, Ohio, California and Oregon. Huntington is mentioned, specifically in reference to plankboard sidewalks, streetcars, hotels and movies. The Depression and its influence on Mrs. Bradbury, her husband's work, working on a river barge, and Marshall College are the topics which conclude the discussion.

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  Oral History Interview: Ollie Bradshaw

  Ollie Bradshaw

  This interview is one of series conducted concerning the Oral History of Appalachia. Ollie Bradshaw was a resident of Ironton, Ohio. In this interview, she discusses her family, community life, courtship, weddings, the Great Depression, the flood of 1937, and rural medicine.

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  Oral History Interview: Ora Bradshaw

  Ora Bradshaw

  In this interview, Ora Bradshaw discusses her life in West Virginia, her family (some of whom worked in the coal mines and died in mining accidents), life in a mining community, the Ku Klux Klan, her experiences on a farm, and a brief section on labor unions and strikes. This interview is one of series conducted concerning the Oral History of Appalachia.

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  Oral History Interview: Velma G. Bradshaw

  Velma G. Bradshaw

  This interview is one of series conducted concerning Oral Histories of African-American women who taught in West Virginia public schools. Velma G. Bradshaw began teaching at the Pennsylvania County High School in Danville, Virginia. She discusses her family throughout the interview in great detail; this included her immediate family, her relatives (some of whom were of different ethnicities), her husband, her children and grandchildren, as well as caring for her mother and her sister. She also includes detailed information about her education: she attended Jones Street School, Genoa High School, and Bluefield State College. Her childhood is another topic, and this includes family life and a brief section on Christmas. She tells us about her employment history outside of teaching, and also when she returned to college (she took a break after having children). Then she discusses her job at Pennsylvania County High School and her life at that time. She moved on to her next jobs at Tazewell County School, Coalwood Junior High School, and Big Creek High School. She experienced problems getting a job at Central Junior High School in Mercer County before they offered her the position, but she got the job and talks about her experiences at that school (including her teaching methods in general). She also recalls the desegregation of schools. Mrs. Bradshaw started the Afro- American Culture Club at Bluefield Junior High School and sponsored the National Junior Honor Society at Central. Other topics she discusses include: church and religion; World War II; the Civil Rights Movement and her reactions to racism; women's rights; how her race has affected her life and challenges faced by black men and women; her self-perceptions; life-changing events and decisions; accomplishments in her life; her retirement; her decision to specialize in math; interracial marriages; organizations she belongs to; her current activities; thoughts about her life in general; as well as numerous other topics.

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  Oral History Interview: Dr. B. S. Brake

  B. S. Brake

  Dr. Brake has practiced medicine for thirty years in Clarksburg, West Virginia. In 1973, he continued to reside in Clarksburg and was active as Director of the Harrison-Clarksburg Health Department. This interview includes family history and childhood recollections, but is concerned primarily with Dr. Brake's medical practice. Besides relating personal experiences, Dr. Brake discusses his medical training, the scarcity of doctors in Harrison County, diseases such as diptheria and typhoid, and the changes he has observed in medicine.