The Marshall University Oral History Collection consists of over 800 transcribed interviews with residents of the Tri-State region of West Virginia, Kentucky, and Ohio. The majority of the interviews were conducted by students at Marshall University as class projects in the departments of History, Sociology, and Anthropology during the 1980s and 1990s. Many of the original audio recordings were done on reel-to-reel tape recorders or other cassette recording devices and are no longer audible. The oral histories contained here in Marshall Digital Scholar do have complete audio recordings available in addition to the completely transcribed interview. A complete subject listing of all available oral histories in the collection can be found in the guide to the Marshall University Oral History Collection.
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Oral History Interview: Ena Bridges
Ena Bridges
This interview is one of series conducted concerning the Oral History of Appalachia. Ena Bridges was born in England but came to the United States after marrying an American soldier. In this interview, she discusses Windsor Castle, the Royal Family, her life in England, World War II, war rationing, her life in America, and her family.
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Oral History Interview: Robert L. Britton
Robert L. Britton
This interview is one of series conducted concerning the Oral History of Appalachia. Mr. Britton was a professor at Marshall University and a member of the original committee that started the Marshall Artists Series. He discusses: his education; his family; a brief discussion of the Great Depression; individuals such as Frances Corrie Burgess, Sam Clagg, Lesley David, Curtis Baxters, & Cam Henderson; coming to work at the Geography Department at Marshall; his job and duties at Marshall; the Marshall Artists Series; some discussion of his retirement; and other topics.
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Oral History Interview: Irene D. Broh
Irene D. Broh
Irene D. Broh was born on November 20, 1880, in Cincinnati, Ohio. Through the influence of her mother, a suffragist who worked with Susan B. Anthony, Mrs. Broh joined the suffrage movement and helped women earn the right to vote. After marrying Ephraim Broh in 1909, she moved to Huntington, WV, where she organized a suffrage club in 1915. Mrs. Broh became the first woman to vote in Cabell County, WV, in 1920. In her interview, Mrs. Broh focuses on her work for women’s suffrage. She describes how she organized her club, the voting facilities in Huntington, and her experience voting for the first time. In the audio clip provided, Mrs. Broh discusses the suffrage question and being the first woman to vote in Cabell County. She describes the legitimacy of a woman’s vote. She focuses on her experience at Kessler’s Garage when she was ready to place her vote in the ballot box. In her interview, Mrs. Broh also mentions living during the Depression and the world wars, as well as, the flooding of the Ohio River and its tributaries in 1913 and 1937.
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Oral History Interview: Frank Brooks
Frank Brooks
Frank Brooks was born in Fayette County, WV, but grew up in Carter County, KY, in the early 1900s. He attended a one room school house through the third grade. Mr. Brooks began working in coal mines with his father in Borderland, WV, when he was 13 years old. In the audio clip provided, he discusses his first time in a coal mine. He focuses on how he tried to appear bigger than he was in order to be able to work. In his interview, Mr. Brooks compares and contrasts the labor conditions in the mines before and after unionization. He discusses the mental and physical demands of being a coal miner. He describes using script in the company store and focuses on receiving a ‘red card’ that barred him from buying groceries. Mr. Brooks also focuses on his wages while working in the mines and discusses mine strikes in the 1940s.
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Oral History Interview: Monica Brooks
Monica Brooks
This interview is one of series conducted concerning the Oral History of Appalachia. Monica Brooks is a Hispanic woman who grew up in West Virginia and works as a librarian. She discusses: her family; her personal history; her education; her ethnicity and how it relates to her experiences in West Virginia and Texas; stereotypes; discrimination she faced; parties she attended; her thoughts of Hispanic culture and civil rights; her experiences in college; and other topics.
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Oral History Interview: Justice William Brotherton
Justice William Brotherton
This interview is one of a series conducted concerning the history of Marshall University. At the time of the interview, William Brotherton was Justice of the West Virginia Supreme Court. He discusses his background, his experiences in the state legislature (WV?), the liquor by the drink bill, the issue of giving Marshall College university status, Senator Julius Singleton, President Smith of Marshall University, religion, Virginia University, a proposed pipeline to transfer coal slurry and the resistance offered by the railroad companies, the Board of Regents system, and running for political office.
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Oral History Interview: Donald Brown
Donald Brown
This interview is one of a series conducted with former employees of the Huntington Owens-Illinois, Inc. glass bottle factory. Mr. Donald Brown, born November 15, 1932, worked many jobs at the Owens glass plant over the course of thirty years. In this interview, Mr. Brown discusses the details of those jobs, union activities, and the steady decline in the working conditions at the plant. He expresses his personal feelings regarding women workers and the equal rights laws, worker relations, and race relations at the plant. Mr. Brown retired in 1993 shortly before the plant shutdown.
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Oral History Interview: Colonel Howard R. Browne
Howard R. Browne
This interview is one of series conducted concerning the Oral History of Appalachia. At the time of the interview, Colonel Howard R. Browne was the head of the National Central Alarm Systems, Inc and the National Detective Bureau in Huntington. The bulk of the interview consists of very detailed discussions of security services, including detective work and alarm systems. He also discusses: his family; coal mines; a small section on cab & bus companies; a china and dinnerware company; numerous other companies and businesses he worked for (including a radio program); some discussion of politics and politicians; and some information about the history of security systems.
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Oral History Interview: Lisle Brown
Lisle Brown
This interview is one of series conducted concerning the Oral History of Appalachia. This interview contains a summary prepared by the interviewer, which includes page numbers, and also a subject index prepared by the interviewer. At the time of the interview, Lisle Brown was a librarian at the Morrow Library at Marshall University. He discusses: his personal and educational background; coming to work at Marshall; the Special Collections Department itself and its holdings; employee and application requirements at Special Collections; how the collection has changed over time; how the manuscript collection began; future plans for the department; and what Mr. Brown believes his legacy will be.
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Oral History Interview: Polly Brown
Polly Brown
This interview is one of a series conducted with former employees of the Huntington Owens-Illinois, Inc. glass bottle factory. Mrs. Polly Brown, born February 11, 1933, worked as a selector in the Owens glass plant from 1954 until 1993 when she retired. In this interview, Mrs. Brown discusses her work at the plant, the problems of discrimination against women and blacks, the difficulty she had balancing work and family, social activities and friends from her work, union activities, and worker- management relations. Mrs. Brown is a very strong, out-spoken woman who talks about her experiences of happiness and friendship as well as anger and resentment.
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Oral History Interview: Warren Brown
Warren Brown
This interview is one of a series conducted concerning West Virginia business history. Warren Brown was an employee of BML Lighting, a theatrical lighting company. He discusses: company history; business practices; different jobs they were hired for; their education; bookkeeping; and how technology has affected their business.
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Oral History Interview: Flem A. Brumfield
Flem A. Brumfield
This interview is one of a series conducted with former employees of the Huntington Owens-Illinois, Inc. glass bottle factory. Mr. Flem A. Brumfield was an employee at the Owens-Illinois glass factory. He discusses: his experiences working at the plant; unions and strikes; seniority at the plant; machines at the plant; men and women at the plant; management; a brief discussion on recycling; social activities at the plant; race relations at the plant; health problems at the plant; West Virginia and Huntington in general; the government; and other topics.
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Oral History Interview: Mae Brumfield
Mae Brumfield
This interview is one of series conducted concerning the Oral History of Appalachia. Ms. Mae Brumfield discusses: where she was born; where she was raised; childhood activities; marriage and the role of a housewife; religion; child-rearing; her short career as a teacher in a one-room school house; home remedies; living in Appalachia during the Depression and World War I; and other topics.
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Oral History Interview: Ardella Bruner
Ardella Bruner
This interview is one of a series conducted concerning rural life in West Virginia and the surrounding region. Born in Jackson, Ohio, Mrs. Bruner was a resident of Kanawha County, West Virginia, at the time of the interview. Topics discussed include farming, mines, education, chores, recreation, and her family.
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Oral History Interview: Robert A. Brunner
Robert A. Brunner
This interview is one of a series conducted concerning the Kanawha County textbook controversy. The subject of this interview is the Kanawha County textbook controversy, where numerous people protested materials taught in school that they believed immoral, resulting in some violence. Mr. Brunner discusses: Alice Moore as well as other people involved such as Avis Hill, Ezra Graley, and Marvin Horan; the violence involved; and the motives behind the protest.
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Oral History Interview: Peter Bull
Peter Bull
This interview is one of series conducted concerning the Oral History of Appalachia. Peter Bull was an English actor and author. He discusses: Greece; books he has written; long and detailed discussions of teddy bears; his family; people he has known; astrology; his career in theater; movies he has starred in; other movies and plays; his pet dogs; and other topics.
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Oral History Interview: Glennie T. Burford
Glennie T. Burford
This interview is one of a series conducted with West Virginia farmers about growing up on farms and about the farming business. In 1974, Mr. Burford was a farmer living near Elkview, West Virginia. He has worked as a farmer throughout his adult life. In this interview he discusses his land, family, and conservation.
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Oral History Interview: Elizabeth J. (Bettyjane) Burger
Elizabeth J. Burger
This interview is one of a series conducted concerning West Virginia women. At the time of the interview, Elizabeth J. Burger was president of the West Virginia chapter of the National Organization for Women (NOW). She discusses: how she came to work for NOW; her duties in the organization; accomplishments of the organization; feminism, sexism, and discrimination; individuals such as Darrell McGraw, Sherrie O'Dell, Sandy Fisher, James Broadwater, Pat Dolan, Rick Webb, Bonnie Brown, Pat White, Senator Martha Wehrle, Senator Charlotte Pritt, Chris Hedges, Charlie Brown, Roger Tompkins, & Chief Justice Richard Neely; a detailed description of a lawsuit; domestic violence and rape; other problems faced by women; and other topics.
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Oral History Interview: Jane Burns
Jane Burns
This document is a transcript of a statement given by Jane Burns at a public hearing conducted by the West Virginia Department of Energy on June 28, 1988, in Lincoln County. The purpose of the hearing was to give residents a chance to voice their opinions concerning an application by two coal companies to strip-mine at Six Mile Creek in Lincoln County. Jane Burns tells how the coal company destroyed her farmland and her desire to keep them away unless they buy her property.
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Oral History Interview: Perry Campbell
Perry Campbell
This interview is one of a series conducted concerning West Virginia Vietnam veterans. In this interview, Perry Campbell discusses: his childhood experiences leading up to his military service; some regrets he has about military service; his thoughts on the draft and military service; serving in Germany (including getting shot at for helping East Germans escape to West Germany); his experiences as a weapons tester with various types of firearms; his experiences in Vietnam; his thoughts on the war; the VVA organization (Vietnam Veterans of America); wounded soldiers; his employment; psychological problems from the war; Walter Reed Army Hospital; an incident where he was reported dead; and other topics.
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Oral History Interview: Theda F. Campbell
Theda F. Campbell
This interview is one of a series conducted with former employees of the Huntington Owens-Illinois, Inc. glass bottle factory. Theda Campbell was an employee at the Owens-Illinois Glass Plant in Huntington, WV. She discusses: her jobs and duties at the plant; women at the plant; social activities at the plant; labor unions and strikes; racial integration at the plant; the closing of the plant; and other topics.
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Oral History Interview: Carmine Cann
Carmine Cann
This interview is one of a series conducted concerning the history of Marshall University. Carmine Cann was a member of the House of Delegates in 1961. In this interview, he discusses his background, his family, his experiences as a bill drafter for politicians, his career as a politician, the Board of Regents system, President Smith of Marshall (Stewart Smith?), the liquor by the drink bill, Senator Julius Singleton and other politicians, and a detailed description of the case of Marshall College seeking university status, and a brief section on the press and lobbyists.
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Oral History Interview: Cue M. Canterbury
Cue M. Canterbury
This interview is one of series conducted concerning the Oral History of Appalachia. Rev. Canterbury was born blind and went to a one-room school before attending Romney School for the Blind, Clendenin High School, and Morris Harvey College in Charleston, WV. He discusses: his family; growing up on a farm; detailed information about his education; Appalachian culture and community life; how he became interested in the ministry; his jobs and duties with the church; individuals such as Ross Calpepper, Ruth Statler, Mabel and Raymond Venoy, & his wife Freeda; discrimination he faced for being blind; a story of two churches burning down; his family moving several times; and other topics.
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Oral History Interview: George Edward Carenbauer Jr.
George Edward Carenbauer Jr.
This interview is one of series conducted concerning the Oral History of Appalachia. Mr. Carenbauer was a pilot of a B-17 Flying Fortress during World War II. He discusses: why he joined the Air Force; his experiences in the Air Force; his thoughts on World War II in general; his military training; the Pearl Harbor bombing; a brief section on the atomic bombing; the situation with Saddam Hussein; his relationship with his wife and his children; and other topics.
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Oral History Interview: Mary Carmichael
Mary Carmichael
This interview is one of a series conducted with former employees of the Huntington Owens-Illinois, Inc. glass bottle factory. Mrs. Mary Carmichael, born January 12, 1920, began working at the Owens plant in the corrugated department in 1943. She was transferred to the selecting department when automation displaced her from her job in corrugated. Later, Mrs. Carmichael was promoted and worked as an inspector in the selecting department. In this interview, Mrs. Carmichael discusses the details of the jobs she performed, union activities, strikes, automation, and company-sponsored activities. Furthermore, she talks about the plant production during WWII and the issue of job segregation. Finally, Mrs. Carmichael talks about the physical problems she continues to have because of the strenuous work she performed at the glass factory.