Women of the Oklahoma Legislature Oral History Website launches
Thursday, February 26, 2009
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(February 26, 2009 Stillwater, Okla.) –Throughout Oklahoma's history 77 women have been elected to the state's legislature. The Women of the Oklahoma Legislature Oral History Project at the OSU Library presents first-hand accounts of these leaders' stories.
The project captures and records information about women who have served or are currently serving in the Oklahoma Legislature in their own voices. It includes 47 interviews and is freely available at www.library.okstate.edu/oralhistory/wotol/ .
"Unfortunately, we can’t include every single female legislator. There are some we have not located, a few are unavailable to participate, and a small number have already passed away," said Tanya Finchum, primary researcher for the project. "As more women are elected, we hope to add them to the collection."
Conducting interviews is just the beginning for an oral history research project. Approximately 30 hours of work go into producing a one hour interview. With the recordings in hand, the oral history team transcribes, checks and edits each interview. The resulting draft is then returned to the interviewee for additional comment. Their feedback is added and the final transcript and along with the actual recording is added to the collection.
This collection is one of many projects conducted by the Oklahoma Oral History Research Program (OOHRP) at the OSU Library. Formally established in 2007, the OOHRP has collected and preserved firsthand accounts from individuals who have witnessed historic moments. The Program explores the lives and contributions of Oklahomans from all walks of life. To learn more about the OOHRP and ways to participate or support the program, contact Dr. Jennifer Paustenbaugh at 405-744-9778 or jennifer.paustenbaugh@okstate.edu.