About Us

Overview

The Oklahoma Oral History Research Program (OOHRP) was founded in 2007 as part of the Oklahoma State University Library, to broaden inclusion of individual memory and experience representing Oklahoma and OSU history and culture through ethical oral history practice. We are also an arm of the OSU Center for Oklahoma Studies.

Over time, in documenting historical space many individual and community contributions are left out or unavailable in archival records. The discipline and methodology of oral history empowers researchers to work towards filling these gaps by interviewing individuals about firsthand experiences and publicly sharing these primary-source perspectives through the OOHRP archives.

By advising students, faculty, and community members in the methods and ethical standards of oral history based on the Principles and Best Practices laid out by the Oral History Association, the OOHRP promotes the collection, preservation, and analysis of interview-based research.

Want to know more about what oral history is? Check out this video from our 2019-2020 Digital Storytelling Intern:

Who is the OOHRP?

Find out more about the Faculty, Staff, and Students that work in the OOHRP here

What Happens After an Oral History is Recorded?

The life cycle of an oral history project is more complex than the actual oral history interview. In fact, the entire process from topical research through making an oral history publicly accessibly takes roughly 33 hours per interview. 

Want to know more about the step-by-step process? Check out this 2:46 minute video

Outreach

The OOHRP is committed to serving the Oklahoma and OSU communities. Staff is available to offer instructional workshops for communities or groups or speak to classes, whether at OSU or other educational institutions. We regularly consult on project design, archiving best practices, and the ethical and procedural standards based on Oral History Association's Principles and Best Practices.

Undergraduate and graduate students are welcome to meet with staff in regards to oral history methodology, design, or technical considerations.

Contact us