The Civil Rights History Project: Survey of Collections and Repositories

Oral history collection

Repository: Austin Public Library. Austin History Center

Collection Description (CRHP): The following interviewees discuss the Civil Rights Movement: Linda Barrientos, Lavada Durst (Dr. Hep Cat), Emma Long, and Amster Pearl.

Collection Description (Extant): Over the last forty years Austin History Center staff, along with hundreds of volunteers, have made oral history tape recordings documenting the rich and colorful history of more than 400 local residents and public figures. This collection also includes audio tapes recorded during historical marker dedication ceremonies, as well as tapes of local radio interviews from the 1970s. In addition, researchers have donated interview tapes created during the course of studying Austin's history. For instance, Anthony Orum donated tapes he recorded in the process of writing his books, Power, Money and the People: the Making of Modern Austin and City Building in America.

Transcripts exist for a number of these oral histories and are available for use in the Reading Room. Some of the tapes also lead to manuscripts and other archival resources in the archives. Our staff can consult an in-house database to determine if we have an oral history for a specific person or on a specific topic.

Collection URL: http://www.austinlibrary.com/ahc/recordings.htm

Extent: Approximately 400 interviews

Language: English

Related Archival Items: See the guide on African American collections at the Austin History Center at http://www.cityofaustin.org/library/ahc/africanam.htm

Interviewees: Linda Barrientos, Lavada Durst, Emma Long, Amster Pearl

Rights (CRHP): Contact the repository which holds the collection for information on rights

Subjects:

African Americans--Texas
Civil rights movements--Texas

Genres:

Interviews
Sound recordings
Transcripts