The Civil Rights History Project: Survey of Collections and Repositories

Robert Raz and Alberta Massingill Oral History Collection

Repository: Grand Rapids Public Library. Grand Rapids History and Special Collections Department

Collection Description (CRHP): See especially interviews with Bessie Ward (2005, coordinator of Black History Month programs) and Don Turner (2006, supervised maintenance at all library branches).

Collection Description (Extant): The Raz/Massingill Oral History Collection is the result of a Friends of the Grand Rapids Public Library 100th Anniversary Project. It contains interviews with retired staff of the Grand Rapids Public Library taken in 2004-2006. Those interviewed were librarians, library assistants, administrative, support, and specialized staff [ . . . ] The information from the interviews pertains to the personal history of the interviewee, history of the Grand Rapids Public Library, and the changing field of library science in general.

Some additional oral histories of working or retired library staff were taken by Gordon Olson, former City Historian, as part of the research for his book "Free Library for Everyone: The History of the Grand Rapids Public Library." Those items will be referenced in this collection but are actually part of the book research materials awaiting processing for Coll. 109.

Access Copy Note: Usage tapes have been created for all interviews.

Date(s): 2004-2006

Digital Status: No

Existing IDs: 339

Extent: 1.4 linear ft. (16.5 inches)

Finding Aid URL: http://www.grpl.org/wiki/images/339.pdf

Language: English

Interviewees: Bessie Ward, Don Turner

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

Subjects:

African American History Month
African American librarians
African Americans--Michigan

Genres:

Interviews
Sound recordings
Transcripts