Oral History Commons^™

Wong Family: Nancy Wong (Elder), May Lin

Chinese American Stories

Nancy Wong was born in Ung Hong village, Toy San District, China, to a restaurant owner and housewife. Growing up, Nancy felt like a child who did not know much about the world. When Nancy was seven, her mother left Nancy and her younger brother to travel to the U.S. Nancy and her brother Donald, were left with their grandmother. At age nine, her grandmother sent her to school. When Nancy was 15, her mother returned to China with three sisters and four brothers for which Nancy was to care. This began her adulthood in her mind…

Stallworth Family: Kimberly Hamlett (Youth), Brett Kaufman

African American Stories

As a child of the ’60s, a person might think Kimberly Hamlett would show signs of her rebellious generation. However, those who know this warm, kindhearted and Christian woman would say differently. Kimberly, born in 1965, was the first child born to her large family. She is the oldest of seven children, four girls and three boys. She was born in Walnut Creek, but grew up in Stockton and continues to live here…

Wong Family: Violet Chan (Middle), Jacob Lethbridge

Chinese American Stories

There was hardly a time growing up when Violet Chan did not have responsibilities. As a child in China, she had a major role in obtaining food for her family and caring for her mother. Later, as a teenager, she had primary responsibility for taking care of her baby brothers. Despite the duties asked of her, Violet had an underlying passion for an education and she fixed her sights on that goal…

Wong Family: Sandra Won (Middle), Oksana Ivashchenko

Chinese American Stories

Growing up in a close-knit Chinese family, Sandra Won had a happy upbringing with parents who didn’t impose adult roles on her. They made sure that she had time to be a child, to play and to experience a wide variety of activities. Her entrance into adulthood was gradual and, in her mind, was marked by a variety of ordinary events in her life…

Canepa Family: Thomas Canepa (Youth), Lucy Buck

Italian American Stories

As the alarm sounds, a teenager wakes up from his slumber and begins his daily routine. It is Friday morning, so after school, he’ll be able to hang out with his friends. Unfortunately, the teen, Thomas Canepa, won't be able to stay out late. The next day is Saturday, and he has to work. When he was younger, Thomas relished the freedom of playing with his friends without having any family obligations. But at age 16, Thomas has a part time job at the family business, a car wash where he pumps gas and prints receipts for customers…

Podesta Family: Kathleen Salmon (Youth), Jessica D'Anza

Italian American Stories

Kathleen Salmon is that rare young American who thoroughly enjoys being rooted in family life. Now, 20 years old, she loves her Italian American family, its customs, teachings and celebrations. As an only child, Kathleen Salmon was the center of her parents attention. Raised on a farm in Linden, she was part of a loving, extended family. She came to value rural life—the natural surroundings and the integration of work and home. She has never rebelled against her background, but instead prided herself on the strengths and values that have framed her world…

Wong Family: Kecia Won-Jones (Youth), Tucker Corriveau

Chinese American Stories

Growing up, Kecia Won-Jones experienced a plethora of cultures. She is Chinese, but was born and raised in a multi-cultural America. Though she is a third generation Chinese American, she feels a strong connection to her ethnic past. On the other hand, she confesses that her parents were assimilated into American culture, and that she has lived only in this country. Kecia likes to think she has the better of two worlds. Kecia is grateful for the opportunity to celebrate her cultural traditions as well as those of others. Navigating diversity has been one of her paths to maturity…

Perez Family: Margaret Perez (Elder), Jillian Altfest

Native American Stories

“Never marry a man from Mexico,” Margaret’s grandmother advised her. Grandmother pressed her early on in life to marry only within their tribe, and to keep the language and traditions of the family alive. Margaret is a natural mischief-maker, and she remains unmoved by her grandmother’s tales of ghosts or devils who would come and take her away. Typically ignoring grandma’s advice, Margaret fell in love with a Mexican…

Corral Family: Robert Corral Iii (Youth), Tara Runnels

Native American Stories

Robert Corral began his life in French Camp in 1979. He is of mixed ancestry—Caucasian, Mexican and Native American, but feels he identifies most with his Native American heritage. Robert feels his interests, beliefs and personality are similar to those of other Native Americans. He is very proud to consider himself a part of the Northern Valley Yokut/Ohlone/Me-Wok tribe and the California Indian culture.

Pech Family: Rottana Prak (Youth), Danielle Bosch

Cambodian American Stories

All over the country, at this very moment, parents are asking their children for help with the chores. And all over the country, teenagers are…turning up their headphones, or heading for the door. Or, if they’re like Rottana Prak, they are simply saying “Yes.” Rottana is a typical high school student who likes to spend time with her friends, enjoys music and movies, and is interested in X-treme sports. But she is also a teenager who knows her roots. She knows what her family endured in Cambodia as their beautiful homeland was shattered by war and the brutalities of the …

Perez Family: Ernestine Cardenas (Middle), Jessica D'Anza

Native American Stories

There are many cultures in the world with defined guidelines that determine whether one is an adult or still a child. From that determination, the law and society will treat one as an adult with adult responsibilities. Native American tribes signify one’s adulthood in a variety of different ways depending on specific tribal traditions. Ernestine grew up on a small reservation where her family made a home. On the peaceful reservation, Ernestine was allowed to wander and play. She and her family were involved with their tribes traditions that had been handed down for generations…

Nisby Family: John Patrick Nisby, Jr. (Youth), Chris Bauer

African American Stories

Being the son of two high-achievers might be a burden for some people, but John Patrick Nisby says that he has had a “wonderful life.” His parents have played positive roles in his upbringing, introducing many factors into his life, which have inspired and motivated him...

Pech Family: Kun Tuy (Middle), Lindsey Gaines

Cambodian American Stories

Imagine a 15-year-old girl forced to work in the fields, seven days a week, from five in the morning until seven at night. In the U.S., such a young woman would be going to school to learn about herself and about life’s opportunities. Kun Tuy dreamed of teaching dance. Instead, she was put to work by the Khmer Rouge in the rice fields of mountainous Cambodia. She received no money and little food for her labor. The Khmer Rouge ruled by suppression and killing in anticipation of establishing a Communist regime in Cambodia…

Komure Family: Kathryn "Katy" Komure (Elder), Jacob Lethbridge

Japanese American Stories

Since she was a young girl in French Camp, Katy Komure found her life defined by work. Despite a constant struggle to reach her goals, things had a way of working out for Katy. She focused on what she thought important and found she could succeed despite social barriers which stood in her way…

Ua1b2/1/7 Oral History, Lydia Kullman, Gary Ransdell

WKU Administration Documents

Interview conducted by Lydia Kullman with Gary Ransdell. This oral history interview was created for Andrew McMichael's History and the Internet Class, 2004.

Ua12/2/1 Then & Now, Wku Student Affairs

WKU Administration Documents

College Heights Herald homecoming magazine with articles:

• Holm, Hollan. Big Red Evolves from Joke to Icon
• Hellmueller, Anthony. What’s Happening for Homecoming?
• Moore, Michael. Refrigerator Bowl Veterans Reunite
• Farner, Keith. Colonnade Used to Be Place to Watch Pigskin Fly – Stadium
• Lord, Joseph. 1962 Basketball Player Remembers Living with Coach E.A. Diddle – Bobby Rascoe, Diddle Dorm
• Schoenbaechler, Danny & Hollan Holm. 1972 Fraternity Brothers Reunite, Relive Days in Sigma Alpha Epsilon House
• Robinson, Jocelyn. 1983 The Cellar: From Boogie Nights to Study Nights – West Hall
• Hopkins, Shawntaye. 1994 Potter Hall Provided Location Near Classes
• Lowther, Clare. 2002 Tailgating …

Ua3/4/8/4 Radio Broadcast Transcript, Dero Downing, Dan Modlin, Jack Thacker, Edward R. Murrow

WKU Administration Documents

Dero Downing and Jack Thacker interviewed by Dan Modlin regarding the D-Day invasion. Includes recordings of Edward R. Murrow and an unidentified BBC correspondent from 1944.

Ua52/1 Hail Storm Memories, Wku Archives

WKU Administration Documents

Memories of WKU faculty, staff, alumni and the general public regarding the 1988 hail storm solicited by WKU Archives.

An Activist's Guide To Lesbian History: A Companion To The Video Not Just Passing Through, Polly Thistlethwaite

Publications and Research

This guide, designed to accompany the video Not Just Passing Through, contains guidelines for conducting oral history, forms for donating material to mainstream and community based archives, and lessons for engaging lesbian history with activism.

For The Love Of It: A Short History Of Commercial Fishing In Pacific City, Oregon, Joseph E. Taylor Iii

Dory Project Scholarship and Process Documents

Fishermen are often romanticized; they are lonely wanderers separated from the trials of life encountered on "dry land." To a commercial fisherman or even someone casually acquainted with the fishing industry, stereotypes seem naïve at best. An examination of the evolving fishery of the Nestucca River and the Pacific Ocean near Pacific City, Oregon, and the careers of seven local fishermen reveals the struggle associated with the calling and the necessity for innovation and adaptation to the changing political, technological, and economic environment. From river netters to ocean trollers, theirs is a story of both persistence and change.

To Tell The Truth: The Lesbian Herstory Archives: Chronicling A People And Fighting Invisibility Since 1974, Polly Thistlethwaite

Publications and Research

A portrait of the Lesbian Herstory Archives by a volunteer, describing the archive in its original home in Joan Nestle's Upper West Side New York City apartment that she shared with Mabel Hampton. Originally published in Out/Week Magazine.

Ua37/30/2 Wku Research Notecards - U-V Topics, Lowell Harrison

Faculty/Staff Personal Papers

Notecards created by Lowell Harrison while researching his book Western Kentucky University. The cards transcribed below are for 55 topics beginning with U & V ranging from Underground Papers to Voting - Regents.

Ua52/1 Alumni Memories, Wku Archives

WKU Administration Documents

Memories of WKU and other alumni solicited by WKU Archives.

Ua3/3/1 Herman Donovan Correspondence, Herman Donavan, Wku President's Office - Thompson

WKU Administration Documents

Letter from Herman Donovan to Kelly Thompson regarding Donovan's speech and presentation of cane to Captain Charles Vanmeter in 1908.

Ua37/44 Tidbits Of Kentucky Folklore, Gordon Wilson

Faculty/Staff Personal Papers

Tidbits of Kentucky Folklore nos. 900-989, 999-1049:

• A Cheerful Liar – 252
• A Mother in Israel – 219
• A Neighborhood Sheik – 215
• A Thin Veneer – 244
• Amen – 109
• Appropriate Food – 99
• Asafetida Bags & Sulfa Drugs – 250
• Awards Day – 278
• Bad Connections – 276
• Ballad Situations – 113
• Becoming a Back Number – 27
• Bells, Bells, Bells – 83
• Blab Schools – 169
• Bottomless Pits – 201
• Burning Off the Woods – 151
• But Not Homer – 47
• By the Highway – 159
• By the Side of the Road – 25
• Calf Rope – …

Ua37/44 Tidbits Of Kentucky Folklore, Gordon Wilson

Faculty/Staff Personal Papers

Tidbits of Kentucky Folklore nos. 750-799, 803-804, 807-831, 833-857, 859-899:

• A Changing World – 167
• A Cycle of Folk Culture – 215
• A Few Lines – 257
• Across the Creek – 241
• Adults & Children – 3
• All Mixed Up – 65
• And Thee Is a Little Queer – 69
• Anecdotal Wisdom – 15
• Another Barrier Removed – 83
• Beauty & Prejudice – 163
• Beauty & Religion – 139
• Being Typical – 23
• Better But Sadder – 51
• Blue Monday – 111
• Boogers – 177
• Brave Men, Living & Dead – 77
• Candy Kisses – 37
• Canopus – 149
• Changing …

Ua37/44 Tidbits Of Kentucky Folklore, Gordon Wilson

Faculty/Staff Personal Papers

Tidbits of Kentucky Folklore nos. 676-749:

• A Changing Christmas – 79
• A Dry Moon – 42
• A Folk Triumph – 4
• A Folklore Map of Kentucky – 46
• A Glossary of Passing Words – 135
• A Healthful Sign – 10
• Advancing or Retreating? – 36
• Analogy, Good & Bad – 28
• Ancestry & Common Sense – 105
• Another Dopester Wrong – 66
• Are You Superstitious? – 44
• Back on the Old Party Line – 145
• Blind, Deaf & Dumb – 141
• Bossy & Dobbin – 91
• Bucket Jelly – 16
• By Any Other Name – 147
• By Eye or By …

Ua37/44 Tidbits Of Kentucky Folklore, Gordon Wilson

Faculty/Staff Personal Papers

Tidbits of Kentucky Folklore nos. 566-669:

• A Few Generations – 57
• Agreeable Fans – 7
• All Tied Up with Memories – 95
• An Ivory Tower – 15
• As In the Days of Methuselah – 188
• Bowser & the Wildcat – 126
• By Their Fruits – 154
• Chicken Coops & Horse Troughs – 196
• Chicken Hawks & Tom Paine – 47
• Childish Fears – 27
• Chimneys – 140
• Communal Culture – 51
• Contiguous Areas – 138
• Country Hicks – 112
• Cradles – 108
• Culture in Hymns – 59
• Cycles of Teaching – 162
• Didn’t It Rain? – 164
• Digging in the …

Ua37/44 Tidbits Of Kentucky Folklore, Gordon Wilson

Faculty/Staff Personal Papers

Tidbits of Kentucky Folklore nos. 428-503:

• A Cycle of Fences – 100
• Afraid of Science – 90
• Art Through the Side Door – 116
• As Big as All Out-of-Doors – 134
• Asking the Way – 108
• Backing Up the Preacher – 96
• Barriers – 72
• Baying the Moon – 46
• Blackberries – 86
• Borrowing Books – 118
• Bound Each to Each – 126
• Branch Water – 94
• Brandon’s Mill – 12
• Come to Dinner – 128
• Condescension – 68
• Cutting a Splurge – 88
• Elocution – 18
• Eyes That See Not – 50
• Fidelity – Where Is It? – 34 …

Ua37/44 Tidbits Of Kentucky Folklore, Gordon Wilson

Faculty/Staff Personal Papers

Tidbits of Kentucky Folklore nos. 200-300:

• A House by the Side of the Road – 192
• A Piece of the Way – 132
• A Tent Photographer – 7
• A Tent Show at Fidelity – 20
• A Village Oracle – 60
• Bark Whips – 128
• Better Than His Bond – 84
• Buggy Fixin’s – 130
• Burdock, Jimson Weeds & Cockleburs – 74
• Burning Down the House I Was Brung Up In – 158
• Buttons – 34
• Chestnuts – 162
• Children’s Post Offices – 126
• Children’s Superstitions – 124
• Company – 142
• Confederate Reunions – 52
• Consule Planco – 70
• Corn – …