Wide-ranging oral histories from Grand Valley, Capital Area District Library, and Michigan State that capture the perspective of citizens and veterans across the state.
An interview with Julia R. Malitz, conducted by Mary Jane Wilson in the Forest Parke Library and Archives, Capital Area District Libraries, as part of the Lansing 150 Oral History project. Mrs. Malitz was the third generation in a family of theater operators in Lansing - Baird's Opera House which became the Gladmer Theater. No transcript has been produced, and no summary appears in the <a href="http://www.cadl.org/lhonline/Lansing 150 OH Booklet.pdf">Lansing 150 Sesquicentennial Oral Histories Booklet</a> booklet.
Data Provider:
Capital Area District Library (Lansing, MI). Forest Parke Library and Archives
An interview with Edward Thomas "Ted" Hacker, who grew up in Lansing and was the third generation in his family's real estate business. He, his father, and his son all served as presidents of the Lansing Board of Realtors. No transcript has been produced. A summary appears on page 15 of the <a href="http://www.cadl.org/lhonline/Lansing 150 OH Booklet.pdf">Lansing 150 Sesquicentennial Oral Histories Booklet</a> booklet.
Data Provider:
Capital Area District Library (Lansing, MI). Forest Parke Library and Archives
An oral history of Geneva Kebler Wiskemann, concerning her career at the Archives of Michigan, the fire at the State Office Building in 1951, and her personal memories and experiences from life in Lansing. She was interviewed by Joyce Moffatt at the Lansing Civic Players Firehouse in March of 1990. One document in the records for the Voices of Lansing project notes that the interview on March 6, 1990, was a "false start." Both this and a second interview done on March 11, 1990, are linked below, along with a single transcript that was in the file.
Date Created:
1990-01-01T00:00:00Z
Data Provider:
Capital Area District Library (Lansing, MI). Forest Parke Library and Archives
June Johnston, a former personnel director at the J. W. Knapp department store in Lansing, was interviewed by Marilyn Culpepper by telephone in August, 2008. For this interview, no rights release form is on file and no transcript has been produced. To access the audio recording, please contact the library. A summary appears on page 20 of the <a href="http://www.cadl.org/lhonline/Lansing 150 OH Booklet.pdf">Lansing 150 Sesquicentennial Oral Histories Booklet</a> booklet.
Data Provider:
Capital Area District Library (Lansing, MI). Forest Parke Library and Archives
Rick Jones talks about the Michigan members of the Polar Bear Expedition, a group of about 5,000 U. S. Army troups who were sent to Russia in 1918-1919, in the first video. In the second video, Jones hosts a discussion with descendants of Michigan Polar Bear Expedition participants. Descendants include Bruce G. Helmer, Vivian Ball Johnson, Gilbert G. Holmes, Lowell Rasmussen, and Frank Ferro. This program took place at the Turner-Dodge House and Heritage Center.
Data Provider:
Capital Area District Library (Lansing, MI). Forest Parke Library and Archives
Polly Schwendener interviewed Dr. D. Bonta Hiscoe in the Local History Room at the Capital Area District Libraries in April 2009. Dr. Hiscoe came to Lansing to practice in plastic surgery and eventually served as director of the health maintenance organization Lansing Health Central. No transcript has been produced. A summary appears on page 18 of the <a href="http://www.cadl.org/lhonline/Lansing 150 OH Booklet.pdf">Lansing 150 Sesquicentennial Oral Histories Booklet</a> booklet.
Data Provider:
Capital Area District Library (Lansing, MI). Forest Parke Library and Archives
An oral history from Frank Benedict, a key founder and educator at Lansing Community College. The interview was recorded on July 10, 1990, as part of the "Voices of Lansing" oral history project. Frank Benedict was interviewed by Harry Blanchard. Rights release forms for this interview were never completed, nor was a transcript. The oral history recording may be accessed within the library only at this time.
Data Provider:
Capital Area District Library (Lansing, MI). Forest Parke Library and Archives
"The Voices of Lansing: An Oral History" was a project sponsored by the Lansing Public Library, the History Committee of the Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce, and the R. E. Olds Transportation Museum with assistance from the Oldsmobile History Center. Interviews took place between 1988 and 1991. It was supported by a City of Lansing Outstate Equity Grant. The goal was to create a body of oral history recordings documenting the Capital region with the following focuses: -The Library would focus on surviving mayors and government personalities. -The Museum would focus on contributors to the area automotive industry. -The Chamber would focus on leaders of business and industry, and workers long left out of printed resources. Although the project never was completed, due mostly to hangups in the transcription process, many interviews were done and have been digitized by the Forest Parke Library & Archvies at CADL in 2015. Any interview for which there is a signed release on file is available for listening online; those without releases may be accessed in the Local History Room at CADL. If a transcript or summary of a recording is available, it is also linked to its record online in PDF format.
Date Created:
[1988 TO 1991]
Data Provider:
Capital Area District Library (Lansing, MI). Forest Parke Library and Archives
An oral history from Seward H. Van Ness, who retired as Production Manager at the General Motors Oldsmobile Division in 1980, and had a long career in steel forging and the automotive industry. He was interviewed by James Walkinshaw on January 20, 1989, at an unidentified location. A transcript for this recording has not been completed.
Data Provider:
Capital Area District Library (Lansing, MI). Forest Parke Library and Archives
The first of two oral history interviews with Donna Werback, which focuses on her involvement with Moral Re-armament (MRA) on Mackinac Island. She was interviewed by Geneva Kebler Wiskemann at her sister's home in East Lansing on July 17, 1990. A transcript for this recording is linked with the audio file below.
Data Provider:
Capital Area District Library (Lansing, MI). Forest Parke Library and Archives
Scott Pennington discusses the work of MATRIX, an independent research center funded partially by MSU for bringing academic material to people via the Internet. He shares his thoughts about the Oral History Project.
John P. Beck, Michigan State University Professor of Human Resource and Labor Relations, kicks off a panel discussion of the UAW Local 602 Fisher Body Oral History project, during a session at the North American Labor History Conference at Wayne State University in Detroit, MI. Beck introduces the panelists and talks about the scholarly value of the collection. Doug Rademacher, former Local 602 Preident, describes his involvement in the project and how interviewees were identified and recruited and Marilyn Coulter, a former Fisher Body production worker, explains how she came to the project and how interviews were conducted. John Shaw, from the Michigan State University Libraries, discusses how the material came to the G. Robert Vincent Voice Library, how it was processed and cataloged and the construction of the Lansing Auto Town Gallery website. Kevin Beard, also from the MSU Libraries, plays excerpts from some of the interviews and discusses the experiences of African-Americans and women, as portrayed by interviewees. Nancy Darga, Director of the Motorcities National Heritage Area, discusses that organization's involvement in the project and their interest in preserving Michigan’s rich manufacturing heritage.
An interview of Betty Lorenz conducted by Mary Jane Wilson in an unidentified location as part of the Lansing 150 Oral History Project. Mrs. Lorenz was a long-time hospital volunteer and member of the Sparrow Women's Board. No transcript has been produced. A summary appears on page 23 of the <a href="http://www.cadl.org/lhonline/Lansing 150 OH Booklet.pdf">Lansing 150 Sesquicentennial Oral Histories Booklet</a> booklet.
Data Provider:
Capital Area District Library (Lansing, MI). Forest Parke Library and Archives
An oral history interview of Diana Anderson Tarpoff. The interview with Mrs. Tarpoff was conducted by Mary Jane Wilson in the Forest Parke Library and Archives, Capital Area District Libraries. Mrs. Tarpoff is the great-granddaughter of R. E. Olds and shares her memories of growing up in Lansing with a prominent family. For this interview, no rights release form is on file and no transcript has been produced. To access the audio recording, please contact the library. A summary of the interview appears on pages 34-35 of the <a href="http://www.cadl.org/lhonline/Lansing 150 OH Booklet.pdf">Lansing 150 Sesquicentennial Oral Histories Booklet</a> booklet.
Data Provider:
Capital Area District Library (Lansing, MI). Forest Parke Library and Archives
An oral history from Elmer J. Manson, a Lansing architect. Mr. Manson was interviewed by James Walkinshaw on November 15, 1989. A transcript for this recording has not been completed.
Data Provider:
Capital Area District Library (Lansing, MI). Forest Parke Library and Archives
An oral history from Olds Anderson, grandson of Ransom Eli Olds. The interview consists of two parts, recorded on May 13, 1991, as part of the "Voices of Lansing" oral history project. Olds Anderson was interviewed by Helen Jones Earley of the Oldsmobile History Center. A transcript for this recording has not been completed.
Data Provider:
Capital Area District Library (Lansing, MI). Forest Parke Library and Archives
An interview of Jim Reutter, conducted by Bill Dansby in the Forest Parke Library and Archives, Capital Area District Libraries, in 2009. Mr. Reutter was the grandson of mayor Gottlieb Reutter and his family was involved with the Lansing Liederkranz German organization for many years. No transcript has been produced. No summary appears in the <a href="http://www.cadl.org/lhonline/Lansing 150 OH Booklet.pdf">Lansing 150 Sesquicentennial Oral Histories Booklet</a> booklet.
Data Provider:
Capital Area District Library (Lansing, MI). Forest Parke Library and Archives
An oral history from Thelma E. Sanford, the daughter of Arthur C. Haite, who ran a furniture business and funeral home in Lansing in the early 20th century. Along with her interview, Mrs. Sanford provided several photocopied newspaper clippings and photos. She was interviewed by her daughter Patricia Sanford Brown at her home at Burcham Hills, East Lansing, on August 22, 1990. A transcript for this recording is linked with the audio files below.
Data Provider:
Capital Area District Library (Lansing, MI). Forest Parke Library and Archives
An interview with Joanne Crego Hacker, the daughter of Lansing mayor Ralph Crego. She graduated from Sexton High School and Michigan State University. The interview, conducted by Marilyn Culpepper, is mostly concerning her father. No transcript has been produced. A summary appears on page 16 of the <a href="http://www.cadl.org/lhonline/Lansing 150 OH Booklet.pdf">Lansing 150 Sesquicentennial Oral Histories Booklet</a> booklet.
Data Provider:
Capital Area District Library (Lansing, MI). Forest Parke Library and Archives
An oral history from Mabel Bohnet, who with her husband Ernest had owned the W. F. Bohnet Electric Co. in Lansing for many years. The interview was recorded on November 12, 1988, as part of the "Voices of Lansing" oral history project. Mabel Bohnet was interviewed by Helen Jones Earley of the Oldsmobile History Center, and was 101 years old at the time of the interview. A transcript for this recording has not been completed.
Data Provider:
Capital Area District Library (Lansing, MI). Forest Parke Library and Archives