Reorganizing the GMU Oral History Program Collection

This post was written by Emily Curley, our Oral History Program Coordinator.

The George Mason University Oral History Program has conducted over 200 interviews since 1999. Because we’re always adding to the collection, it’s time to reorganize the physical collection and the finding aid.

Oral History Collection, #R0122, in our closed stacks.

What we’ve done so far:

We’ve reorganized the physical collection. This included moving CD’s of oral history interviews into new boxes and arranging the individual interviews by date, rather than alphabetically. The collection increased from nine to eleven boxes and range from the late 1970’s to 2017. These histories cover a wide variety of topics including the history of George Mason University and Northern Virginia.

Our Next Steps:

  • Comparing the finding aid to the physical collection
  • Revising long abstracts and creating missing abstracts
  • Creating a new finding aid
  • Creating workflow for periodic updates of the Oral History finding aid

We will compare the finding aid to the physical collection and fill in any missing interviews. The finding aid was last updated in 2013, so there are over 50 oral histories that need to be added. After we have confirmed that all of the interviews are updated, we will check the finding aid once again and revise some of the abstracts. Some abstracts have too much information while others have too little. Our aim is to be as consistent as possible.

A box with an oral history pulled out to show what information goes on the labels.

After confirming that the abstracts are correct, I will be working with the Archives and Manuscript Librarian, Liz Beckman, to create a new finding aid, which is expected to go on our website sometime this summer.

Finally, I will create a guide for the next oral historian (who will start in September) so that they can periodically add new interviews and keep the finding aid up to date.

Links

GMU Oral History Program

Youtube

Finding Aid

Other Oral History Holdings

OMEKA Site

To search the collections held at Special Collections Research Center, go to our website and browse the finding aids by subject or title. Appointments are not necessary to request and view collections. Additionally, requests can be made to listen to oral histories in our Reading Room. Copies can also be made for a fee, which are listed on our website. Some oral histories may need to be converted to disk before they are available to patrons. For questions about oral histories, contact Emily Curley. To schedule an appointment or to request copies of an oral history, contact our Research Services Coordinator, Rebecca Bramlett.

Before a Mason Team Made it to the Final Four, We Made it to the Final Two. And Won!

George Mason University Soccer team members (left to right) Sis Koskinen, Pam Baughman, and Meg Romaine lift the NCAA Division I National Championship trophy. Mason Magazine, George Mason University Archives, University Publications, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University Libraries.

George Mason University Women’s Soccer team members (left to right) Sis Koskinen, Pam Baughman, and Meg Romaine lift the NCAA Division I National Championship trophy. Image is from Mason Magazine. George Mason University Archives, University Publications, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University Libraries.

While many college sports fans are familiar with the George Mason University Men’s Basketball team’s run to the Final Four in 2006, not as many know about the Mason Women’s Soccer team’s National Championship title of 21 years earlier. The author of this post recalls reading about this achievement in the student newspaper, then called Broadside, while an 18-year-old freshman at Mason back in 1985. With the A-10 Conference Championship Tournament beginning this Thursday, November 3, it is as good a time as any to take a look back at what happened 31 years ago this month.

In November of 1985, the George Mason University Women’s Soccer team captured the highest prize in collegiate athletics, the Division I National Championship. After a 15-2-1 season, the Patriots earned a spot in the NCAA tournament.  The tournament began with a first-round thriller against William and Mary, where Mason scored two goals in the final 13 minutes to tie and send the match into overtime. Mason would eventually win in a penalty kick shootout after two overtime periods. Next, after a 1-0 win over Cortland State, Mason faced off against nationally number-one-ranked University of Massachusetts, who had gone into the tournament undefeated. Mason beat UMass 3-0, scoring more goals than had been scored against them during the entire season.  All that remained for Mason was to defeat then 4-time National Champion, North Carolina. Carolina had beaten Mason 4-0 in an NCAA semifinal match in 1983.

1985 George Mason University Women's Soccer team. From 1986 yearbook By George, George Mason University Archives, University Publications, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University Libraries.

1985 George Mason University Women’s Soccer team. From the 1986 yearbook, By George. George Mason University Archives, University Publications, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University Libraries.

Mason had drawn home field for the Final on November 24th.  Before a partisan crowd of 4,500 and an ESPN television audience of millions, Mason scored first at 3o minutes on an 18-yarder from All-American Pam Bauman. The Patriots held the Tarheels scoreless for the rest of the game, while All-American Lisa Gmitter scored for Mason in the 86th minute to seal the 2-0 victory. The win, against a team that had a record of 99 wins and 4 losses during the previous 4 years, was indeed the first shot heard round the world for Mason athletics.

Let’s do it again, Patriots.

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage

Hispanic Heritage month begins September 15th and continues until October 15th. In 1988 President Reagan formally established this 30-day period, which includes the anniversary of independence for many Latin American countries such as Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Mexico and Chile, to celebrate and draw attention to Hispanic heritage and culture in America.

Chavez, Linda, Out of the Barrio: Toward a New Politics of Hispanic Assimilation , Booknotes 1992-03-22, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University.

Chavez, Linda, Out of the Barrio: Toward a New Politics of Hispanic Assimilation , Booknotes 1992-03-22, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University.

 

 

 

 

Linda Chavez in, Out of the Barrio, discussed immigration and the progress made by Hispanics in America while analyzing government policies, the importance of assimilation, and attitudes towards immigrants in our country.

 

 

Nichols, Madaline W., Sarmiento: A Chronicle of Inter-American Friendship , F2846_S26_N5_1940, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University.

Nichols, Madaline W., Sarmiento: A Chronicle of Inter-American Friendship , F2846_S26_N5_1940, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University.

 

 

 

 

 

Sarmiento is about the activist and President of Argentina (1868-1874), Domingo Faustino Sarmiento. This book is significant for telling the story of a man and his travels for which there is little known, written, or translated for an English-speaking audience.

 

 

 

Planned Community Archives, Collection # C001, Box 101, Folder 04, Page , Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University Libraries.

A look at Hispanic communities as part of George Mason University’s local history. Planned Community Archives, Collection # C001, Box 101, Folder 04, Page 22, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University Libraries. (Click link for Page 23)

 

George Mason University celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month in September 1995. Office of University Relations, Collection # R0004, Box 56, Folder 29, Page 3/3, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University Libraries.

George Mason University celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month in September 1995. Office of University Relations, Collection # R0004, Box 56, Folder 29, Page 3/3, Special Collections Research Center, George Mason University Libraries.

 

Helpful Information:

GMU Calendar for Hispanic Heritage Month 2016

Hispanic Latino Leadership Association (HLLA)

Hispanic Heritage

PBS Films and TV

GMU Office of University Relations

Planned Community Archives

 

To search the collections held at Special Collections Research Center, go to our website and browse the finding aids by subject or title. You may also e-mail us at speccoll@gmu.edu or call 703-993-2220 if you would like to schedule an appointment, request materials, or if you have questions. Appointments are not necessary to view collections.

 

Who will be this year’s George Mason?

Well, the answer to that often-asked question may very well be… George Mason.
At 26-6,  Mason has compiled its best pre-NCAA Tournament season record to date, and for several weeks the Patriots have been included in various lists of the top-30 teams in the nation.  Though it fell in the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament semi-final, it earned an at-large bid to this year’s tournament this past  Sunday and is seeded eighth in the  East  Region.   Mason will play Villanova  on Friday,  March 18th in the first round.

Andre Smith (left) and Lamar Butler (right() embrace after the Patriots' victory over UConn.

Andre Smith (left) and Lamar Butler (right) embrace after the Patriots' victory over the #1-seeded University of Connecticut in the 2006 East Regional Championship game. Image from the George Mason University Archives Collection, University Publications.

It’s hard to believe  it was five years ago that Mason received a generous at-large bid and turned it into an historic  Final Four run, knocking off Michigan State, North Carolina, Wichita State, and Connecticut, only losing to the eventual national champ,  Florida.  It is a safe bet that many of us in the Mason Community remember exactly where we were and what we were doing when Mason defeated heavily-favored UConn on March 26, 2006 to become a member of the NCAA’s Final Four.  On that Sunday afternoon, and for four weeks in March, the atmosphere here at George Mason University was undeniably electric.

Though we collect archival materials relating to all university happenings year-round,  Special Collections & Archives began collecting items relating to the 2005-2006 basketball season and the historic Final Four run with added enthusiasm during March 2006.   History was indeed happening right here at Mason.  To that end, we assembled a collection of any and all materials relating to that memorable month and year.  “Giveaway” items related to the team such as whistles and other items were saved.  Fliers and posters advertising events on campus relating to the tournament were carefully collected from campus walls and doors.  People stepped forward to donate items they had collected themselves.  Oral history interviews of persons involved in the Final Four run – from players to university administrators – were recorded by our Oral History Program staff.

Interview with Jim Larranaga, 2006. Please click on this image to view a short segment from the interview.

The George Mason University Men’s Basketball Collection, 2006 contains over one hundred distinct items relating to Mason’s 2005-2006 season and postseason.  It is comprised of artifacts, such as figurines, t-shirts, objects; printed materials such as posters, banners, fliers, programs, tickets, news articles, and oral history recordings (DVD and Mp3). Though the majority of the items were either produced by the University or members of the University community, some, such as game tickets or game programs, were produced by outside sources.  A digital archive displaying many of the items in the physical collection can be accessed at http://digilib.gmu.edu:8080/dspace/handle/1920/1021.

"Coach in the Box" featuring Coach Jim Larranaga. From the George Mason University Men's Basketball Collection, 2006
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