LIBRARY RESOURCES

Oral History Collections

You may already know that the East Baton Rouge Parish Library has many books pertaining to the Civil Rights Movement, and that we collect and preserve local newspaper articles about local Civil Rights issues for our Vertical File. But did you know that the library also has unique, tape-recorded interviews with individuals who were involved in Baton Rouge's own civil rights struggles?

Many of these oral history recordings were produced by the Junior League of Baton Rouge and the YWCA of Greater Baton Rouge.  Each recording reflects an individual's role in the social change that took place in our community during this crucial period.

Tapes are housed in the Baton Rouge Room at the River Center Branch Library and also at the Carver Branch Library in the Old South Baton Rouge Oral History Collection. Because these items are rare, they do not circulate.  However, we invite you to drop by and listen to them at your leisure!

Baton Rouge Room Oral History Tapes

• Clarence Marie Collier
• Pat Terrell Evans
• Pearl George
• Annie B. Knox
• Eva Legard
• Corinne Maybuce
• Julia Purnell
• Camille Shade
• Annie Smart
• B.B. Taylor
• Clara Mae Wells
• Earline Williams

McKinley High School Oral History Project

The McKinley High School Oral History Project Series(also known as the Old South Baton Rouge Oral History Project) was established in 1995 and continued through 2005. Each summer, with the assistance of faculty and students from the College of Education at LSU, area high school students conducted interviews dealing with specific aspects of the African-American experience in Baton Rouge. The collection includes five categories:

• History of McKinley High School (Circa.1926)
• African-American Businesses During the Period of Segregation
• African-American Churches
• Baton Rouge Bus Boycott of 1953
• Cultural History of Old South Baton Rouge Social Organizations

Do you have anything to contribute to our oral history collections?

Tell us About it!