Baylor University Institute for Oral History

Every voice carries a story, and every story can help shape the future.

The Baylor Center for Disability and Flourishing are launching Raising Texas Voices; a statewide research study centered on the experiences of Texans with disabilities and their families. This study gives participants a chance to share what matters most to them and help guide future programs and supports across Texas.

Texans age 18+ who are people with disabilities, parents/caregivers, or siblings are invited to participate.
Learn more and sign up: www.raisingtexasvoices.org

We were honored to gather earlier this week to celebrate the induction of the Wings Across America Project into our online collection. This remarkable collection preserves the voices and experiences of the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASP), the pioneering women who answered the call during World War II to serve their country in the skies.

Through this project, participants got to share firsthand accounts of their training, service, and the barriers they broke during a time of great need. Their stories not only deepen our understanding of history but also ensure that their contributions are recognized and remembered for generations to come.

It is a privilege to help steward these powerful interviews and make them accessible to researchers, students, and the public.

We invite you to explore the collection and hear their stories for yourself!

Click the link below to access the collection:
https://digitalcollections-baylor.quartexcollections.com/oral-history-collections/wings-across-america-women-air-service-pilots-wasps-of-wwii

We spy our awesome student employee, Reagan!!! Congratulations Baylor Spirit Squads 🎈🎊🎉

Today is National Zoo Lover's Day!

Who knew there was a day dedicated to people who are so passionate about zoos? We are so glad there is because we get to share an interview with Charles D. Turner as a part of the Cameron Park Oral History Project.

In a portion of his interview, he discusses the move of our local zoo from the airport to Cameron Park. He shares some hesitancies the city had about moving the zoo into the park, but how it turned out to be a great place for the animals to live. Be sure to check out Cameron Park Zoo if you haven't already. Maybe you, too, will become a Zoo Lover!

To listen to this interview, click the link below!

Oral Memoirs of Charles D. Turner, audio Oral Memoirs of Charles D. Turner, audio, Interviewed by Mark Firmin on March 19, 2009, in Hewitt, Texas., Waco and McLennan County, Cameron Park, oh-interviews_turner-cd, Turner, Charles D., Firmin, Mark, Baylor University - Institute for Oral History,

Congratulations David!! We are so proud of you 🎉 🎊 !!!

It is always amazing to see our student workers accomplish their goals! The best is yet to come 🙌🏼.

Congratulations to David Wilke on defending his Master’s Thesis! 🥳

Today we celebrate Texas Independence Day!

Check out this newspaper article that shares how Waco planned to celebrate the 150th anniversary back in 1986. Do you spot us in there?

Welcome to the team Corrinna!

Corrinna Corrallo joins the Institute for Oral History at Baylor University as an Oral History Fellow, focusing on conducting interviews for the Baylor History Collection.

Corrinna partially attributes her interest in oral history to her upbringing in Western New York, where layers of history are visible across the region’s landscape, particularly at sites such as Niagara Falls, the Erie Canal, and post‑industrial Buffalo. The pervasive presence of these historical traces inspired her sustained interest in the individuals and events that shape history and in the ways their narratives intersect.

Registration opens up tomorrow!

This is a great opportunity to collect resources and get feedback on your oral history project ideas. You don't want to miss this opportunity!

For more registration information, click the link below:
https://library.web.baylor.edu/visit/institute-oral-history/workshops/getting-started-oral-history-workshop