Local/Regional History and Appalachian South]]> Latinx History]]> COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020-]]> College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, Virginia Tech]]> 2021-06-15]]> Permission to publish material from the Voces of a Pandemic Oral History Project must adhere to the CC BY-NC 4.0 license and credit Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech.]]>
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.]]> Ms2021-023]]> English]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections and University Archives, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]> Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University]]> University History]]> LGBTQ+ History]]> Special Collections, Virginia Tech]]> Permission to publish material from the Denim Day 40th Anniversary Oral History Collection must adhere to the CC BY-NC 4.0 license and credit Special Collections, Virginia Tech.]]>
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.]]> English]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections and University Archives, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]> Christiansburg Industrial Institute.]]> Railroad]]> Coal mines and mining]]> Christiansburg, Va.]]> Permission to publish material from the Black Appalachians Oral History Project must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.]]> Click here for synced audio and transcript]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]> Christiansburg Industrial Institute.]]> Blacksburg (Va.)]]> World War II]]> Montgomery County (Va.)]]> Permission to publish material from the Black Appalachians Oral History Project must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.]]> Click here for synced audio and transcript]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]> Coal mines and mining]]> Christiansburg Industrial Institute.]]> Radford Army Ammunition Plant (U.S.)]]> Christiansburg, Va.]]>
Cora Elizabeth Oveter McDaniel Pack was born and raised in Christiansburg, Virginia, and she married Waymon Pack in 1943. Cora Pack joins her husband in describing desegregation and educational opportunities for Black Appalachians. In this interview, Cora Pack discusses racial issues that her son faced in the Montgomery County school system after the Brown v. Board of Education decision.]]> Permission to publish material from the Black Appalachians Oral History Project must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.]]> Click here for synced audio and transcript]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]> Christiansburg Industrial Institute.]]> Farm tenancy--Virginia.]]> Railroad]]> Post office buildings]]> Civilian Conservation Corps (U.S.)]]>
Mason Franklin Scott was born in 1928 and grew up in Elliston, Virginia. Scott attended Christiansburg Industrial Institute before completing his education in the Youth’s Army Program. He worked on the railroad before serving in the Army during the Korean War. As a veteran, Scott worked as a Postal Service employee in Blacksburg and Elliston, Virginia. In this interview, Mason Scott is accompanied by his mother, Valerie Scott, and he discusses his experience with the railroad, his service in the Army, race relations in Montgomery County, and work opportunities for Black Appalachians.

James E. Dow was born in Pennsylvania in 1928. He grew up in Elliston, Virginia, and he was raised by his grandparents. Dow graduated from Christiansburg Industrial Institute before serving in the Army during the Korean War. Upon his return from service, he worked for the railroad, briefly, before working in the Civil Service department at the Veteran’s Hospital. In this interview, Dow shares his experience of attending Christiansburg Institute, describes working for the railroad and the Army, and discusses race relations in the Montgomery County area.]]> Permission to publish material from the Black Appalachians Oral History Project must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.]]> Click here for synced audio and transcript]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]> Sexual minorities]]> University History]]> Local/Regional History and Appalachian South]]>
In her oral history, Elmore discusses her struggle with depression, the transition process, playing on a Roller Derby team, coming out at work and gaining acceptance in a blue collar Appalachian community. ]]> 2014-10-24]]> Permission to publish material from the Virginia Tech LGBTQ Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.]]> Click here for synced audio and transcript]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]> Sexual minorities]]> University History]]>
In this oral history, Brobson discusses his life as an undergraduate student and work as a fundraiser at Virginia Tech. He recounts stories of discrimination and threats he felt while an out gay student, discrimination and challenges he's faced at the university, and his activism while an employee, including helping to found the LGBT Caucus and to support Lambda Horizons.]]> 2014-11-06]]> Permission to publish material from the Virginia Tech LGBTQ Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.]]> Click here for synced audio and transcript]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]> University History]]> Sexual minorities]]>
This oral history was conducted in the summer of 2015 as part of an oral history project titled: “Bridging the gap between LGBTQ alumni and current students,” by Megan Lee Myklegard, winner of the 2015 Atlantic Coast Conference Creativity and Innovation grant for undergraduate research and creative scholarship. ]]> 2015-06-23]]> Permission to publish material from the Virginia Tech LGBTQ Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.]]> Click here for synced audio and transcript]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]> Christiansburg Industrial Institute.]]> Christiansburg, Va.]]> Coal mines and mining]]> Railroad]]> World War II]]>
Elizabeth (Betty) R. Lester was born in New Jersey before marrying Thompson Lester and moving to Christiansburg, Virginia. In this interview, Elizabeth Lester joins her husband in talking about the Christiansburg community. She specifically describes health care access to Black community members, unequal access to public goods and services, church life in the community, and social life in the community, such as the Household of Ruth organization.]]> Permission to publish material from the Black Appalachians Oral History Project must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.]]> Click here for synced audio and transcript]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]> Local/Regional History and Appalachian South]]> Latinx History]]> COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020-]]> College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, Virginia Tech]]> 2021-08-04]]> Permission to publish material from the Voces of a Pandemic Oral History Project must adhere to the CC BY-NC 4.0 license and credit Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech.]]>
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.]]> Ms2021-023]]> Spanish]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections and University Archives, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]> Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University]]> University History]]> LGBTQ+ History]]> Special Collections, Virginia Tech]]> 1979-01-17]]> Permission to publish material from the Denim Day 40th Anniversary Oral History Collection must adhere to the CC BY-NC 4.0 license and credit Special Collections, Virginia Tech.]]>
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.]]> English]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections and University Archives, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]> Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University]]> University History]]> LGBTQ+ History]]> Special Collections, Virginia Tech]]> 1979-01-17]]> Permission to publish material from the Denim Day 40th Anniversary Oral History Collection must adhere to the CC BY-NC 4.0 license and credit Special Collections, Virginia Tech.]]>
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.]]> English]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]> Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University]]> University History]]> LGBTQ+ History]]> Special Collections, Virginia Tech]]> 1979-01-17]]> Permission to publish material from the Denim Day 40th Anniversary Oral History Collection must adhere to the CC BY-NC 4.0 license and credit Special Collections, Virginia Tech.]]>
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.]]> English]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]> Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University]]> University History]]> LGBTQ+ History]]> Collegiate Times in 1979 when the first Gay Awareness Week, and Denim Day, occurred. In this interview, she discusses the volume of letters to the editor received by the Collegiate Times in response to Denim Day and the paper's reaction to them. She also speaks about her connection to the LGBTQ+ community both in 1979 and in the decades since.]]> Collegiate Times in response to Denim Day and the paper's reaction to them.]]> Special Collections, Virginia Tech]]> 1979-01-17]]> Permission to publish material from the Denim Day 40th Anniversary Oral History Collection must adhere to the CC BY-NC 4.0 license and credit Special Collections, Virginia Tech.]]>
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.]]> English]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]> Sexual minorities]]> University History]]>
In her oral history, Fowler discusses her upbringing in Southern California, her academic career as an out lesbian, the Virginia Tech Board of Visitors' refusal to approve her spousal hire and coming together with members of the Virginia Tech community to fight for equality and policy change. ]]> 2014-11-13]]> Permission to publish material from the Virginia Tech LGBTQ Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.]]> Click here for synced audio and transcript]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]> Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University]]> University History]]> LGBTQ+ History]]> Special Collections, Virginia Tech]]> 1979-01-17]]> Permission to publish material from the Denim Day 40th Anniversary Oral History Collection must adhere to the CC BY-NC 4.0 license and credit Special Collections, Virginia Tech.]]>
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.]]> English]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]> Local/Regional History and Appalachian South]]> Latinx History]]> COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020-]]> College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, Virginia Tech]]> 2021-06-16]]> Permission to publish material from the Voces of a Pandemic Oral History Project must adhere to the CC BY-NC 4.0 license and credit Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech.]]>
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.]]> Ms2021-023]]> Click here for synced audio and transcript ]]> Spanish]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections and University Archives, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]> Agriculture]]> Coal mines and mining]]> Christiansburg Industrial Institute.]]> Permission to publish material from the Black Appalachians Oral History Project must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.]]> Click here for synced audio and transcript]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]> African American history]]> Christiansburg Industrial Institute.]]> Christiansburg, Va.]]> Coal mines and mining]]> Ku Klux Klan (1915- )]]> Permission to publish material from the Black Appalachians Oral History Project must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.]]> Click here for synced audio and transcript]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]> Politicians -- United States]]>
After getting elected to the Virginia State Senate in 1975, Boucher immediately immersed himself in state policy, including areas of environmental conservation, domestic abuse, drug reform, and telecommunications. His first major legislative achievement was being primary author on Virginia’s first oil and gas act, which addressed vagueness regarding jurisdiction and regularized the development of natural gas coincident with coal.

Another legislative piece was a tax on marriage, that—while prima facie unusual—provided a consistent stream of funding for spousal abuse shelters. Further, he helped to reform sexual assault laws by revising laws disallowing for general reputation testimony to be used in court. Later, Boucher was approached by Lewis Hurst in order to address Virginia’s drug laws, which had previously treated all drug offenses with the same severity. In a years-long effort, the state fundamentally reformed the drug laws, becoming the first state to legalize medical marijuana use.

His work in these issues continued into his terms in the U.S. House of Representatives. Three days after being elected, Ernie Dickerman, President of the Virginia Wilderness Committee, approached Boucher to introduce his first bill as a Representative: Virginia’s first wilderness legislation. Under this bill, acreage of Virginia’s wilderness was protected, enhancing tourism and protecting natural resources.

The start of his involvement with telecommunications was in addressing the needs of his district, where many rural residents were unable to receive network television signals. He led negotiations that allowed for rural residents to receive distant television signals in the 1980s. Later in the 1996 Communications Act, he helped introduce competition in telecommunications between cable and telephone companies.

To end, Boucher discusses the Clean Air Amendments of 1991, where he was involved with establishing a cap-and-trade system to limit sulfur emissions in the state of Virginia. Although the program was not up taken to limit greenhouse gas emissions nationwide in the Clean Air Act, he is proud of the system in Virginia and believes that it is necessary to reduce emissions.

Following his passion for public service from the first interview, here Boucher emphasizes the need to be active in the lawmaking process. Despite how active he was in introducing bills and chairing committees, his name was not often on the final bills at the time of promulgation. While some may take issue with their name being erased, Boucher pragmatically looks at the purpose of his job. He is satisfied when the job is done, as he is enabling Congress to properly function as a lawmaking body. ]]> 2023-10-25]]> Permission to publish materials from the Rick Boucher Papers must be obtained from Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech.]]> Click here for synced audio and transcript]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections and University Archives, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]> Politicians -- United States]]>
Rick's long career in law and public service was heavily influenced by his upbringing and parents. His mother, Dorothy Buck Boucher, was a pioneer of women practicing law as she was in the first female class graduating from University of Virginia, School of Law in 1945, and became the first female lawyer working west of Roanoke. She later worked in Abingdon as a real estate lawyer and was the Democratic Chairman of the Political Party in Washington County. Rick's father, Ralph Emerson Boucher, was similarly a lawyer, primarily working criminal defense and was elected the Commonwealth's Attorney in Washington County for the Republican Party for several terms. This political opposition stressed the importance of bipartisanship and later inspired him to follow the family tradition in law and civil service.

He attended Roanoke College, where he studied political science and economics, with the ultimate goal of attending the University of Virginia, School of Law. Later, he graduated from Roanoke College in 1968, and then from the University of Virginia in 1971. After graduating, he moved to New York City to work in a Wall Street law firm, Milbank Tweed. Two weeks into working there, Rick met Alexander Forger, the New York director for the McGovern presidential campaign. This chance encounter led to him working as a political advance on the McGovern campaign, allowing him to travel the country and learn grassroots organizing. Later, this experience served to prepare him for his own Congressional campaigns.

He returned to Abingdon in 1973 in pursuit of the State Senate election in 1974. This election was the first step in his political career, where Rick served for seven years before being elected as Representative of Virginia's 9th District. He took the oath of office in 1983 under Tip O'Neill, where he served until 2011.

As a Congressman, Rick prioritized federal involvement in economic development -- particularly under the Reagan Administration. He was the lead author of the Democratic resolution of censure of the president, the Democratic position on the Bill Clinton impeachment. Later, he chaired multiple subcommittees including the Subcommittee on Energy and the Environment, the Subcommittee on Energy and Air Quality, the Subcommittee on Communications and the Internet, and the Subcommittee on Science of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology.

After serving in Congress, Rick worked in a D.C. law firm until 2020 when he retired. In retirement, Rick enjoys the scenery of Abingdon where he lives with his wife.

In this addition to the Rick Boucher Papers, Rick talks about his life before getting elected to Congress, including his motivations and strategies in campaigning. He covers his time while serving in Congress, with special notice to influential bills that allowed for the development of Google and Amazon. In the donation to Virginia Tech, he hopes that these materials will instill the importance of civil service that he felt as a young man. ]]> 2023-06-28]]> Permission to publish material from the Rick Boucher Papers Collection must be obtained from Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech. ]]> Click here for synced audio and transcript]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections and University Archives, University Libraries, Virginia Tech. ]]> African American history]]> Farm tenancy--Virginia.]]> Iron foundries--Virginia]]> Montgomery County (Va.)]]> Christiansburg Industrial Institute.]]>
His wife, Ethel Dobbins of Bedford, Virginia, briefly discusses grocery stores in the Montgomery County area and relations between Black and White residents.]]> Permission to publish material from the Black Appalachians Oral History Project must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.]]> Click here for synced audio and transcript]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]> Blacksburg (Va.)]]> 1996-02-01]]> Permission to publish material from the Virginia Tech Black History Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.]]> Click here for synced audio and transcript ]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]> Local/Regional History and Appalachian South]]> Latinx History]]> COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020-]]> College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, Virginia Tech]]> 2020-03-04]]> Permission to publish material from the Voces of a Pandemic Oral History Project must adhere to the CC BY-NC 4.0 license and credit Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech.]]>
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.]]> Ms2021-023]]> Click here for synced audio and transcript ]]> English]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections and University Archives, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]> Christiansburg Industrial Institute.]]> Christiansburg, Va.]]> Education, Secondary]]> African American history]]> Montgomery County (Va.)]]> Permission to publish material from the Christiansburg Industrial Institute Oral History Project must be obtained from Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech]]> Click here for synced audio and transcript]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections and University Archives, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]> Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University]]> University History]]> LGBTQ+ History]]> Special Collections, Virginia Tech]]> 1979-01-17]]> Permission to publish material from the Denim Day 40th Anniversary Oral History Collection must adhere to the CC BY-NC 4.0 license and credit Special Collections, Virginia Tech.]]>
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.]]> English]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]> University History]]> Sexual minorities]]>
This oral history was conducted in the summer of 2015 as part of an oral history project titled: “Bridging the gap between LGBTQ alumni and current students,” by Megan Lee Myklegard, winner of the 2015 Atlantic Coast Conference Creativity and Innovation grant for undergraduate research and creative scholarship. ]]> 2015-06-09]]> Permission to publish material from the Virginia Tech LGBTQ Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.]]> Click here for synced audio and transcript]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]> Sexual minorities]]> University History]]>
In this interview, Sutphin discusses his involvement on campus and on the Town Council, his activism in the LGBTQ community, and the current climate towards the LGBTQ community and the community's future.]]> 2014-11-05]]> Permission to publish material from the Virginia Tech LGBTQ Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.]]> Click here for synced audio and transcript]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]> LGBTQ+ History]]> University History]]> Sexual minorities]]> 2016-03-16]]> Permission to publish material from the Virginia Tech LGBTQ Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.]]> Click here for synced audio and transcript]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]> Christiansburg Industrial Institute.]]> Christiansburg, Va.]]> Education, Secondary]]> World War II]]> African American history]]> Blacksburg (Va.)]]> Permission to publish material from the Christiansburg Industrial Institute Oral History Project must be obtained from Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech]]> Click here for synced audio and transcript]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections and University Archives, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]> Sexual minorities]]> University History]]>
In this oral history interview, Dunkenberger discusses her first marriage and children before coming out to her family in her 30s. She also discusses being out in Virgina, her involvement in LGBTQ community, and issues related to LGBTQ and other minorities at Virginia Tech and in Virginia. In particular, she discusses issues surrounding being gay and religious, legal issues concerning gay marriage, and the LGBTQ climate survey at Virginia Tech.]]> 2014-11-06]]> Permission to publish material from the Virginia Tech LGBTQ Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.]]> Click here for synced audio and transcript]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]> University History]]> See the Finding Aid for the Black Women at VT Oral History Project]]> 1999-03-27]]> Permission to publish material from the Black Women at VT Oral History Project must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech]]> Click here for synced audio and transcript]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]> Sexual minorities]]> University History]]> The interview tells about the beginning of Lambda Horizon on the Virginia Tech campus in the 1980s, the organization’s struggle to be treated equitably, and the work that the organization did. Weber discusses forming the AIDS Education Committee and organizing an AIDS Education Forum at Virginia Tech on March 3, 1986. Virginia Tech along with University of California Berkeley were recognized by the American College Health Association (ACHA) for their students’ AIDS education efforts, and the students were invited to present their work at the ACHA annual meeting in New Orleans. The interview also addresses issues around coming out to one’s family.
]]> 2015-03-26]]> Permission to publish material from the Virginia Tech LGBTQ Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.]]> See also the Mark A. Weber Collection on Lambda Horizon, Ms2014-010]]> Click here for synced audio and transcript]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]> Local/Regional History and Appalachian South]]> Latinx History]]> COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020-]]> College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, Virginia Tech]]> 2021-03-08]]> Permission to publish material from the Voces of a Pandemic Oral History Project must adhere to the CC BY-NC 4.0 license and credit Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech.]]>
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.]]> Ms2021-023]]> Click here for synced audio and transcript ]]> Spanish]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections and University Archives, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]> Local/Regional History and Appalachian South]]> Latinx History]]> COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020-]]> College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, Virginia Tech]]> 2021-04-14]]> Permission to publish material from the Voces of a Pandemic Oral History Project must adhere to the CC BY-NC 4.0 license and credit Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech.]]>
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.]]> Ms2021-023]]> Click here for synced audio and transcript ]]> Spanish]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections and University Archives, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]> University History]]> See the Finding Aid for the Black Women at VT Oral History Project]]> 1996-03-02]]> Permission to publish material from the Black Women at VT Oral History Project must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech]]> Click here for synced audio and transcript]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]> Forests and forestry]]>
Cutler's career in wilderness started prior to the completion of his PhD. In 1957, he started his post of the executive secretary of Wildlife Conservation Incorporated in Boston. Throughout the years, he served as the associate editor of Virginia Wildlife, editor for the National Wildlife Federation, and the assistant executive director of the Wilderness Society. Upon finishing his PhD, he became an assistant professor, and going on to serve as the Assistant Secretary of Agriculture for Conservation, Research, and Education under the Carter Administration.

He arrived in Southwest Virginia in January of 1991, when he moved to Roanoke, Virginia to serve as the executive director of Virginia's Explore Park. From 1997 until 2010, he continued to work in Virginia's natural resources, including (but not limited to) land conservation, Natural Parks, and waste water treatment. In this oral history interview, Cutler covers his long career, how he arrived in Roanoke, VA, and his work serving Southwest Virginia for 30 years. Throughout the interview, his service and passion is evident as he has dedicated his life to environmentalism, and better the community through it. ]]> 2023-11-28]]> Permission to publish material from the M. Rupert Cutler Papers must be obtained from Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech.]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections and University Archives, University Libraries, Virginia Tech.]]> Sexual minorities]]> University History]]>
Brice was born and raised in Spartanburg, South Carolina. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Harvard, a master’s from Dartmouth, and a Ph.D. from Duke University.

In this second oral history, Professor Brice discusses his approach to and ideas about teaching. He also explains some aspects of his chemical magic show.]]> 2015-03-26]]> Permission to publish material from the Virginia Tech LGBTQ Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.]]> Click here for synced audio and transcript]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]> Sexual minorities]]> University History]]>
Brice was born and raised in Spartanburg, South Carolina. He earned a bachelor’s degree from Harvard, a master’s from Dartmouth, and a Ph.D. from Duke University.

In this first oral history, Brice discusses how one had to be underground about being gay during his student years and through much of his time as a professor at Virginia Tech. Until the 1970s being homosexual was not discussed. He comments on the difficulties faced by gay faculty and students.
]]> 2014-10-24]]> Permission to publish material from the Virginia Tech LGBTQ Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.]]> Click here for synced audio and transcript]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]> Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University]]> University History]]> LGBTQ+ History]]> Special Collections, Virginia Tech]]> 1979-01-17]]> Permission to publish material from the Denim Day 40th Anniversary Oral History Collection must adhere to the CC BY-NC 4.0 license and credit Special Collections, Virginia Tech.]]>
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.]]> English]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]> Christiansburg, Va.]]> Christiansburg Industrial Institute.]]> Montgomery County (Va.)]]> Permission to publish material from the Black Appalachians Oral History Project must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.]]> Click here for synced audio and transcript]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]> Christiansburg Industrial Institute.]]> Montgomery County (Va.)]]> Railroad]]> graduated from Roanoke College before becoming a pastor. In this interview, Wright describes the Elliston community, education opportunities, and race relations in Montgomery County. Wright discusses the reaction to desegregation and his participation in Civil Rights demonstrations. Additionally, Wright provides insight into some of the Black civic leaders in the Montgomery County area.]]> Permission to publish material from the Black Appalachians Oral History Project must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.]]> Click here for synced audio and transcript]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]> University History]]> Sexual minorities]]>
This oral history was conducted in the summer of 2015 as part of an oral history project titled: “Bridging the gap between LGBTQ alumni and current students,” by Megan Lee Myklegard, winner of the 2015 Atlantic Coast Conference Creativity and Innovation grant for undergraduate research and creative scholarship.]]> 2015-07-07]]> Permission to publish material from the Virginia Tech LGBTQ Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.]]> Click here for synced audio and transcript]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]> Sexual minorities]]> University History]]>
In her oral history, Katherine Allen discusses her activism, her relationships and personal identity, her experiences as part of a ‘lesbian poster family’ and as an ‘out’ faculty member at Virginia Tech. ]]> 2014-10-23]]> Permission to publish material from the Virginia Tech LGBTQ Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.]]> Click here for synced audio and transcript]]> Oral histories]]> information: Virginia Tech LGBTQ Oral History Collection, Ms2015-007,
Special Collections, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Va.]]> Special Collections, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]> Sexual minorities]]> University History]]>
The interview was conducted on October 28, 2014 at John Gray Williams’s home in Blacksburg, VA. The interviewer was Whitney Wright and she was assisted by Damon Kinmond. There was limited time for the interview and there are moments within the interview where discussion of the time and Williams’s evening plans can be heard. The interview lasts almost two hours. It begins with a description of Williams’s family and their social dynamics and proceeds into his early experience and understanding of his sexuality and his motivations for choosing to be closeted. The interview then moves into his time at Tidewater Community College where he was first able to research homosexuality and the history of the LGBTQ civil rights movement. He then discusses his decision to transfer to Virginia Tech to pursue a career in Landscape Architecture and his decision to come out to his family. A significant portion of the interview is concerned with his involvement with the LGBTA at Virginia Tech and the variety of protests and events he participated in while completing his undergraduate degree. Then, he discusses his decision to attend the University of Delaware to pursue student affairs while remaining close enough to Blacksburg to maintain a relationship with a student at Virginia Tech. He then describes his return to Virginia Tech as a faculty member and the work he has done to support the LGBTQ community and other marginalized populations since returning. Finally, he discusses broader issues affecting the LGBTQ community beyond the fight for marriage equality.]]> 2014-10-28]]> Permission to publish material from the Virginia Tech LGBTQ Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.]]> Click here for synced audio and transcript]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]> Local/Regional History and Appalachian South]]> Latinx History]]> COVID-19 Pandemic, 2020-]]> College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, Virginia Tech]]> 2021-06-16]]> Permission to publish material from the Voces of a Pandemic Oral History Project must adhere to the CC BY-NC 4.0 license and credit Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech.]]>
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.]]> Ms2021-023]]> Click here for synced audio and transcript ]]> English]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections and University Archives, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]> Sexual minorities]]> University History]]>
The interview explores Jo Ann Underwood’s work as health educator at Virginia Tech and her involvement with the gay students’ group, Lambda Horizon. Underwood’s family background and her husband Richard’s civil rights work in the Together magazine are also discussed.]]> 2014-11-04]]> Permission to publish material from the Virginia Tech LGBTQ Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.]]> Click here for synced audio and transcript]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]> Christiansburg Industrial Institute.]]> Christiansburg, Va.]]> Education, Secondary]]> Radford College]]> Permission to publish material from the Christiansburg Industrial Institute Oral History Project must be obtained from Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech]]> Click here for synced audio and transcript]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections and University Archives, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]> University History]]> 2003-03-28]]> Permission to publish material from the Virginia Tech Black History Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections, Virginia Tech.]]> Click here for synced audio and transcript ]]> Oral histories]]> Special Collections, University Libraries, Virginia Tech]]>