About this Collection
The Oral History Project is a multi-phase project to chronicle and preserve firsthand accounts, as well as stories passed down from generation to generation, about farming and farm life in Southeast Kansas during the late 1800s and early 1900s. The Great Depression changed history and molded a generation. The farm people who were interviewed for this project survived the "Dirty Thirties" by hanging on to their land and raising much of their own food. Their memories reflect the tenaciousness of farmers everywhere in America's heartland. Yet, despite lack of money, harsh weather, and lots of hard work, they still remember some good times from an era when family and community were essential.
Initial Project Phase
The first phase of the project, “The Impact of the New Deal on Southeast Kansas Farm Life” documents the impact on farm life of various programs enacted during the New Deal of the Great Depression of the 1930s. The project phase began in August 2008 and culminated in October 2009. Principal funding for this program is provided by the Kansas Humanities Council, a nonprofit cultural organization promoting understanding of the history, traditions, and ideas that shape our lives and build community.
The Interviews
The Great Depression changed history and molded a generation. The farm people who were interviewed for this project survived the “Dirty Thirties” by hanging on to their land and raising much of their own food. Their memories reflect the tenaciousness of farmers everywhere in America’s heartland. Yet, despite lack of money, harsh weather, and lots of hard work, they still remember some good times from an era when family and community were essential.
Project Sponsors
The Southeast Kansas Farm History Center is the main project sponsor. Created in 2002, the group is an Advisory Board to the Parsons City Commission. Its mission is to document, preserve, and demonstrate our rural Southeast Kansas farm history and practices. Parsons Public Library is a partner in the project. The Library will archive and catalog the interviews and transcripts and will make them available to the public and to researchers.
Project Staff
- Project Director: Pam Cress
- Interviewers: Pam Cress, Jean Strader, Joan Tongier
- Transcriptionists: Pat White, Joan Tongier
- Archivist and Website: Jean Strader
- Historical Consultant: Michelle Martin
- Publicity: Kari West