Virginia Tech Black History Oral History Collection
Scope and Contents
This collection includes oral history transcripts and cassette tapes from various African Americans with experience at Virginia Tech and/or in the Blacksburg area between the 1950s and the early 2000s.These oral history interviews were conducted by the former university archivist between 1996 and 2003.
Dates
- 1996 - 2003
Language of Materials
The materials in the collection are in English.
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open to research, with the exception of some materials not available to the public.
Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use
Permission to publish material form the Virginia Tech Black History Oral History Collection must be obtained from Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech.
Biographical
Dr. Essek Finney, Class of 1959, one of the first three black graduates of Virginia Tech.
Jerry Gaines, Class of 1971, first black scholarship athlete at Virginia Tech.
Irving Linwood Peddrew III, the first black student at Virginia Tech.
Rev. Phillip Harmon Price and his sister, Anna Christine Price integrated Blacksburg High School in 1961.
Dr. James Darnell Watkins, Class of 1971, one of six charter members of Groove Phi Groove.
Dr. Charlie Yates, Class of 1958 first black graduate of Virginia Tech.
Extent
0.3 Cubic Feet
Abstract
This collection includes oral history transcripts and cassette tapes from various African Americans with experience at Virginia Tech and/or in the Blacksburg area between the 1950s and the early 2000s.
Arrangement
Transcripts are in folders according to interviewee and cassettee tapes are in seperate box.
Source of Acquisition
These oral history interviews were conducted by the former Univeristy Archivist between 1996 and 2003.
Existence and Location of Copies
The collection has been digitized and is available online.
Rights Statement for Archival Description
The guide to the Black History Oral History Collection by Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech, is licensed under a CC0 (https://creativecommons.org/share-your-work/public-domain/cc0/).
Processing
The collection was partially processed in June 2024 and completed in April 2025.
- Title
- Virginia Tech Black History Oral History Collection, 2014-2015
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Ren Harman, Oral History Projects Archivist
- Date
- (CC0 1.0)
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- English
Revision Statements
- 2020-10-09: Finding aid notes updated to new department standards. juliags
- 2022-04-18: LM Rozema added link to Omeka (removed link to archive.org), changed scope note to the scope note on Omeka, and changed title to tile in Omeka (Black History Oral History Collection).
- 2025-04-01: R Harman added box and folder numbers and added box that contained cassette tapes. Updated notes.
Repository Details
Part of the Special Collections and University Archives, Virginia Tech Repository
Special Collections and University Archives, University Libraries (0434)
560 Drillfield Drive
Newman Library, Virginia Tech
Blacksburg Virginia 24061 US
540-231-6308
specref@vt.edu