Interviews

Search more than 1,000 interviews in more than a dozen oral history collections. Search by collection name or interviewee name.

Search Other Collections
Clear
Search by Name

Take me back to the Oral History landing page.


A. Robert Abboud - Korean War

Marine Lieutenant in Korea from 1952-1953

Charles Abelmann - Alternatives in Education

Director of the University of Chicago Laboratory School.

Louis Acevedo - IHSA

Marie Curie High School football coach discusses Chicago Public League football.

John Ackerman - Modern Era

Survival of small family farms by diversifying and developing niche markets.

Ray Ackerman - Modern Era

Ray recounts family history on the farm. He's now a Highway Engineer.

Ray Ackerman - Pension Crisis in Illinois

Former legislative chair for the Retired State Employees Association

Yvette Ackerman - Modern Era

Life of a modern farm wife and businesswoman.

Rosia Adams - Springfield African-American History Foundation

Retired home economics teacher; foster parent

Cordell Addison - World War II

Served in the Army and posted to the Pacific in a Barrage Balloon Battalion

 Additional Materials - Community College Project

View photos of Illinois Community College Campuses and discover additional resources!

Walter Ade - Immigrant Stories

A young boy who grew up in Nazi Germany before emigrating to the U.S.

Walter Ade - Korean War

Infantryman in Punchbowl region of Korea

Peter Alber - IHSA

Dakota High School wrestling coach discusses his championship program.

John Alexander - School District Reorganization

A discussion on the Girard & Virden, Illinois school consolidation.

Dr. Peggy Allan - Educational Reform Act 1985

Former state Teacher of the Year discusses the 1985 Educational Reform Act.

Bettie Allen - Springfield African-American History Foundation

Government worker, mechanic, YWCA volunteer, world traveler

Gary Allen - Community College Project

Teacher at Southeastern Illinois College talks about the school's history.

Ronald 'Steve' Allen - Vietnam War

Vietnam veteran who served in the United States Marine Corps

Roger A Amm - IHSA

Ottawa Township High School's successful choral director.

Craig Anderson - Tumultuous 2020

Executive Director of the Illinois High School Association discusses impact of pandemic on Illinois sports

Dr. Karen Anderson - Community College Project

Executive Director of the IL Community College Board discusses its history.

Dr. Richard Anderson - Community College Project

College of Lake County Board of Trustees member.

Dr. Richard Anderson - Educational Reform Act 1985

Center for the Study of Reading director discusses programs since 1985 Reform Act

Gerald 'Andy' Anderson - World War II

1st Division veteran of D-Day landing and its fight across Europe

Jo Anderson - Educational Reform Act 1985

A labor union and Department of Education perspective of the 1985 Educational Reform Act.

Barbara Archer - World War II

Insights of those left at home during WWII

Towfig Arjmand - Immigrant Stories

Iranian immigrant discusses life in Iran in the 1940s and '50s.

Mark Armstrong - Public School Funding

Kane County Supervisor of Assessments discusses property taxes and school funding.

Wayne Arnold - Community College Project

A career teacher discusses the history of Rend Lake College.

Jason Artman - Civics Education

High school social studies teacher discusses Illinois's Civics mandate.

John Ashby - School District Reorganization

Ashby discusses hybrid reorganization method for Bluford-Farrington-Webber district.

Jean Pierre Aubry - Pension Crisis in Illinois

Associate Dir. of State and Local Research at Boston College's Center for Retirement Research

Delbert Augsburger - World War II

Ball turret gunner for the 8th Air Force in Europe

Leslie Axelrod - Korean War

Korean War vet serving on the destroyer escort, the USS Lewis

Marc Ayers - Tumultuous 2020

Marc Ayers details the experience of losing his immunocompromised mother to COVID-19

Lisa Badger - Tumultuous 2020

Public servant and early Sangamon county COVID-19 case discusses her pandemic experience

Gregory Baise - Governor Jim Thompson Project

Scheduler, Personnel Director, and Director of DOT for Gov Thompson

Michael Bakalis - Governor Jim Thompson Project

Democratic candidate for governor in 1978 against Gov. Jim Thompson

Paul Baker - Educational Reform Act 1985

IL State University professor discusses Educational Reform Act of 1985.

Russell Baker - World War II

Invasion of Guam WWII

Jearl Ballow - Vietnam War

A CID Warrant Officer's tour in Okinawa during Vietnam War

Jearl Ballow - Korean War

Ballow recalls military service in Tokyo during Korean War & Okinawa during Vietnam War

Eric Bandy - Tumultuous 2020

Pharmacist and pharmacy owner shares his experience with the pandemic

Jim Banovetz - Pension Crisis in Illinois

Expert on local government and staffer at IL ConCOn discusses pension issues

Jason Barickman - Public School Funding

An Illinois state representative discusses changes in the Illinois school funding formula.

Claire Edgecomb, Ron Krause, and J. Michael Barker - People of Faith

Three Blending Committee members discuss the process of combining three churches into one.

Makenna Barker - Modern Era

A twelve year-old tells about her 4-H projects.

Dr. Mildred Barnes - Girls Basketball

Girls' Basketball in the US during the 1960-70s, and the growth of women's sports.

William 'Bill' Barnhart - Governor Dan Walker Project

Journalist for the Suburban Tribune during the Walker administration

William 'Bill' Barnhart - Journalists View

Illinois Statecraft - Journalists' View

James Barrett - Historians Speak

Emeritus professor of History discusses his career and teaching Illinois history

James and Jenny Barrett - Historians Speak

James and Jenny Barrett Discuss their work on a new book on Chicago History

Barb Barrows - IHSA

First Athletic Director of the new Neuqua Valley High School.

Ellyn Bartges - Girls Basketball

College and high school basketball coach.

Ellyn Bartges - Family Memories

Early days of Girls' & Women's Basketball

David Bartlett - Community College Project

Teacher and historian for South Suburban Community College discusses the school's history.

Richard Bartolotti - Vietnam War

Vietnam veteran who served in the United States Marine Corps

Bob Bastas - Korean War

Personnel clerk w/Air Force during Korean War

Jennie Battles - Architectural Gems

Tour of the Vachel Lindsay home given by the site manager

Jennie Battles - IHPA legacy

Site Manager for Vachel Lindsay home and IHPA employee from 1986-2014

Lela Baum - Alternatives in Education

Bond County Prekindergarten-Parenting Birth-to-Three director.

Frederick Baumberger - Modern Era

A retired grain and livestock farmer talks about his life on the farm.

Edith Baumhardt - Rochester

Long time resident of Rochester who grew up in pre-war Germany

Harold Beard - World War II

Motor Sergeant in an Army artillery unit in Europe

Dorothy Beck - Community College Project

The first fifty years of Blackhawk Community College.

Frank Beck - School District Reorganization

A University scholar and expert on school reorganization & consolidation issues.

Peter Beckwith - Cold War Era

Cold War Beckwith was as a Priest, Bishop, and officer in the Navy Reserve

John Beechler - Korean War

Artillery Lieutenant and Silver Star recipient for combat at Outpost Harry

Leonard Beetstra - Modern Era

A livestock buyer and seller in northern Illinois.

Lyle Nicholas Behl - Rochester

Behl's family history and history of Cascade, Cotton Hill Township, Sangamon County

Kermit Wayne Bell - Vietnam War

West Point graduate discusses his career from 1948 to 1971, including tour in Vietnam

Taylor Bell - IHSA

A career sports writer tells about covering Illinois high school sports.

Kenneth "Tuck" Belton - World War II

A downed B-17 pilot who survived for several months with Dutch underground

Kevin Benages - IHSA

Lacrosse coach at Naperville North High School talks about coaching at the high school level.

Sarah Benner - Williamsville

Williamsville Community Foundation & Historical Library Museum

Norbert Bentele - Korean War

Signalman who served in Korea from 1953-1954

Norbert Bentele - Modern Era

Life on a small family farm in Missouri during Great Depression

Dr. Susan Bentz - Educational Reform Act 1985

State Board of Education employee discusses the 1985 Education Reform Act.

Clarence Berbaum - World War II

Radio repairman for the United States Army during World War II

Jon and Jeanne Berg - People of Faith

Jon and Jeanne Berg served as missionaries in west Africa during the 1970s and ‘80s.

Robert Berry - Korean War

187th Airborne Regiment during the Korean War

Senator Jennifer Bertino-Tarrant - Educational Reform Act 1985

Reflections on 1985 Educational Reform Act from career educator and State Senator

Arthur Betts - Civil Rights Stories

World War II veteran serving in the European theater

Arthur Betts - World War II

World War II veteran serving in the European theater

Wayne Bevis - Alternatives in Education

Principal of the Lindblom Math and Science Academy.

George Bickford - Community College Project

City Colleges of Chicago's unique military education programs.

John Bickford - Civics Education

Chair of the Institutional Review Board at Eastern Illinois University.

Leroy Biehl - Modern Era

Lifelong veterinarian and professor at the University of Illinois.

Matt Bierman - Pension Crisis in Illinois

Director of Budget at WIU and a Macomb School Board member discusses pensions

Dick Biery - Girls Basketball

First girls’ basketball coach at Carthage, Illinois High School.

Gerald Binder - Alternatives in Education

Whiteside Area Career Center administrator discusses the school’s history and mission.

Dale Bishop - Community College Project

History of Shawnee Community College.

Erin Bishop - IHPA legacy

Former head of Education Services with the IHPA at the Presidential Library and Museum

Senator Daniel Biss - Pension Crisis in Illinois

Illinois State Senator discusses the origins of the state's pension crisis

Stephen Black - Modern Era

U.S. Department of Agriculture and life on the family farm.

Timuel Black - World War II

African American discusses his Army service in Europe during World War II

Timuel Black - Civil Rights Stories

African American discusses his Army service in Europe during World War II

Timuel Black - Community College Project

He talks about civil rights and Chicago City Colleges.

Gene Blade - Modern Era

Growing up on a farm in west-central Illinois during WW II

Gene Blade - Cold War Era

Cold War era artilleryman who finished career as USP&FO in IL National Guard



Social Links