Interviews

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

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Emil Jones - Legislators Project

Long-time IL State Senator, Senate President from 2003-2008

Fernando Jones - Family Memories

World-class Blues musician, educator, and songwriter

Tom Lamont - Obama in Illinois

Asst. Secretary of the Army during the Barack Obama administration

Louis 'Lou' Lang - General Interest -Statecraft

IL House Democratic leader discusses the Gov. Blagojevich impeachment

Ronald Moorman - People of Faith

Journey from Catholic Priest to Social Work to Lutheran ministry.

Sally Pancrazio - ERA Fight in Illinois

Active supporter of ERA in Illinois from 1972 through 2018

Paul Sweet - Cold War Era

Navy veteran on active duty from 1966-69 in the Atlantic on a submarine tender

Dan Walker - Governor Dan Walker Project

Maverick Democrat who served as IL Governor from 1973 to 1977

Ted Morrissey - People of Faith

An atheist's religious journey

Cullom Davis - IHPA legacy

Oral Historian and Former Director of the Lincoln Legal Papers

Maria Dunstan - Pension Crisis in Illinois

Teacher, principal and union leader from Macomb talks about pensions

Mary Lee Leahy - General Interest -Statecraft

An attorney's involvement in the Dan Walker administration and in landmark Supreme Court cases.

Ann Lousin - Obama in Illinois

Law professor at the John Marshall Law School

Dave Luechtefeld - Legislators Project

A career teacher and coach becomes successful IL State Senator

Wendell Meeks - Family Memories

Growing up African-American in small town southern Illinois.

Maryam Mostoufi - People of Faith

Prominent leader of Springfield Muslim community talks about her faith journey.

Penny Pullen - ERA Fight in Illinois

IL House of Representatives member from 1977 - 1992 and pro-life advocate

Paul Tarr - Cold War Era

Service in the Cold War Army in Germany from 1954-1956

Dr. Michael Devine - IHPA legacy

Director of IHPA and State Historian from 1985-1991

Roger Eddy - Pension Crisis in Illinois

Executive Director of IL Assn of School Boards shares views on state pension crisis

Richard Lockhart - General Interest -Statecraft

Lockhart discusses his over 50 years as a lobbyist in Springfield

Dave Luechtefeld - Obama in Illinois

IL State Senator and colleague of Barack Obama

Judge Abner Mikva - Legislators Project

Independent Democrat who served IL legislature, then the U.S. House, finishing career as legal counsel to Pres. Bill Clinton

Bishop Thomas Paprocki - People of Faith

Roman Catholic Bishop for the Diocese of Springfield, Illinois.

Paula Purdue - ERA Fight in Illinois

Teacher, lobbyist and activist for women’s equality

Rozanne Robertson - Family Memories

A young woman's career as a personnel manager during 1950s thru 1980s.

Vice Admiral Ron Thunman - Cold War Era

A life-long submariner who retired as a Vice Admiral

Julie Dirksen - IHPA legacy

Former Director of Guest Services at ALPLM

Fred Giertz - Pension Crisis in Illinois

Former trustee of the State University Retirement System talks pensions

Ann Lousin - General Interest -Statecraft

Research Assistant at 1970 Constitutional Convention & Civil Service Commission during Gov. Thompson administration

Gary McCants - Obama in Illinois

AME Presiding Elder who ministered to public congregations and within the halls of the IL Legislature

Robert Mitchler - Legislators Project

Republican Illinois State Senator from 1965 through 1980

Hedy Ratner - ERA Fight in Illinois

Chicago-based feminist who has been active in the women’s issues since the 1970s

Jack Rooney - Family Memories

A native of Cherry Illinois and shares his insights of the Cherry Mine disaster.

Paul K. Schwartzkopf - People of Faith

Lutheran minister discusses career in Missouri Synod Lutheran and later the ELCA church.

John Standard - People of Faith

Senior pastor at the Springfield Bible Church discusses his ministry

David Vaught - Cold War Era

Vaught's experiences as a West Point cadet and controversy over mandatory chapel

Martha Jane Downey - IHPA legacy

Site manager for Bishop Hill Historic Site discusses its history

Al Grosboll - Pension Crisis in Illinois

One of Gov. Jim Edgar's key executive assistants discusses Edgar's attempt to fix Illinois' pension problem

Gary McCants - General Interest -Statecraft

AME Presiding Elder who ministered to public congregations and within the halls of the IL Legislature

Abner Mikva - Obama in Illinois

Legal counsel to Bill Clinton and mentor to Barack Obama

Dawn Clark Netsch - Legislators Project

IL State Senator Democratic Candidate for Governor in 1994

Mary Lee Sargent - ERA Fight in Illinois

Life-long activist for women's and LGBT rights shares memories of 1982

Fred Smith - Family Memories

Touring the nation's Presidential Libraries & Museums.

Raymond Stroh - People of Faith

Charter member of Atonement Lutheran Church discusses the church's history.

Darrell Duensing - IHPA legacy

Site Manager for Fort de Chartres discusses his 45 years at the site

Susan Harkin - Pension Crisis in Illinois

Illinois Pension Crisis from the perspective of a school district financial officer

Ron Michaelson - General Interest -Statecraft

Executive Director of the Illinois Board of Elections from 1976 to 2003

Newton Minow - Obama in Illinois

Former FCC chair for Pres. Kennedy and friend and mentor to Barack Obama

Jim Nowlan - Legislators Project

Former representative and lifelong student of Illinois politics shares his views on the state's future

Phyllis Schlafly - ERA Fight in Illinois

Life-long conservative activist and founder of the Stop-ERA movement which was credited with the defeat of the ERA Amendment in 1982

Francie Staggs - Family Memories

A life of family and volunteering

Martin Woulfe - People of Faith

Unitarian Universalist's spiritual journey to the ministry.

Penny Pullen - Legislators Project

IL House of Representatives member from 1977 - 1992 and pro-life advocate

Travis Gillum and Lara McGlaughlin - IHPA legacy

Creators of Presidential Museum's historical figures discuss their art

Kathryn Harris - IHPA legacy

Kathryn discusses her career with IL State Historical Library and the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library

Richard Ingram - Pension Crisis in Illinois

Executive Director of the Teachers' Retirement System on the IL pension crisis

Newton Minow - General Interest -Statecraft

Former FCC chair for Pres. Kennedy and friend and mentor to Barack Obama

Taylor Pensoneau - Obama in Illinois

Journalist and author reporting on the Illinois political scene

James 'Pate' Philip - Legislators Project

Leader of IL Senate Republicans during 1980s thru 2002.

Jackie Stites - Family Memories

Volunteer at the Elijah Iles House, Governor's Executive Mansion, and the ALPLM

Kathleen Sullivan - ERA Fight in Illinois

A leader in the Stop ERA movement in Illinois from 1972-1982

Heather Oxley, Tisa Poe, Tom Tait, and Patrick Weeks - IHPA legacy

Four BRC Imagination Arts employees discuss their work on the ALP Museum exhibits

David Hedrick - IHPA legacy

Site Superintendent of Lincoln’s New Salem Historic Site

J. Thomas Johnson - Pension Crisis in Illinois

Former Dept. of Revenue Director and IL Taxpayer Federation Pres. sheds light on the Pension Crisis

James Nowlan - General Interest -Statecraft

Former representative and lifelong student of Illinois politics shares his views on the state's future

James 'Pate' Philip - Obama in Illinois

Leader of IL Senate Republicans during 1980s thru 2002

Christine Radogno - Legislators Project

Illinois State Senator from 1997 through July 2017, & Republican Minority Leader since 2009

Christine Radogno - Obama in Illinois

State Senator Radogno's memories of her service with state Senator Obama

Phil Rock - Legislators Project

Illinois State Senator (1970-1993)

Evelyn Brandt Thomas - Family Memories

Office manager and part owner of Brandt Consolidated talks about the family business.

Joyce Webb - ERA Fight in Illinois

One of founders of Carbondale Women's Center & supporter of ERA Amendment

Wally Henderson - IHPA legacy

Architect who worked on the Old State Capitol restoration project

Malcolm S. Kamin - Pension Crisis in Illinois

Delegate to IL ConCon, working on Education Committee, discusses Pension Clause

Taylor Pensoneau - General Interest -Statecraft

St. Louis Post-Dispatch reporter's experiences during the 1968 Democratic Convention in Chicago

Michael Rotello - Legislators Project

Former State Representative from Winnebago County, IL

Bernard Schoenburg - Obama in Illinois

Political reporter and columnist with the Springfield State-Journal Register

Sandy Wheeler - Family Memories

Executive Director of the State Farm Golf Classic for 27 years

Ted Hild - IHPA legacy

Life-long employee of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency.

Cinda Klickna - Pension Crisis in Illinois

President of the IL Education Association reflects on the state's pension crisis

Mitchell Roth - General Interest -Statecraft

General Counsel for IL Education Association discusses Janus v. AFSCME Supreme Court case

Bernard Sieracki - Obama in Illinois

A lobbyist in the IL Legislature for over forty years

Frank Watson - Legislators Project

Illinois Senate Minority Leader (Republican) from 2003-2008

Betty Wrigley - Family Memories

A WW II Rosie the riveter, and post war wife and mother shares her life story.

William Iseminger - IHPA legacy

Cahokia Mounds Senior Interpreter with over 45 years at the site

Ann Lousin - Pension Crisis in Illinois

Renowned expert on 1970 state Constitution discusses IL pension crisis

Roy Schilling - General Interest -Statecraft

Life-long educator and friend of descendants of Gov. Richard Oglesby

Jim Thompson - Obama in Illinois

Illinois's governor from January, 1977 to January, 1991

Julie Cellini, Bob Coomer, and Susan Mogerman - IHPA legacy

A talk with three of the prime movers behind the creation of the Presidential Library and Museum

David Kneupper - IHPA legacy

Composer of the musical score for the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum

Eric Madiar - Pension Crisis in Illinois

A discussion of Illinois's long public pension history

Michael Shakman - General Interest -Statecraft

Chicago lawyer who took on the city's Democratic machine

Frank Watson - Obama in Illinois

Illinois Senate Minority Leader (Republican) from 2003-2008

Ralph Martire - Pension Crisis in Illinois

Executive Director of Center for Tax & Budget Accountability discusses pension reform

Susan Mogerman - IHPA legacy

The IHPA Director from 1991 thru 2002, and key player in creation of ALPLM

Bernard H Sieracki - General Interest -Statecraft

A lobbyist in the IL Legislature for over forty years and author of "A Just Cause," on the impeachment of Gov. Blagojevich

Michael Monaghan - Pension Crisis in Illinois

Ex. Director of the IL Community College Trustees Assn shares his views on IL pension crisis

Bob Rogers - IHPA legacy

BRC Chairman discusses his company's design of Lincoln Museum exhibits

Hal Smith - General Interest -Statecraft

Aide to Senator Charles Percy shares his memories of Percy and Darin LaHood

Dan Montgomery - Pension Crisis in Illinois

President of the Illinois Federation of Teachers discusses Illinois's pension crisis



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