Dr. George Cullom Davis began his academic career as an assistant professor of history at Indiana University in 1964. In 1970, he moved to Springfield, IL, where he taught and served as an assistant to the president of the newly formed Sangamon State University, and was also responsible for establishing the university's Oral History office. He quickly developed a national reputation in the oral history community, and served as president of the Oral History Association from 1983-1984. In 1988 Dr. Davis became Director of the Lincoln Legal Papers, where he served until his retirement in 2000.
Interview Links
Abstract
Interview Session 01 (Audio)
Childhood, education & early career as a historian at Indiana University
Interview Session 02 (Audio)
Davis’s involvement with the creation of Sangamon State U. in 1970
Interview Session 03 (Audio)
Cullom Davis’s career as Director of the Oral History Office at SSU
Interview Session 04 (Audio)
Davis as Director of the Lincoln Legal Papers project through mid-1990s
Interview Session 05 (Audio)
Davis as Director of the Lincoln Legal Papers project & reflections on career
Transcript
Cullom Davis Sessions 1-5
Photos
Caption
Cullom Davis, 1940 (age 5).
Where:
Unknown
When:
Unknown
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May be restricted. Patrons desiring to use this photograph should contact the ALPL Audio-Visual Curator
Caption
Cullom, 3rd from left in the first row, circa 1942 (age 8). Photo taken at Camp Ellis.
Where:
Camp Ellis
When:
circa 1942
Ownership:
Narrator’s Photo
Caption
Cullom at a Jeep’s steering wheel, circa 1943 (age 8). Photo taken at Camp Ellis.
Where:
Camp Ellis
When:
circa 1943
Ownership:
Narrator’s Photo
Caption
Studio portrait, circa 1946 (age 11).
Where:
Unknown
When:
circa 1946
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May be restricted. Patrons desiring to use this photograph should contact the ALPL Audio-Visual Curator
Caption
Cullom Davis at a 1968 Orientation in Illinois.
Where:
Unknown
When:
1968
Ownership:
Narrator’s Photo
Caption
Cullom Davis, Associate Professor of History, circa 1970.
Where:
Unknown
When:
circa 1970
Ownership:
Narrator’s Photo
Caption
Professor Cullom Davis in the early days of Sangamon State University, circa 1973, when it was an incubator for education innovation. Davis’s Oral History Office was a perfect fit for the school’s mission.
Where:
Sangamon State University
When:
circa 1973
Ownership:
Narrator’s Photo
Caption
Cullom Davis interviewing Avinere Toigo about Ethnic Politics in the 1930’s in Illinois (circa 1973).
Where:
Unknown
When:
circa 1973
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May be restricted. Patrons desiring to use this photograph should contact the ALPL Audio-Visual Curator
Caption
Cullom Davis with ‘Abraham Lincoln’ at Charles Strogiers’ book signing party for his new book, circa 1979.
Where:
Unknown
When:
circa 1979
Ownership:
Narrator’s Photo
Caption
The IL General Assembly Oral History Program Advisory Committee meeting in May, 1980. Standing L-R: Bob Howard, Gerry Sherandion, Sam Gove, Don Holt, Dave Everson, Bill Day. Seated: Willard Ice, Bill Hey, Cullom Davis, Margaret Munn.
Where:
Unknown
When:
May 1980
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May be restricted. Patrons desiring to use this photograph should contact the ALPL Audio-Visual Curator
Caption
Studio portrait of Cullom Davis, circa 1980’s (age between 45 and 48).
Where:
Unknown
When:
circa 1980’s
Ownership:
May be restricted. Patrons desiring to use this photograph should contact the ALPL Audio-Visual Curator
Caption
OHA, Lexington, Kentucky. Circa October 1984.
Where:
OHA, Lexington, Kentucky
When:
Circa October 1984
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May be restricted. Patrons desiring to use this photograph should contact the ALPL Audio-Visual Curator
Caption
Personal photo (or studio photo?) of Cullom Davis, circa 1987 (age 52).
Where:
Unknown
When:
circa 1987
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May be restricted. Patrons desiring to use this photograph should contact the ALPL Audio-Visual Curator
Caption
International Conference on Abraham Lincoln in 1989 located in Paipai, Taiwan. Herb Mitgang on the left of the New York Times.
Where:
Paipai, Taiwan
When:
1989
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Caption
Studio portrait taken with Cullom Davis, circa 1990 (age 55). This particular picture was taken to be the representative photo for the Lincoln Legal Papers project.
Where:
Unknown
When:
circa 1990
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May be restricted. Patrons desiring to use this photograph should contact the ALPL Audio-Visual Curator
Caption
Cullom Davis, as he appeared in an article that appeared in the Springfield State Journal Register on February 7th, 1992. The article featured a series of Lincoln scholars.
Where:
Unknown
When:
February 7th, 1992
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Caption
Cullom Davis with Mayor Karen Hassana upon the receipt of the 2002 Studs Terkel Award.
Where:
Unknown
When:
2002
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May be restricted. Patrons desiring to use this photograph should contact the ALPL Audio-Visual Curator
Caption
Cullom Davis in 2006, accepting a receipt of a University of Illinois at Springfield’s Distinguished Service Award alongside the UI President Joe White and UIS Chancellor Rich Ringheisen.
Where:
University of Illinois at Springfield
When:
2006
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May be restricted. Patrons desiring to use this photograph should contact the ALPL Audio-Visual Curator
Caption
Cullom Davis in 2006, accepting a receipt of a University of Illinois at Springfield’s Distinguished Service Award, standing alongside his wife, Ann Davis.
Where:
University of Illinois at Springfield
When:
2006
Ownership:
May be restricted. Patrons desiring to use this photograph should contact the ALPL Audio-Visual Curator
Caption
Cullom Davis in the University of Illinois at Springfield’s Brookens Library, circa 2008 (age 73).
Where:
University of Illinois at Springfield’s Brookens Library
When:
circa 2008
Ownership:
May be restricted. Patrons desiring to use this photograph should contact the ALPL Audio-Visual Curator
Caption
Cullom Davis, and his wife Ann, traveling in China circa 2008 (age 73).
Where:
China
When:
circa 2008
Ownership:
(Narrator’s Photo)