Project History

In 2005 Michigan State University celebrated the sesquicentennial of its founding. As part of the celebration the University Archives sought to document the lives and careers of significant figures in MSU history. In order to accomplish this goal, taped interviews were conducted with presidents, faculty, administrators, staff, and members of the Board of Trustees.

The interviews were conducted by Jeff Charnley of Writing, Rhetoric, and American Cultures and Fred Honhart, Director Emeritus of the University Archives & Historical Collections. The interviews were conducted between 1999 and 2005 and interviewees were asked about their lives prior to their arrival at MSU, their MSU careers, and other historical events. The project aimed to supplement written history of MSU with oral interviews that would allow researchers to hear the stories of the MSU community in the words of people who lived through these events. In addition to the audio interviews, transcripts for many of the interviews are also available.