Shenandoah Valley oral history project

The Shenandoah Valley Oral History Project, 2005-2009, is comprised of audio recordings, transcripts, background papers, digital photographs and supplementary digital material related to interviews conducted by undergraduate students with Shenandoah Valley residents, primarily in Rockingham and Augusta Counties.

Each interview typically consists of an interview guide, an interview journal/log, the transcript of the interview, the recorded interview, and, when present, images and other supplementary material. The interview guide contains questions that the interviewer would have used during the interview. The interview journal offers the interviewer's insights and experiences before, during and after the interview. The transcripts for each interview provide biographical details of the interviewee, as well as the transcription of the recorded interview.

Interviewers questioned individuals on their life history, employment, and areas of expertise. The topics covered in the interviews range widely. Topics include various businesses and institutions including Wampler Foods, Pilgrim’s Pride, Western State Hospital, the Virginia State Hospital, Shenandoah National Park. Several interviews cover the poultry industry, including interviews with poultry growers, processing workers, processing managers, and people who manage by-products. Other interviews address topics such as homelessness, the prison system, veterans issues, LGBTQ issues, immigrant experiences, agriculture, and labor and civil rights activism.