The Vanguard: Early Black alumni at Madison (enrolled 1966-1974, graduated 1970-1978) oral histories, 2024

Access and use

Location of collection:
James Madison University
Second Floor Room 203, MSC 1704
Carrier Library
James Madison University
880 Madison Drive
Harrisonburg, VA 22807
Contact for questions and access:
POC: Tiffany Cole
Phone: (540) 568-3444
Phone: (540) 568-3612
Fax: (540) 568-3405
Restrictions:

This collection is open for research. Agreements with the interviewees govern access to oral history interviews.

Terms of access:

The copyright interests in this collection have not been transferred to the James Madison University Special Collections Library. Contact the Special Collections Library Reference Desk (library-special@jmu.edu) for more information.

Summary

Extent:
55.3 Gigabytes (10 digital files)
Creator:
Mulrooney, Margaret M., 1966-
Language:
English

Background

Scope and content:

The collection comprises five oral history interviews conducted in 2024 by Margaret M. Mulrooney, professor of history at James Madison University and a scholar of U.S. social and cultural history, along with corresponding transcripts. The interviews document the experiences of African American individuals who attended and desegregated Madison College in the late 1960s and early 1970s, a period of significant institutional change. The project was undertaken to examine the transformation of Madison College from a small, segregated women's college into a desegregated, coeducational, comprehensive university now known as James Madison University. Through firsthand accounts, interviewees describe campus life and the social, cultural, and institutional shifts associated with desegregation and coeducation, as well as the broader societal changes during this period. As an oral history project, the collection documents perspectives and experiences that may not otherwise be captured or preserved. The interviews serve as primary source documentation of this transitional era and contribute to a fuller understanding of the university's history.

Acquisition information:
Gift of Margaret M. Mulrooney, 2026.
Arrangement:

The collection is arranged alphabetically by surname of interviewee.

Physical facet:
5 video files (2 .mov, 3 .mp4), 5 text documents (.docx)
Rules or conventions:
Describing Archives: A Content Standard

Indexed terms

Names:
Mulrooney, Margaret M., 1966-