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Washington Metro Oral History Project collection

 Collection
Identifier: MS2214

Collection Scope and Content

This collection is composed of compact discs and several transcripts of oral histories. Dr. Zachary Schrag conducted these oral histories with people involved in the design, development, and construction of the Metro in Washington, D.C. Dr. Schrag interviewed many people significantly involved with the creation of the Metro including local politicians Gilbert Gude and Walter Fauntroy; the first Secretary of Transportation Alan Boyd, engineer Howard Lyon; architect John Insco Williams; Commission of Fine Arts member John Carl Warnecke; and lawyer and transportation activist Peter Craig.

Dates

  • 1975-2002, 2021

Creator

Restrictions on Access

The following oral histories are sealed until the earlier of narrator's death or January 1, 2050: Francois, Francis; Bowie, Md.; February 25, 2002; Kulash, Damien; Washington, D.C.; June 20, 2001. The following oral history is sealed until January 1, 2050: Herman, William; telephone; March 20, 2000. The following oral history is sealed until January 3, 2050: Thresher, Sprague; telephone; January 3, 2000

Restrictions on Use

Zachary M. Schrag retains copyright to these materials and licenses them to researchers under the Creative Commons Atribution 3.0 Unported license, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/legalcode (19 April 2007). Except as specificied in the access restriction regarding sealed interviews, researchers may copy, transmit, distribute, or adapt the interviews (in recorded or printed form) provided that they include attribution to the Washingto Metro Oral History Project as well as to the interviewer and narrator.

Historical or Biographical Note

This collection is composed of oral histories conducted by Dr. Zachary Schrag. Dr. Schrag is a history professor at George Mason University in Fairfax County, Virginia. Dr. Schrag conducted these interviews as research for his Ph.D dissertation. His dissertation was eventually published in 2006 as the book The Great Society Subway: A history of the Washington Metro.

Extent

6.75 Linear Feet

Language of Materials

English

Abstract

This collection consists of oral history interviews conducted by Dr. Zachary Schrag. These oral histories relate to the history of the Washington Metro.

Collection Organization

Organized into two series: Interview recordings and Interview transcripts and notes.

Acquisition Information

Gift of Zachary Schrag.

Link for uploaded content

The recordings and some transcripts of a portion of these oral histories are available in the Internet Archive. Internet Archive search

Processing Information

In 2023 staff discovered that there were duplicate copies of the Cleatus Barnett interview in boxes 1 and 5. Those found in box 1 were discarded. Therefore box 1 no longer has an item 9 or 10.

Title
Guide to the Washington Metro Oral History Project collection, 1975-2021
Status
Completed
Author
Special Collections Research Center, The George Washington University
Date
2007
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Finding aid written in English

Repository Details

Part of the Special Collections Research Center, The George Washington University Repository

Contact:
2130 H Street NW
Washington 20052 United States of America