Voces Oral History Project Excellence Endowment

Since its creation in 1999, the Voces Oral History Project has collected over one thousand shared memories from U.S. Latino and Latina veterans and civilians of World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. The project was initially created as the U.S. Latino & Latina WWII Oral History Project by Dr. Maggie Rivas-Rodriguez, project director and UT School of Journalism professor.

As the volume of stories grew, a broader picture emerged of life in Latinx communities during these decades. The larger vision for the project became a reality with the award of a major gift from the Institute for Museum and Library Services. Subjects now include education, civil rights, poverty, veteran activism, racism/discrimination, the Voting Rights Act and the Great Depression.

The archives of the Voces Project are an extraordinary resource. They are not, however, the only remarkable achievement of the program. The interviews were conducted entirely by volunteers, usually friends or family members, all of whom receive materials, training and guidance. In addition, the School of Journalism has established coursework in Oral History, furthering exploration of underrepresented topics and giving students the tools to generate original academic research.

The endowment was established in April of 2016, funded by friends of the University and a gift from the Office of the President, to support the preservation of American legacies and further a common understanding.

Revised on September 2017