Voice of American Homemakers Oral History Project Collection
00161

Summary Information

Repository
Michigan State University Archives and Historical Collections
Creator
Arnold, Eleanor
Creator
Voice of American Homemakers
Title
Voice of American Homemakers Oral History Project collection
ID
00161
Date [inclusive]
1981-1986
Extent
1.0 Cubic feet 7 volumes on shelf; 172 cassette tapes
Language
English

Preferred Citation

Researchers wishing to cite this collection should include the following information: "Item title, Collection title, Collection Identifier, Michigan State University Archives & Historical Collections, East Lansing, Michigan."

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Biographical Note

The Voice of American Homemakers was a five year project that documented the domestic lives of American women. The project was sponsored by National Extension Homemakers Council for the organization's 50th anniversary, and made possible by a grant in 1981 from the National Endowment for the Humanities. It includes over 200 oral histories from homemakers in 36 states, stored both on 172 cassette tapes and in 5 volumes of transcript. It also includes the full text of papers presented at the Seminar of Humanists and Homemakers, as well as a published book that organizes the collection around key themes and findings from the interviews. The NEHC donated copies of the project to each state.

The National Extension Homemakers Council beginnings date back to 1914, when the Smith-Lever Act provided for the mutual cooperation between the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the land-grant colleges to conduct "partial demonstrations" in home economics. The purpose was to bring the resources of the college to the people. Because of the overwhelming response to these demonstrations, people eventually came together to form clubs. In June of 1936, the clubs came together to form a national organization called the National Home Demonstration Council. In 1963, the name was changed to The National Extension Homemakers Council.

The Voice of American Homemakers project spans the time period from 1890 to 1940 and examines issues from growing up, education and food preparation to studies in courage. This was a time when the family worked together as a smoothly functioning unit and required a full-time functioning homemaker. She took care of the family, house and garden at a time when water was pumped from wells, clothing was made from a bolt of yard goods and a treadle sewing machine, cooling was by running water or icebox, and food was available only in unprocessed form. With the advent of electricity the homemaker found she had some time in her day for non-household activities, and became an active part of the community.

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Scope and Content

The collection consists of 7 volumes and 172 cassette tapes. The tapes contain over 200 oral histories from individuals in 37 states. The volumes contain the transcripts of the interviews. Also included are a published book that organizes the collection around key themes and findings from the interviews and the proceedings of the Seminar of Humanists and Homemakers.

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Administrative Information

Publication Information

Michigan State University Archives and Historical Collections March 1986

Conrad Hall
888 Wilson Road, Room 101
East Lansing , MI, 48824
517-355-2330
archives@msu.edu

Revision Description

  September 2002

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Legal Status

Copyright: National Extension Homemakers Council / National Association for Family & Community Education. Property Rights: Michigan State University.

Conditions Governing Use

Permission to publish material from this collection must be obtained from University Archives & Historical Collections, Michigan State University.

Custodial History

Gift of National Extension Homemakers Council, Inc., 1986-03-04.

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Controlled Access Headings

Corporate Name(s)

  • National Endowment for the Humanities.
  • National Extension Homemakers Council (U.S.).
  • National Extension Homemakers Council (U.S.).
  • National Home Demonstration Council (U.S.).

Genre(s)

  • Sound recordings

Subject(s)

  • Home demonstration work
  • Home economics
  • Home economics extension work
  • Housewives -- United States
  • Women -- Education -- United States
  • Women -- Employment -- United States
  • Women -- History -- United States
  • Women -- Religious life
  • Women -- Social conditions
  • Women -- Societies and clubs

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Collection Inventory

Volumes 

Scope and Contents note
Volume

Volume 1: "Voices of American Homemakers", oral history project: Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Delaware, Florida 1981-1986 

 1

Volume 2: "Voices of American Homemakers", oral history project: Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland 1981-1986 

 2

Volume 3: "Voices of American Homemakers", oral history project: Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Mexico 1981-1986 

 3

Volume 4: "Voices of American Homemakers", oral history project: North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon 1981-1986 

 4

Volume 5: "Voices of American Homemakers", oral history project: South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming 1981-1986 

 5

Volume 6: Seminar of Humanists and Homemakers August 3, 1983 

 6

Volume 7: Voices of American Homemakers", an oral history project of the National Extension Homemakers Council (published book) 1986 

 7

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Cassettes 

 Drawer
Audio Cassettes

Cassette Number 724 - 729: Alabama interviews 

Cassette Number 730 - 732: Alaska interviews 

Cassette Number 733 - 737: Arkansas interviews 

Cassette Number 738 - 741: Colorado interviews 

Cassette Number 742 - 743: Delaware interviews 

Cassette Number 744 - 749: Florida interviews 

Cassette Number 750 - 751: Georgia interviews 

Cassette Number 752 - 753: Hawaii interviews 

Cassette Number 754 - 755: Idaho interviews 

Cassette Number 756 - 759: Illinois interviews 

Cassette Number 760 - 764: Indiana interviews 

Cassette Number 765 - 768: Kansas interviews 

Cassette Number 769 - 773: Kentucky interviews 

Cassette Number 774 - 778: Louisiana interviews 

Cassette Number 779: Maryland interviews 

Cassette Number 780 - 788: Michigan interviews 

Cassette Number 789: Minnesota interviews 

Cassette Number 790 - 794: Mississippi interviews 

Cassette Number 795 - 799: Missouri interviews 

Cassette Number 800 - 805: Montana interviews 

Cassette Number 806 - 810: Nebraska interviews 

Cassette Number 810 - 815: New Hampshire interviews 

Cassette Number 816 - 829: New Mexico interviews 

Cassette Number 830 - 834: North Carolina interviews 

Cassette Number 835 - 839: North Dakota interviews 

Cassette Number 840 - 844: Ohio interviews 

Cassette Number 845 - 848: Oklahoma interviews 

Cassette Number 849 - 853: Oregon interviews 

Cassette Number 854 - 858: South Carolina interviews 

Cassette Number 859 - 868: South Dakota interviews 

Cassette Number 869 - 872: Tennessee interviews 

Cassette Number 873 - 876: Virginia interviews 

Cassette Number 877 - 881: Washington interviews 

Cassette Number 882 - 889: West Virginia interviews 

Cassette Number 890 - 892: Wisconsin interviews 

Cassette Number 893 - 895: Wyoming interviews 

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