Oklahoma 100 Year Life project receives award

Oral History examines lives of Centenarians

September 14, 2017

The Oklahoma Oral History Research Program at the OSU Library recently received the Elizabeth B. Mason Major Project Award for the “Oklahoma 100 Year Life” oral history project. The Mason Award is presented annually by the Oral History Association to recognize an outstanding oral history project of noteworthy scholarly and social value.

Oklahoma State University faculty members, Dr. Alex Bishop with the Human Development and Family Science Department, and Dr. Tanya Finchum with the OOHRP spearheaded the process. The purpose of the research is to gain insight on the life of citizens who have lived for 100 years or more and increase awareness of the long-lived lives.

“I wanted to know about life at 100, but I also wanted to know about their childhood because that tells us a lot about living in Oklahoma at the time,” Finchum said.

Over the course of three years, the team interviewed 111 Oklahoma centenarians. Interview transcripts, recordings and photos are now freely available online at library.okstate.edu/oralhistory/digital/100/.

Students and faculty are using both quantitative and qualitative methods to analyze the data collected. The information gathered from the “Oklahoma 100 Year Life” project also inspired a theatrical production, “The Centenarian Play,” written by Julie Pearson-Little Thunder of the OOHRP.

The play was used in Bishop’s classroom to help students better understand the aging process and develop empathy for older people. Following the success of the in-class dramaturgy exercise, the research team received a grant to present the play publicly with professional actors. At the performances, pre- and post-surveys were collected to measure how the experience impacted audience members’ perceptions of aging.

The “Oklahoma 100 Year Life” oral history project and the efforts that build on it honor OSU’s land-grant mission by improving the lives of Oklahomans and people all over the world through integrated teaching, research and outreach.

Formally established in 2007, the OOHRP at the OSU Library has collected and preserved firsthand accounts from individuals who have played a part in Oklahoma’s history. The Program explores the lives and contributions of Oklahomans from all walks of life. To learn more about the OOHRP call 405-744-7685, email liboh@okstate.edu, or visit www.library.okstate.edu/oralhistory/.

Story by Chrishayla Smith, Communications Intern

URL: https://library-dep.okstate.edu/news/archived-news/fall-2017/“oklahoma-100-year-life”-project-receives-award

Last Updated: 5 September 2018