The following is an alphabetical listing of oral histories in the Perry Library collection that pertain in whole or part to women's history and issues. To listen to the audio, the RealPlayer must be available as a plug-in. Click here to download the RealPlayer .

Vivian Carter-Mason

Physician. Concerns the changing role of women in medicine over the years and women's effort to combat discrimination in the medical field. Conducted November 18, 1982 as part of Norfolk Women's History class project. ["Women Physicians in Tidewater 1945-1960" Research paper also available.]

"Norfolk Women's
History"

"Norfolk Women's
Oral History Project"

Focusing on sex roles of the 1930's, as influenced by the Depression, this project produced an archival collection consisting of a series of 17 interviews on 16 cassette tapes. An additional tape concludes with speeches and music. Dr. Jean E. Friedman coordinated this project in the 1980s.

• Interview 1: Discussion of prostitution in Norfolk in the 1930's and 1940's by a Norfolk physician and his wife.
• Interview 2: Life experiences of a Jewish woman who came to New York in 1922 and to Tidewater in late 1939. Includes work history, sexual history, and sexual attitudes, with a focus on sex roles of the 193O's. (Interview taken at Jewish Community Center).
• Interview 3: Life experiences of a female Jewish immigrant from Germany, who came to New York in 1938, then later moved to Tidewater. Includes work history, sexual history, and sexual attitudes, with a focus on sex roles of the 1930's. (Interview taken at Jewish Community Center).
• Interview 4: Work, religious, and political experiences of a widowed, Irish Catholic housewife and ex-missionary, who moved from Norfolk to Fredricksburg, helped organize the Equal Suffrage League in Fredricksburg, and practiced medicine in China and the U.S. until 1940. Also, a discussion of the Civil War.
• Interview 5: Life experiences of a senior citizen from New York, (5a & 5b) with focus on work history, sexual history, and sex-role orientation, especially as influenced by the economics of the Depression era. (Interview taken at YWCA).
• Interview 6: On side one-part of an interview with a 70-year-old white Jewish female who had lived in Norfolk for one year at the time of this interview. (Remainder of side one blank). On side two--entire interview, as recalled by interviewer. (Interview taken at Jewish Community Center).
• Interview 7: Life experiences of a 62-year-old white Norfolk housewife. Includes work history, sexual history, and sexual attitudes, with a focus on sex roles of the 1930's.
• Interview 8: Life experiences of a 43-year-old Greek-Orthodox Norfolk woman who was born in 1930 and attended a Catholic boarding school. Includes work history, sexual history, and sexual attitudes, with a focus on sex roles of the 1930's.
• Interview 9: Discussion with a 66-year-old Catholic woman from a Baptist background. (Some portions inaudible, due to background noise).
• Interview 10: In a 15-minute interview, a married 50-year-old white male gives a male perspective on issues involving work, sexuality, and sex roles by answering many of the same questions as those posed to female interviewees.
• Interview 11: Life experiences of a 70-year-old white Norfolk woman from a strict religious background. Includes work history, sexual history, and sexual attitudes, with a focus on sex roles of the 1930's.
• Interview 12: Life experiences of an elite woman of Norfolk, including sexual history and focusing on sex roles, especially those of the 1930's. (25-minute interview).
• Interview 13: Experiences of an elite 68-year-old white Lutheran woman of Norfolk. Including sexual history and other information regarding sex roles, the 15-minute interview focuses almost exclusively on the 1930's.
• Interview 14: Life experiences of a 55-year-old white Norfolk female. Includes work history, sexual history, and sexual attitudes, with a focus on sex roles of the 1930's.
• Interview 15: A joint interview with two senior citizens -- a 74-year-old orthodox Jewish woman and a 74-year-old Jewish widow who was active in labor union movements and who came to New York from Russia at age 15, then to Tidewater in 1958.(Interview taken at Jewish Community Center).
• Interview 16: Life experiences of a 60-year-old Norfolk senior citizen, including work history, sexual history, and sexual attitudes, with a focus on sex roles of the 1930's. (Some portions inaudible). (Interview taken at YWCA).
• Interview 17: Discussion with a 62 year old black women who lived in Norfolk, Virginia and worked as a domestic. Interesting account of the changes that have taken place in the raising of children. Includes work history, with a focus on the Depression.