Grant Funds “Soul of a People” Events
Library Outreach Program Introduces History of Federal Writers’ Project
January 30, 2009
Story by Danny Groshong, OSU Library Communications Intern
For Immediate Release
STILLWATER -The OSU Library received one of 30 $2,500 grants for the “Soul of a People” library project. The National Endowment for the Humanities launched “Soul of a People” to acquaint the public with the Works Progress Administration’s Federal Writers’ Project.
During the Great Depression, out-of-work writers were paid by the WPA to write on topics such as state and regional travel guides, regional cultural studies and oral history interviews. The goal of “Soul of a People” is to inform the public about the FWP and the start that it gave many aspiring authors in regions impacted by the Great Depression.
David Oberhelman, humanities & social sciences librarian, and Barbara Miller, documents librarian, worked with the American Library Association, the NEH and other collaborators to create a series that is both informative and interesting.
“We are excited that we were one of only 30 libraries nationwide chosen to participate,” Oberhelman said. “There are several noted authors that got their start from the FWP like Ralph Ellison, Jim Thompson and even our own Angie Debo."
According to Oberhelman, Debo, the famous ethnohistorian whose papers are housed at the OSU Library, was one of the directors of the Writers' Project in Oklahoma. One of the programs to be held in Stillwater will focus on her work for the Project in the context of her other contributions to scholarship and education.
The grant funds five public programs in Stillwater aimed to generate interest and awareness. These programs include
- A community-wide celebration featuring excerpts from a FWP documentary and readings from Writers’ Project works.
- A highlight of an FWP work about the region.
- An examination of select oral histories acquired during that time.
- A feature about the prominent authors who contributed to the FWP and later became important figures in literary history.
- A screening of excerpts from the documentary followed by a discussion led by a project scholar.
The NEH in cooperation with the ALA developed “Soul of a People.” The OSU library will partner with the Stillwater Public Library and the Sheerar Museum to host the local events. Event kickoff is planned for March.
For more information about the Stillwater program, contact 405-744-7331 or lib-pub@okstate.edu.
Oklahoma State University is a modern land-grant system that cuts across disciplines to better prepare students for a new world. Oklahoma's only university with a statewide presence, OSU improves the lives of people in Oklahoma, the nation, and the world through integrated, high-quality teaching, research and outreach. OSU has more than 32,000 students across its five-campus system and nearly 21,000 on its Stillwater campus; with students from all 50 states and about 110 nations. Established in 1890, OSU has graduated more than 200,000 students who have made a lasting impact on Oklahoma and the world. CREATE - INNOVATE - EDUCATE - GO STATE!
URL: http://www.library.okstate.edu/news/spring09/soul.htm
Last Updated: 30 January 2009
