Register to the Immigrant Oral History Project

Historical Information

The Immigrant Oral Histories Collection was conceived as part of the Oral History Project of Rhode Island, begun under the auspices of the Rhode Island Department of State Library Services (DSLS) in 1970. When DSLS discontinued its participation in the project in early 1974, it transferred the tapes and all related materials (transcripts, signed release forms, biographical sketches) to the History Department of the University of Rhode Island. The History Department, under the direction of Dr. Valerie Quinney, continued the project for the next several years. Dr. Quinney was the Associate Director of the State Oral History Project while it was still under the direction of the state Department of State Library Services. In the spring of 1976, Dr. Quinney’s undergraduate history students began conducting interviews with immigrants living in the Providence, RI area. Additional interviews were conducted by Dr. Quinney’s students in 1977 and 1978.

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Scope and Content Note

The collection consists of 11 audio cassette tapes, transcripts, student papers, and biographical material of 13 individuals who related their life experiences as immigrants living in Rhode Island. The student papers discuss the the interviewee's ethnic heritage and include an outline of questions that were asked during each interview. The transcript of one set of interviews, that of Portuguese Americans Mamie Goes Mello and Lydia Paulino Rego, includes a news clipping from the Providence Journal, dated November 15, 1978, which reported on Portuguese-American demonstrations agitating for greater recognition of Portuguese needs by the mayor’s office of New Bedford, MA. The Mary Pennine transcript does not have an accompanying tape, or a historical background discussion paper. The Pennine interview was conducted by Dr. Valerie Quinney in her capacity as the Associate Director of the State Oral History Project in 1976. The interviews of Scottish immigrants John Semple and Richard Cairns contain only partial transcriptions.

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Arrangement

Arranged alphabetically by ethnicity and name of the interviewee

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Restrictions

Open for research.

Terms governing use and reproduction: Photocopying and scanning of materials is a fee based service available in the repository and is allowed at the discretion of the Archivist when in compliance to the Unit's policy on copyright and publication.

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Index Terms

These records are indexed under the following headings in the HELIN catalog. Researchers wishing to find related materials should search the catalog under these index terms.

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Related Material

Some interviews contain only a written transcript.

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Administrative Information

Custodial History

When DSLS discontinued its participation in the project in early 1974, the tapes and all related materials were transferred to the History Department of the University of Rhode Island. Dr. Valerie Quinney, continued the project through that Department for the next several years and had custody of the DSLS material at the time of transfer to the Special Collections Unit.

Preferred Citation

Immigrant Oral History Project, Mss. Gr. 32, University of Rhode Island Special Collections

Acquisitions Information

Transferred to the Special Collections Department of the University of Rhode Island Library by Dr. Valerie Quinney of the University's Department of History beginning in 1977.

Processing Information

Finding aid prepared by Russell Franks.

Finding aid encoded by Sarina R. Wyant on 2008 May 01

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Inventory