Oral Histories Collections at the Hoover Institution Library & Archives

The archives collects and conducts oral histories that further its mission to preserve and make available materials about political, social, and economic change in the modern world. These interviews enhance the archival record with personal reflections, anecdotes, and insights. Topics range from civilian internment in the Philippines during World War II to US and Soviet relations under Mikhail Gorbachev.

The archives also works with Hoover fellows, the Stanford Historical Society, the Stanford Graduate School of Business, and others to conduct oral histories documenting the history of the Hoover Institution.

Below is a sampling of interviews conducted by individuals or groups and acquired by the Hoover Library & Archives: 

ELISABETH BURGOS-DEBRAY PAPERS - Interviews of Rigoberta Menchú conducted by Elisabeth Burgos-Debray and Arturo Taracena Arriola

JANE LEFTWICH CURRY COLLECTION - Interviews relating to Radio Free Europe broadcasts in Poland

DUSAN J. DJORDJEVICH INTERVIEW TRANSCRIPTS - Interviews of Serbian politicians and intellectuals, including Milovan Djilas, relating to the Yugoslav civil war

HERBERT HOOVER ORAL HISTORY PROGRAM INTERVIEWS - Interviews relating to the life and career of Herbert Hoover

IRANIAN AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY ORAL HISTORY PROJECT INTERVIEWS - Interviews of American diplomats relating to Iranian American relations during the 1960s and 1970s

MUʼASSASAT AL-DHĀKIRAH AL-ʼIRĀQĪYAH RECORDS - Video oral histories conducted as part of the Iraqi testimonies project

MAREK LEHNERT PAPERS - Interviews relating to political conditions in Poland

MICHAEL MCFAUL COLLECTION - Interviews of Russian political leaders conducted by McFaul from 1991 to 1993

PAUL NAVARRO COLLECTION - Interviews relating to the Partido Communista del Peru conducted by Navarro

RENEE REAM COLLECTION - Oral histories’ documenting the experiences of civilian internees in the Philippines during World War II

HERARD VON SANTOS M. INTERVIEWS - Interviews relating to guerrilla warfare and counterinsurgency operations in El Salvador during the 1970s and 1980s

Below is a sampling of interviews conducted by individuals or groups and acquired by the Hoover Institution Library & Archives:

CHICAGO BOYS AND LATIN AMERICAN MARKET REFORMERS COLLECTION - Interviews conducted by Hoover curator William Ratliff and Tobias Switzer

EASTERN EUROPEAN ORAL HISTORY PROJECT INTERVIEWS - Interviews of political and cultural figures from Poland, Romania, and Czechoslovakia conducted by Hoover archivist Laura Cosovanu

GDR ORAL HISTORY PROJECT INTERVIEWS - Oral histories of politicians, policy makers, and dissidents from the former German Democratic Republic

THE HOOVER INSTITUTION AND THE GORBACHEV FOUNDATION COLLECTION - Interviews of Soviet and US officials about Soviet foreign policy during the presidency of Mikhail Gorbachev

LATVIAN ORAL HISTORY PROJECT INTERVIEWS -  Interviews of Latvian leaders and officials concerning conditions in Latvia conducted by Hoover archivist David Jacobs

ERIC HART INTERVIEW - An oral history interview about social conditions in Germany and Allied military activities during World War II conducted by Hoover curator Brad Bauer

ALEXANDER LIOSNOFF PAPERS - Includes an oral history interview of Liosnoff by Hoover curator Brad Bauer

ANNALIESE GRUBE MUNETIC PAPERS - Includes an oral history of Munetic conducted by Hoover curator Brad Bauer

EDÉN PASTORA GÓMEZ INTERVIEWS - Interviews conducted by Hoover curator William Ratliff concerning the Nicaraguan revolution of 1979

ROSE BURGUNDER STYRON INTERVIEW - Interview of Styron and Ginetta Sagan by Elena Danielson, director of Hoover Archives

GEORGE EDWARD TAYLOR INTERVIEW - Interview concerning the role of the Far Eastern and Russian Institute in the development of area studies conducted by Hoover curator Ramon H. Myers

RICHARD LOUIS WALKER INTERVIEW - Interview about the development of area studies conducted by Hoover curator Ramon H. Meyers

BERTRAM DAVID WOLFE PAPERS - Interview of Ella Wolfe, wife of Bertram, by Hoover curator Ramon H. Myers in 1982