Begun in 1964 with a grant from the Carnegie Corporation, the oral history program is one of the oldest continuing activities of the John F. Kennedy Library. Modeled on the Columbia University oral history program, its goal is to collect, preserve, and make available interviews conducted with individuals who have recollections of events and people associated with John F. Kennedy. The tapes and transcripts are meant to be a supplement to documentary research and are best used in conjunction with other library holdings.
The collection totals more than 1,100 interviews. Interviews that have been transcribed and accessioned by the library are listed alphabetically by the last name of the person interviewed. They are open to research on an unrestricted basis unless otherwise indicated. Any restrictions on access, copying, or quotation are set by the interviewee as a condition of granting the interview and for permitting it to be included in the collection. Restrictions are largely self-explanatory. Additional listings are made as interviews are accessioned or opened to research.
Oral history interviews have become part of the permanent historical record of our culture, and promote an increased appreciation of America's political and cultural heritage, the process of governing and the importance of public service. In creating and accepting such interviews into the John F. Kennedy Library we accept the responsibility for preserving the materials and making them accessible to researchers.
Interviews are not intended to be memorials to President Kennedy. They are meant to contribute to a more complete understanding of John F. Kennedy's life, of his Presidency, and of the major events and personalities of his time. Wide-ranging, the Oral History Collection includes interviews with members of Congress, administration officials, national, state, and local political leaders, business and labor leaders, journalists, civil rights leaders, foreign government officials, private individuals and even people who opposed Kennedy administration policies.
The Collection includes a lengthy series of interviews about Robert F. Kennedy concentrating on his role as advisor to John F. Kennedy, as Attorney General of the United States, Senator from New York, and candidate for the Presidency in 1968.
The Collection also contains copies of interviews conducted by other institutions such as the Lyndon Baines Johnson Library, Columbia University, the U.S. Senate Historical Office and others.
In most cases, the interviewee reviews the transcript and makes some changes or corrections to the verbatim record prior to its release for research use. These are chiefly additions or corrections of fact or modifications in the flow of thought. In some cases, there are deletions or additions of substantive material. The transcript, therefore, represents the interviewee's considered judgment as to what he or she believes should stand as the historical record. For this reason, although researchers may listen to reference copies of tapes of unrestricted interviews for background information, citation and quotation are limited to the final transcript form.
Each person interviewed may attach conditions to the use of the tape and transcript of his or her interview. These conditions are incorporated into a legal agreement between the interviewee and the National Archives and are scrupulously followed by the staff of the Kennedy Library.
Research Use of the Oral History Interviews
In some cases, the transcript or an oral history interview may be used only with the written permission of the person interviewed. It is the researcher's responsibility to obtain permission directly from the donor to see a "permission required" interview. The staff of the Kennedy Library does not act as an agent or intermediary to obtain permission. The oral history permission request form may be used in order to request permission from a donor. Addresses of most donors can be found in a current edition of Who's Who in America or other such biographical directories. Library staff can provide current addresses for many donors who are not listed in these sources. Name and subject indexes to open interviews are available in the main research room. Most open interviews may also be borrowed through the library's interlibrary loan service.
Researchers may listen to open interview tapes if a reference copy is available. Tapes are retained for background purposes, so that the researcher may better understand the personality of the interviewee and the atmosphere of the interview. Use of the tapes must follow any restrictions placed by the donating interviewee in his or her deed of gift.
Unless specific restrictions are included in the foreword to an interview transcript, researchers may quote, paraphrase, or cite the transcript in publications. The preferred form of citation is listed on our conducting research page.
Direct quotations from transcripts in which the donor has retained copyright are limited to brief portions allowable under the doctrine of "fair use" written into the copyright law of the United States, sections 107 and 108. Permission to quote more extensive portions of these transcripts, or to publish entire transcripts must be obtained from the donor or his heirs.
Unless specifically prohibited by donor restrictions, the library provides copies of transcripts or portions of transcripts at fees set by the National Archives and Records Administration .
Researchers who use the oral history collection or other library holdings are encouraged to donate books, articles, research papers, dissertations, theses, and other products of research to the library to make its printed materials collections as definitive as possible. The library also welcomes the donation or deposit of tapes or transcripts of interviews conducted by researchers with associates of President Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, or others who have participated in the political and historical events of mid-20th-century America.