Maine Government News
George J. Mitchell Oral History Project Wins Award
August 2, 2012
Maine State Library
Linda Lord
State Librarian
(207) 287-5620
Judy Montgomery
Acting Librarian, Bowdoin College
(207) 725-3280
Hearty congratulations to Bowdoin College Library upon winning the 2012 Elizabeth B. Mason Award for its outstanding oral history project about George Mitchell. His extraordinary service to Maine and our country will make this a unique and valuable resource for researchers for years to come.
The George J. Mitchell Oral History Project has earned the 2012 Elizabeth B. Mason Major Project Award, which is given biennially by the Oral History Association to an outstanding English language oral history project worldwide. The award recognizes projects of noteworthy scholarly and social value that also advance both the understanding of an important historical subject and the practice of oral history.
Under the auspices of the Bowdoin College Library, project director Andrea L’Hommedieu, field interviewers Mike Hastings, Diane Dewhirst, and Brien Williams, and transcriptionist Nicci Leamon amassed over 200 oral histories from people in former Sen. George Mitchell ’54′s life. Interviewees include Mitchell’s Waterville, Maine, friends; family members; college classmates; Maine legislators; political associates and competitors; campaign supporters; U.S. Senate colleagues and staff members; foreign policy specialists; law practice associates; and others. Cumulatively, their spoken accounts document Mitchell’s life and career from early childhood onward, with particular emphasis on his public service to Maine and to the nation. They complement Mitchell’s personal papers, which are also held by Bowdoin.
The oral histories are fully searchable and available for listening, reading, and downloading at: http://digitalcommons.bowdoin.edu/mitchelloralhistory/
For additional information, please contact Richard Lindemann, Director, George J. Mitchell Department of Special Collections & Archives, Bowdoin College Library at rlindema@bowdoin.edu
