Telling the Corpus Christi Story

Humanities Texas Brings Together Institutions to Record Local History

Corpus Christi, Texas –The Friends of Corpus Christi Public Libraries received a community grant from Humanities Texas to record and disseminate local history.  The project will bring together Corpus Christi Public Libraries, Del Mar College, Texas A&M University-Kingsville and Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. 

Students from each educational institution, under the direction of their professors, will interview community members from diverse backgrounds, including educators, musicians and veterans. The audio clips will be placed on the Corpus Christi Public Libraries’ Digital Archives web page for public access. Researchers will also have access to interview transcriptions.

Telling the Corpus Christi Story will appeal to individuals researching the history and genealogy of the Corpus Christi area. Online accessibility will make these oral histories available to anyone seeking first-hand accounts from individuals living in Corpus Christi during the 1900s.

Save the date for the following project events:

Sunday, October 16, 2016 - Hispanic Heritage Month - Ben F. McDonald Public Library

Annual Induction honoring Tejano Music and Achievement – Premiere oral histories that have been added to the library’s digital archives.

Friday, October 21, 2016 – Virtual Genealogy Conference – La Retama Central Library

Unveil oral history web page to local attendees at genealogy conference.

Friday, November 11, 2016 – Veteran’s Day Celebration – La Retama Central Library

Unveil veterans’ component of oral history web page.

Participating project advisors are Mark Robbins, Ph.D. Associate Professor of History, Del Mar College; Christine Reiser-Robbins, Ph.D. Assistant Professor of Anthropology, Texas A&M University-Kingsville; Laura K. Muñoz, Ph.D. Associate Professor of History, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi.

This project is made possible in part by a grant from Humanities Texas, the state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities and by the Friends of Corpus Christi Public Libraries.

For more information contact Managing Librarian Dorothea Castañón at (361) 826-7070, (361) 826-2356 or dorotheac@cctexas.com.