Duke Medical Center Archives Blog Category: Collection Highlights

Over the past year, we’ve highlighted the Medical Center Archives’ rich oral history collection of over 350 interviews spanning from the 1960s to present day. In Part 6 of this series, we revisit the previous pieces (see below) and remind readers that while this series is over, the Archives’ Oral History Program continues to grow as we add more oral histories interviews to capture the medical center’s history in the words of the individuals who witnessed and participated in that history. Part 1: “Oral Histories at the Medical Center Archives"This article outlined what an oral history is and the types of oral histories held at the Medical Center Archives. Part 2:… MORE

Category: Collection Highlights

This is Part 5 of a multi part series on oral histories at the Medical Center Archives.

Duke COVID-19 website screenshot

Virtual COVID-19 Towns Halls
Posted On: April 27, 2022 by Rebecca Williams

In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, Duke Health assembled a COVID-19 Response Team (now named Duke Health Leadership). Along with Duke Health Nursing, they began to hold virtual town halls where they discussed Duke Health’s and Duke Nursing’s clinical response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Each town hall had a theme, panelists, and a Q&A session for participants. Some themes included: COVID-19 patient surge preparations, COVID-19 testing, nursing issues, PPE, COVID-19 patient care, clinical and operations updates, COVID-19 vaccine, return to school, Duke Health’s voter registration and turnout initiative for the 2020 elections, and Moments to Movement (Duke Health’s collective stand against systemic racism and injustice). These videos are available for viewing as a continuing… MORE

Category: Collection Highlights

David C. Sabiston

Dr. David Sabiston Oral History Project at the Medical Center Archives
Posted On: March 16, 2022 by Rebecca Williams

This is Part 4 of a multi part series on oral histories at the Medical Center Archives.

Prentiss Lee Harrison

Black History Oral Histories at the Medical Center Archives
Posted On: February 25, 2022 by Rebecca Williams

This is Part 3 of a multi part series on oral histories at the Medical Center Archives. Part 1 “Oral Histories at the Medical Center Archives” outlines what an oral history is and the types of oral histories held at the Medical Center Archives. Part 2 “Women in Duke Health Oral Histories at the Medical Center Archives” highlights the oral history interviews with Duke women and showcases an online exhibit about these interviews.  This month, we are highlighting the oral history interviews in our collection that… MORE

Category: News, Collection Highlights

Prentiss Lee Harrison

Black History Oral Histories at the Medical Center Archives
Posted On: February 25, 2022 by Rebecca Williams

This is Part 3 of a multi part series on oral histories at the Medical Center Archives. Part 1 “Oral Histories at the Medical Center Archives” outlines what an oral history is and the types of oral histories held at the Medical Center Archives. Part 2 “Women in Duke Health Oral Histories at the Medical Center Archives” highlights the oral history interviews with Duke women and showcases an online exhibit about these interviews.  This month, we are highlighting the oral history interviews in our collection that… MORE

Category: News, Collection Highlights

Michelle Winn and Nancy Allen

Women in Duke Health Oral Histories at the Medical Center Archives
Posted On: January 24, 2022 by Rebecca Williams

This is Part 2 of a multi part series on oral histories at the Medical Center Archives. Part 1 “Oral Histories at the Medical Center Archives” outlines what an oral history is and the types of oral histories held at the Medical Center Archives.

An oral history is an interview that records an individual’s personal recollections of the past and historical events. The Women in Duke Health oral history project began in the fall of 2006, when Jessica Roseberry, who at the time was the Oral History Program Coordinator at the Medical Center Archives, was approached by Dr. Ann Brown, Associate Vice Dean for Faculty Development; Director, Duke Academic… MORE

Category: Collection Highlights

The Duke University Medical Center Archives (DUMCA) actively collects the official records of the DUMC and DUHS departments and divisions, including a variety of materials that provide evidence of business, interests, and activities through the years. In doing so, the DUMCA serves as the institutional memory of the DUMC and DUHS by collecting, preserving, and making accessible materials that provide evidence of day to operations. Guided by our collection development policy, we strive to document the intellectual, administrative, social, cultural, and visual history of the DUMC and DUHS in order to provide evidence of past actions and contribute to an understanding of the structure and history of the DUMC and DUHS. See below for a listing of materials added to the DUMCA. The types of… MORE

Category: News, Collection Highlights

The Duke University Medical Center Archives (DUMCA) actively collects the official records of the DUMC and DUHS departments and divisions, including a variety of materials that provide evidence of business, interests, and activities through the years. In doing so, the DUMCA serves as the institutional memory of the DUMC and DUHS by collecting, preserving, and making accessible materials that provide evidence of day to operations. Guided by our collection development policy, we strive to document the intellectual, administrative, social, cultural, and visual history of the DUMC and DUHS in order to provide evidence of past actions and contribute to an understanding of the structure and history of the DUMC and DUHS. See below for a listing of materials added to the DUMCA. The types of… MORE

Category: News, Collection Highlights

Dr. Charles Johnson

Remembering Dr. Charles Johnson
Posted On: December 17, 2021 by Rebecca Williams

The Duke Community was saddened to learn of the passing of Dr. Charles Johnson. He joined Duke in 1970 as the first Black faculty member in the School of Medicine and first Black physician on the faculty of Duke University. He was an important and vital pioneer at the School of Medicine.

In a 1990 article, the late Dr. Onye Akwari, the first Black professor of surgery, commented that “I don’t think people realize what Charlie has done in this institution. Charlie and Jim Carter [a psychiatrist who joined the faculty in 1971] were the initial black physicians in the institution, and these were very difficult days. They have served as the shields behind… MORE

Category: News, Collection Highlights

Dr. Charles Johnson

Remembering Dr. Charles Johnson
Posted On: December 17, 2021 by Rebecca Williams

The Duke Community was saddened to learn of the passing of Dr. Charles Johnson. He joined Duke in 1970 as the first Black faculty member in the School of Medicine and first Black physician on the faculty of Duke University. He was an important and vital pioneer at the School of Medicine.

In a 1990 article, the late Dr. Onye Akwari, the first Black professor of surgery, commented that “I don’t think people realize what Charlie has done in this institution. Charlie and Jim Carter [a psychiatrist who joined the faculty in 1971] were the initial black physicians in the institution, and these were very difficult days. They have served as the shields behind… MORE

Category: News, Collection Highlights

Group conversation

Student Groups Records at the Medical Center Archives
Posted On: August 2, 2021 by Rebecca Williams

The Medical Center Archives is happy to announce the addition of the following student groups to its collections’ holdings: Duke Chapter of the American Medical Women's Association Records The American Medical Women's Association (AMWA), founded in 1915, is an organization which functions at the local, national, and international level to advocate for the advancement of women in medicine and for the improvement of women's health. Contains records pertaining to the operations of the Duke Chapter of the AMWA. Materials date from 2019 to 2020 … MORE

Category: Collection Highlights

headphones and microphone

Oral Histories at the Medical Center Archives
Posted On: August 2, 2021 by Rebecca Williams

An oral history is an interview that records an individual’s personal recollections of the past and historical events. Using this method of gathering, preserving, and interpreting ensures that the voices and memories of people, communities, and participants are added to the historical record. Oral histories are conducted by a well prepared interviewer questioning an interviewee and recording their subsequent discussion in an audio or video format. Afterwards, the recording of the interview is transcribed to create a transcript and added to the holdings of a library or archives where it should be cataloged to make it discoverable by future users. Did you know that the Medical Center Archives houses a robust oral history collection of over 350 interviews? These oral histories date to as… MORE

Category: Collection Highlights

Joanne AP Wilson and Jane Richardson

Women in Duke Health Exhibit
Posted On: March 11, 2021 by Rebecca Williams

Duke Medical Center Library & Archives is debuting a newly redesigned and updated online exhibit of Women in Duke Health just in time for Women's History Month.

Highlighting women in multiple fields at Duke, many of which were pioneers or firsts in their disciplines, this exhibit looks at their stories and the context in which those stories took place. The primary method of inquiry for context in this exhibit was via oral histories, a unique format that allows for both.

This historical perspective is presented through individual profiles and interviews, a general timeline of events, and background interviews conducted with people who have a longtime view of Duke Medicine. For most… MORE

Category: News, Collection Highlights

Joanne AP Wilson and Jane Richardson

Women in Duke Health Exhibit
Posted On: March 11, 2021 by Rebecca Williams

Duke Medical Center Library & Archives is debuting a newly redesigned and updated online exhibit of Women in Duke Health just in time for Women's History Month.

Highlighting women in multiple fields at Duke, many of which were pioneers or firsts in their disciplines, this exhibit looks at their stories and the context in which those stories took place. The primary method of inquiry for context in this exhibit was via oral histories, a unique format that allows for both.

This historical perspective is presented through individual profiles and interviews, a general timeline of events, and background interviews conducted with people who have a longtime view of Duke Medicine. For most… MORE

Category: News, Collection Highlights