Collections : [James Madison University]

James Madison University

Second Floor Room 203, MSC 1704
Carrier Library
James Madison University
880 Madison Drive
Harrisonburg, VA 22807
Primary Collecting Areas:
JMU History, Local history, Shenandoah Living Archive, Shenandoah National Park Oral Histories, Pulp Fiction Collection, Artists' Book Collection, Juvenile Collection, Rare Books and Manuscripts
Description:
JMU Special Collections documents the central Shenandoah Valley region as well as the history of James Madison University. Special Collections includes strong collections of Pulp Fiction magazines, Artists' Books, and a Juvenile Literature collection created in support of JMU's history as a teacher's college. Special Collections collaborates with faculty, alumni, liaison librarians, and community members in identifying and collecting rare and historic materials for use in instruction and research.
POC: Tiffany Cole
Phone: (540) 568-3444
Phone: (540) 568-3612
Fax: (540) 568-3405
Start Over Repository James Madison University Level File

Zee Alkhater interviewed by Corinne Martin 519 Megabytes 1 digital file 29 Megabytes 1 digital file 0:31:28 Duration (HH:MM:SS.mmm)

Records the reminiscences of Zee Alkhater, an immigrant from Iraq who fled to Syria, emigrating nine years later, on July 29, 2012, from Syria to Modesto, California. Alkhater relocated to Woodbridge, Virginia, and eventually settled with her two children in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Discusses her experience living in Harrisonburg, xenophobia, Bachelor's degree, and foreign education evaluation in the United States. Describes support for immigrants in Harrisonburg, resilience, culture, intimate community relations in Syrian culture, and hopes for better cultural representation in Harrisonburg. Alkhater also comments on plans to visit Syria with her children. Topics discussed include cultural adaptation, maintenance of home culture, and the challenge of sustaining one's native language and culture with children. Alkhater discloses her experience with violence in Syria and the birth of her two children amid the Syrian civil war. Alkhater also discusses her work as an animation writer in Syria and her aspirations to become a novelist. Finally, Alkhater reflects on what has helped her through hardship and the lessons her experience has taught her.

  1. James Madison University
  2. Immigrant narratives project oral histories
  3. Oral History Interviews

Zenith Shifflett Sampson interviewed by Chris Brasted, transcribed by Tiffany Cole

Records an interview with Zenith Sampson, (née Shifflett), who lived on Lewis Mountain, in Greene County, Virginia, within the future boundaries of Shenandoah National Park. Describes daily life in the mountains, touching on the work of growing and preserving food, the apple and chestnut harvests, bark peeling, and other local economic activities. Recalls popular community events, such as apple butter boilings, quilting and bean stringing parties, church gatherings and barn dances. Mrs. Sampson also recollects the earliest days of Skyline Drive and the impact it had on various mountain communities. At the time of the interview, Chris Brasted was an editor for the Greene County Record newspaper. His interview with Zenith Sampson was the basis for his Life in the Mountains article published in the newspaper on April 1, 1993. A photocopy facsimile of the article is included with the transcript.

  1. James Madison University
  2. Shenandoah National Park oral histories

Content Warning

ARVAS is an aggregator of archival resources. ARVAS does not have control of the descriptive language used in our members’ finding aids.

Finding aids may contain historical terms and phrases, reflecting the shared attitudes and values of the community from which they were collected, but are offensive to modern readers. These include demeaning and dehumanizing references to race, ethnicity, and nationality; enslaved or free status; physical or mental ability; religion; sex; and sexual orientation and gender identity.

Many institutions and organizations are in the process of reviewing and revising their descriptive language, with the intent to describe materials in more humanizing, inclusive, and harm-reductive ways. As members revise their descriptive language, their changes will eventually be reflected in their ARVAS finding aids.

Limit your search