The Shirley Bird Perry University of Texas Oral History Project is a five-year initiative dedicated to creating an archive of interviews focused on the institutional and cultural history of The University of Texas at Austin and The University of Texas System. The project is a collaborative effort between the Office of the President and the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History. The resulting interviews provide significant source material for students and researchers, not only of the history of The University, but also the history of Texas and higher education during the last fifty years. These candid and detailed interviews capture not only the experiences and insights of those who have shaped The University of Texas at Austin and The University of Texas System, they capture the very spirit and character of The University itself.

These interviews contain the recollections of individuals who have had the greatest impact on The University, such as presidents, vice presidents, deans, prominent faculty, and ex-students. Interviews also capture the perspective of The University of Texas System, the Board of Regents, chancellors, donors, and others who have made significant contributions to UT Austin. These interviews (both video and audio) and their associated transcripts are now made available to researchers and the public.

The project is named for Shirley Bird Perry. In addition to heading the project from 2005 to 2011, Perry was a lifelong advocate of preserving the history of The University of Texas.