A Guide to the Texas High Sheriffs Oral History Collection, 1986-1987

Biographical Note

Thad Sitton, oral historian, received his Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin in the 1970s. He became interested in oral history as a Ph.D. student and his dissertation on the use of oral history in the classroom was expanded into the book Oral History: A Guide for Teachers and Others (1983). In 1983, Sitton collaborated with Baylor University to create the Texas Oral History Association. He runs various workshops on oral history and is an instructor at New College, St. Edwards University. He has interviewed both famous and non-famous Texans alike during his career. Furthermore, he has an extensive publishing career, which includes books like Every Sun That Rises: Wyatt Moore of Caddo Lake (1985), Texas High Sheriffs (1988), From Can See to Can’t: Texas Cotton Farmers on the Southern Prairies (1997), and Nameless Towns, Texas Sawmill Communities, 1880-1942 (1998).

Source: Texas Oral History Association, "Thad Sitton: Award Proclamation," http://www.baylor.edu/toha/index.php?id=29475 (accessed May 18, 2010)

Scope and Contents

The Texas High Sheriffs Oral History Collection consists of sixty-five, 60-minute oral history interviews on audiocassettes (1986-1997, 2008), plus signed releases for most interviewees. The collection consists of interviews with Texas sheriffs conducted by Thad Sitton. Sitton wrote a book based on the interviews entitled Texas High Sheriffs. In 2008, the audiocassettes were transferred to DVDs, which are housed with the collection.

Restrictions

Access Restrictions

The collection is open for research use.

Administrative Information

Preferred Citation

Texas High Sheriffs Oral History Collection, 1986-1997, 2008, Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The University of Texas at Austin.

Processing Information

Basic processing and cataloging of this collection was supported with funds from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) for the Briscoe Center’s “History Revealed: Bringing Collections to Light project,” 2009-2011.

Detailed Description of the Papers