History of Louisiana Cooperative Extension Services

Oral History

Information

Size: 11 interviews on 16 recordings

Time period covered: 1940s - present

Dates of interviews: 2014 - 2015

Principal Interviewers: Wyatt Winnie, Cristina Caminita, Jennifer Abraham, Chelsea Arseneault

Finding Aids: Abstracts

Audio Availability: MP3

Processing Status: All interviews are cataloged

Access Restrictions: None

Description: This project is a collaboration between LSU Libraries, the LSU AgCenter, and the LSU College of Agriculture. In celebration of the centennial of the Smith-Lever Act, this oral history project documents the impact of Cooperative Extension Services on the state of Louisiana. The Smith-Lever Act, passed in 1914, helped finance outreach endeavors through Land-Grant Universities, allowing for Cooperative Extension Services across the nation to present research-based information to the public.

This series on Louisiana Cooperative Extension Services includes personal stories told by LCES professionals. Topics include experiences in 4-H clubs, LCES' impact on recovery after natural disasters, livestock shows, the role of research, the impact of mechanization on farming, and more. Many interviewees discuss their upbringing and early education as it relates to their later experience with LCES.