This collection contains materials relating to the personal and professional life of Martha J. Ross. Martha J. Ross was a leading oral historian as well as a professor of oral history. Born in Selma, Alabama she received her B.A. from the Alabama College for Women and went on to receive her M.A. in 20th Century American History from the University of Maryland. She taught at George Washington University from 1971-1972, and at the University of Maryland, College Park from 1972-1987. As a leader in the oral history field, Martha Ross was President of the Oral History Association (OHA) from 1984-1985. She was also a founding member and president of the Oral History Association of the Mid-Atlantic Region (OHMAR) from 1978-1979. Throughout her professional career Martha Ross provided oral history services to organizations such as the Washington Press Club Foundation, the National Park Service, National History Day, Society of American Archivists, Maryland Historical Society, and others. The collection provides information on the development of oral history as a form of primary source research as well as its use in cultural heritage preservation. The oral histories within the collection mainly focus on residents of Maryland and Prince George’s County while the professional literature about oral history in the collection originates from multiple local, regional, state, and national oral history organizations. The Martha J. Ross papers are comprised of oral history course materials, oral history transcripts and audio recordings, professional publications from oral history groups, and personal research materials.
