Audio Recordings: Reel to Reels

RG11.1

This collection ranges from about 1956 to 1986, with the bulk of the recording taking place 1960-1985. Many, but not all, of the recordings were recorded by and purchased from WFDD, Wake Forest University's NPR Station. The recordings include commencement speeches, presidential inaugurations, convocation speeches, and other university events and lectures.

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Collection Overview

This collection of audio recordings on reel is part of the larger holdings of Audio Recording formats. These reel to reels are a significant representation of campus activities from 1960-19805. Many notable speeches, debates, and events that happened on Wake Forest's campus were recorded by WFDD and eventually were purchased by the University Archives. Wake Forest's James Ralph Scales, Bynum Shaw, and Phyllis Tribble are a few represented speakers. Other notable speakers include Howard Zinn, Bill Moyers, Harold Hayes, Betty Friedan, and Strom Thurmond to name a few. This record group captures the culture of the University campus as well as the culture of the South and the United States during times of unprecedented change. Students, faculty, administration, and notable outsiders make up series' more than 500 speakers in the group. A few reels are undated.

Collection Arrangement

The reels are listed by title and speaker, if available, and are organized in no specific order.

Administrative Information

Publication Information
Processed by Charles Huffstetler and Rebecca Petersen, 2012 November
Access Restrictions
University Archives is unable to provide appropriate listening equipment at this time. As digital surrogates become available, they will be in Digital Collections, University Archives Audio Recordings Reel to Reel Collection. 
Custodial History
Many of the recordings were purchased from WFDD. 
Existence of Copies
Digital surrogates may be available for recordings. See the related collection in Digital Collections to access digitized reel recordings. 
Preferred Citation
Audio Recordings: Reel to Reels (RG11.1), Z. Smith Reynolds Library Special Collections and Archives, Wake Forest University, Winston-Salem, NC, USA. 

Collection Inventory

  • Speakers
  • University Events