FRANK
ERWIN


 

I developed and supervised every aspect of this history project on the life of Frank C. Erwin (1920-1980), Jr., the controversial chairman of The University of Texas Board of Regents (1966-1971) and Democratic Party leader. The project created for the first time a large archive of materials and oral interviews. My role as director included visualizing the scope of the project; hiring and supervising a staff of nine, including archivists, transcribers, researchers, and narrative consultants; controlling an annual budget of over $100,000; creating a master list of oral history interviews; conducting and editing those interviews; and producing chapter background material. The project interviewed close to 200 individuals, among them Erwin's friends and colleagues--many powerful state and national figures--in addition to radical students who vocally opposed him. I conducted over 100 of these interviews, which included Lady Bird Johnson, Ralph Yarborough, Barbara Jordan, George Christian, Ann Richards, Frances Farenthold, and John Silber.