A Welcome From The Director
Welcome to the online home of the Samuel Proctor Oral History Program at the University of Florida! We are one of the premier oral history programs in the country. Our team of dedicated staff, students, and volunteers strive to make histories of Florida and the broader world accessible to scholars and the general public.
Our facilities are located in Pugh Hall, which is in the heart of the historic district of the University of Florida. Pugh Hall also houses the Bob Graham Center for Public Service.
SPOHP is dedicated to building on the legacies initiated in 1967 by our founder, UF Historian and Professor Emeritus Samuel Proctor. Our collection includes more than 5,300 oral histories, making it one of the largest oral history archives in the United States. Nearly one fifth of this diverse archive is composed of interviews with Native Americans.
Our archive and podcasts also feature strengths in women’s history, African American history, business and economic development, water & environmental policy, SEC sports, WWII, Latino experiences, University of Florida history and many other topics.
Samuel Proctor not only founded SPOHP; he was also a critical driving force behind the establishment of Jewish Studies at UF, and our collections are particularly rich in 20th century Jewish history including this remarkable group of interviews titled The History of the Jewish Community in El Salvador.
The collection is full of surprises. You can read an incredibly revealing interview on the development of modern journalism with Pulitzer Prize-winning author Dave Barry. We are also the premier repository of the oral history of the contested 2000 Presidential Election. With nearly 50 interviews, The Florida 2000 Election Project Collection opens a window into one of the most dramatic events in American history.
Gathering, transcribing, and making oral histories accessible all take resources. We are continually working on raising new funds to sustain our work. We encourage you to visit our support page today if you would like to contribute to our program. Please email or call us if you have questions about participating or volunteering your time with SPOHP.
Paul Ortiz
Director
If you are interested in the internship program, please fill out our intern application found
If you are interested in volunteering with SPOHP, please fill the application found
Save the date of our next public program!
Subscribe to SPOHP Podcasts on iTunes and have updates sent directly to your email!
Become a fan of the Samuel Proctor Oral History Program (SPOHP) on Facebook!
Subscribe to SPOHPs You Tube channel to watch interviews, clips of public programs, and more!
Listen to Proctor Podcasts! Stories of World War II, Womens activism & John DeGrove on Sustainable Development in Florida, among other narratives.
Enter SPOHPs Educators Portal for resources you can use in your classroom, including interviews, videos and more!
View photo galleries from our SPOHP events!
SPOHP is an official co-sponsor of the OHA's 2013 Annual Meeting in Oklahoma City, OK.
Access the listing of books in this amazing collection!
Learn more...
Help us preserve the voice of history by making a donation!
Access the 2013 Deed of Gift form here.
SPOHP Staff, Interns and Volunteers..Access the new SPOHP Virtual Billboard Here!
Access the new SPOHP Press Kits Here!