Interview with Terry L. Birdwhistell, June 9, 2015

Partial Transcript: Alright. So, um, we are--it's June 9th and we're sitting here with Terry Birdwhistell and--conducting an oral history interview for the Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, University of Kentucky Libraries.

Segment Synopsis: Terry Birdwhistell is introduced. He discusses the beginning of the Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History at the University of Kentucky in the 1970s. He talks about their early projects, which were mainly large-scope, focusing on the lives and careers of Kentucky politicians. He talks about oral history methods and equipment, as well as the philosophy of the Nunn Center in terms of experimenting with new ideas.

Keywords: "What if" approach; Access; Bill Cooper; Bill Marshall; Charles Atcher; Chief Justice Fred Vinson; Indexing; Institutional oral history movement; Jackie Kennedy Onassis; Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis; John Sherman Cooper Collection; Life history; Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History; Oral history projects; Public policy; Rapport; TAPE (Timed Access to Pertinent Excerpts); Thruston Morton; Transcription; Video recorders

Subjects: Kentucky--Politics and government; Oral history interview; Oral history recordings; Oral history--Methodology.; Politicians--Kentucky

Partial Transcript: And so all of that, uh, is sort of a framework for me sitting up on the third for of what's now the, the Little Fine Arts Library.

Segment Synopsis: Birdwhistell talks about the oral history project the Nunn Center was conducting on the life and career of John Sherman Cooper. He talks about Cooper's relationship with John and Jackie Kennedy which led Birdwhistell to consider interviewing Jackie Kennedy for the project. He talks about other interviews he had conducted with similarly prominent people which gave him some confidence in requesting an interview with Kennedy.

Keywords: Double dating; Friends; Jackie Kennedy Onassis; Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis; John F. Kennedy; John Sherman Cooper; Kennedys; Ladybird Johnson; Letters; Offices; Personal relationships; Preparation; President Gerald Ford; Senate; Technology; Topics

Subjects: Cooper, John Sherman, 1901-1991; Kennedy, John F. (John Fitzgerald), 1917-1963; Legislators--United States.; Onassis, Jacqueline Kennedy, 1929-1994; Oral history interview; Politicians--United States

Partial Transcript: Any rate, we got it all set up for this date. Do you have the date?

Segment Synopsis: Birdwhistell talks about traveling to New York and his struggle to navigate his way to the interview. He talks about his nervousness prior to the interview, and talks about Jackie Kennedy's attitude that this was a personal interview about her friend John Sherman Cooper. He talks about the equipment that he used for the interview.

Keywords: Cassette recorders; Clothing; David Ferrell; Jackie Kennedy Onassis; Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis; Microphones; Nervous; New York City (N.Y.); Personal

Subjects: Cooper, John Sherman, 1901-1991; New York (N.Y.); Onassis, Jacqueline Kennedy, 1929-1994; Oral history interview; Oral history--Methodology.; Politicians--United States; Sound--Equipment and supplies.

Partial Transcript: And, uh, this is where Murphy's Law kicked in.

Segment Synopsis: Birdwhistell talks about the technical difficulties he experienced with the earpiece of his recorder, and tells a story about an interview he conducted with Governor Wetherby where he also experienced technical problems. He talks about the types of questions he asked Jackie Kennedy, and her answers. He talks about how research prior to an interview can be part of a useful interview strategy.

Keywords: "Judge Cooper"; Details; Governor Lawrence Wetherby; Interview strategies; Jackie Kennedy Onassis; Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis; John F. Kennedy; John Sherman Cooper; Parties; Personal relationships; Questions; Research; Technical issues; Warren Commission

Subjects: Cooper, John Sherman, 1901-1991; Interviewing--Technique.; Kennedy, John F. (John Fitzgerald), 1917-1963; Onassis, Jacqueline Kennedy, 1929-1994; Oral history interview; Oral history recordings; Oral history--Methodology.; Politicians--United States; Sound--Equipment and supplies.

Partial Transcript: So how did you, uh, how did you get out? How did you--how did things wrap up?

Segment Synopsis: Birdwhistell talks about how Jackie Kennedy signed a release form for the interview with no questions, but says he received a call from her attorney later asking to renegotiate the terms of the release. He talks about why he chose not to publicize having conducted this interview. He talks about a biographer writing a book on Jackie Kennedy who came to the library to use the interview.

Keywords: Attitudes; Attorneys; Biographers; Exit; Jackie Kennedy Onassis; Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis; Personal details; Press releases; Publicity; Recording life; Release forms; Research; Tapes; Transcription

Subjects: Lawyers.; Legal forms.; Onassis, Jacqueline Kennedy, 1929-1994; Oral history interview; Oral history recordings; Oral history--Methodology.

Partial Transcript: Did you ever talk with, um, Cooper about this interview?

Segment Synopsis: Birdwhistell talks about why an oral history project was conducted on the life and career of John Sherman Cooper. He talks about Cooper's political career, his marriage to his wife Lorraine, and his career as an ambassador. Birdwhistell talks briefly about his wish to interview Caroline Kennedy. The interview is concluded.

Keywords: Ambassador to India; Caroline Kennedy; Conscience; County judges; East Germany; Importance; Jackie Kennedy Onassis; Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis; John Sherman Cooper; Lorraine Cooper; Nepal; Political careers; Senate; Senators; Voting

Subjects: Cooper, John Sherman, 1901-1991; Cooper, Lorraine; Kentucky--Politics and government; Legislators--United States.; Onassis, Jacqueline Kennedy, 1929-1994; Oral history interview; Political campaigns--Kentucky; Politicians--Kentucky