Doris A. Paul collection

Collection

Identifier: 00250

Staff Only

Scope and Content

The collection contains taped interviews by Doris Paul of Navajo Marines who served as code talkers during World War II. Also interviewed were members of the Navajo Nation government and cultural institutions, a U.S. Marine 4th Division Reunion Chairman, and Philip Johnston, the initiator of the code talker program. The interviews were used for writing her book "The Navajo Code Talkers" (1973). Also included is a taped recording of a banquet in 1975 honoring the code talkers following the Tournament of Roses parade.

There is also correspondence between Paul and the University Archives including her notes. The correspondence, which has been redacted, contains background information about the interviews. The archivists' notes include details about the quality of the recordings and the content of the interviews.

Dates

Creation: 1971 - 2015

Creator

Paul, Doris Atkinson (Interviewer, Person)
Anderson, Eugene, 1911- (Interviewee, Person)
Balbos, E. J. (Interviewee, Person)
Benally, John Ashi, 1917-1980 (Interviewee, Person)
Blatchford, Paul H., 1917-2003 (Interviewee, Person)
Brown, John, Jr., 1921-2009 (Interviewee, Person)
Burr, Sandy, 1924-1997 (Interviewee, Person)
Cannon, Lee (Interviewee, Person)
Claw, John (Interviewee, Person)
Draper, Teddy (Interviewee, Person)
Evans, Ted (Interviewee, Person)
Gorman, Carl Nelson, 1907-1998 (Interviewee, Person)
Hickman, Dean, 1914-1982 (Interviewee, Person)
Holiday, Samuel, 1924- (Interviewee, Person)
House, Lloyd (Interviewee, Person)
Johnston, Philip, approximately 1892-1978 (Interviewee, Person)
King, Jimmie Kelly (Interviewee, Person)
Link, Martin (Interviewee, Person)
McCabe, William, 1913-1969 (Interviewee, Person)
Nakai, Raymond (Interviewee, Person)
Sandoval, Peter (Interviewee, Person)
Silversmith, Sam, 1923-2001 (Interviewee, Person)
Smith, Albert (Interviewee, Person)
Thompson, Frank Tsosie, 1920-2008 (Interviewee, Person)
Wilson, William Dean, 1923-1999 (Interviewee, Person)

Language of Materials

Some of the materials are in Navajo.

Conditions Governing Access

Collection is open for research.

Conditions Governing Use

Permission to publish material from this collection must be obtained from University Archives & Historical Collections, Michigan State University.

Biographical Note

Doris A. Paul was born in Upland, Indiana. She received her Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Music Education degrees from Taylor University and pursued her education in music at Northwestern University and at the University of Michigan, where she received her Master of Music degree. She has pursued a career both as a writer and a musician.

Paul's work has been extensively published, including articles in periodicals such as Music Journal, Today's Health, and the New York Times. Paul wrote the book "The Navajo Code Talkers" in 1973.

Extent

1 Cubic Feet (6 folders, 12 cassettes)

Additional Description

Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements

All of the cassette tapes have been digitized.

Related Materials

Similar materials are held by Archives West (University of Utah Libraries, Special Collections), MS 0504 Navajo Code Talkers oral histories. http://archiveswest.orbiscascade.org/ark:/80444/xv32742

Also of note: Gorman, Zonnie. "The Navajo Code Talkers of World War II: The First Twenty-Nine." (2015) https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/hist_etds/32/

Legal Status

Donor(s) have transferred any applicable copyright to Michigan State University but the collection may contain third-party materials for which copyright was not transferred. Copyright restrictions may apply. Property Rights: Michigan State University.

Processing Information

Processing began in 2001. During that period, it appears that a review of the tapes was done. The notes from this are included in this collection. Final processing and cassette digitization was completed in 2015.

Some correspondence between Paul and the Director of the University Archives was included to provide background information about the interviews and quality of the recordings, as well as an explanation about the disposition of the other tapes and materials. The correspondence was redacted to remove personal information and discussion of copyright.