1986-1987
In the early 1970s, the Historical Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention sought to develop a formal Oral History Program. The purpose of the program was to gather the oral memoirs or recollections of individuals who were first-had participants in important and significant events. The Commission determined that a program entitled Southern Baptist Convention Leaders was of primary importance. A list was compiled of significant living individuals within the SBC, and plans began to interview them systematically. Historical Commission Director and Assistant Director Drs. Lynn E. May, Jr. and A. Ronald Tonks conducted the interviews in the 1980s, and Commission staff transcribed the audio recordings and prepared the final transcripts for indexing and binding. These oral history recordings were recorded onto reel-to-reel tape. Some interviews were conducted over multiple sessions.
