Edmund S. Muskie Oral History Collection

The Edmund S. Muskie Oral History Collection is composed of more than 400 interviews with individuals who knew, affected, or were affected by Senator Edmund S. Muskie in the course of his life and career. A native of Rumford, Maine, and member of the Bates class of 1936, Muskie went on to become Maine governor, U.S. senator, U.S. secretary of state and a candidate for the White House.

Interviews were primarily conducted between 1998 and 2007 by Don Nicoll, Andrea L'Hommedieu, and other project staff as part of the Muskie Oral History Project, one of the largest and most comprehensive oral history projects ever undertaken of a modern political figure. Interviewees include Senator Muskie's childhood friends and acquaintances, college contemporaries, Maine legislators, political associates and competitors, reporters and editors, campaign supporters, gubernatorial and Senate office staff, Senate colleagues and committee staff members, public agency officials, lobbyists, State Department officials, foreign policy specialists, law practice associates, public policy advocates, citizens associated with Senator Muskie in a variety of programs, and friends. Opinions and topics vary broadly, collectively providing a multifaceted and nuanced picture of Muskie's contributions to Maine, to the United States, and to the world.

Each interview is documented with a transcript and summary information, containing biographical information about the interviewee and an abstract of the interview. For more information about the collection, please see the Muskie Oral History Collection finding aid. Funding for the creation, processing, and online publication of the Muskie Oral History Collection was generously provided by the Edmund S. Muskie Foundation.

The Muskie Oral History project was the recipient of the Oral History Association's 2008 Elizabeth B. Mason Major Project Award, for outstanding use of oral history.