Archives Center, National Museum of American History

Video Game Pioneers Oral History Collection

Summary

Collection ID:
NMAH.AC.1498
Creators:
Jerome and Dorothy Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation.
Dates:
2017-2018
Languages:
English
.
Physical Description:
45.6 Gigabytes
19 .wav files
12 Documents
12 .pdf files
Repository:
Born-digital audio interviews and transcripts with individuals involved in the early development of video games.

Content Description

Content Description
Born-digital audio interviews and transcripts with video game pioneers: Allan Alcorn, Nolan Bushnell, Samuel "Ted" Dabney, Donald Daglow, Daniel Edwards, Martin Graetz, Brenda Laurel, Stephen Piner, Stephen Russell, Peter Samson, Robert Saunders, and Wayne Wiitanen.

Arrangement

Arrangement
The collection is arranged into two series.
Series1: Transcripts, 2017-2018
Series 2: Audio Files, 2017-2018

Historical

Historical
The oral histories in this collection were conducted as part of the Lemelson Center's Video Game Initiative launched in 2017 to preserve first-hand accounts of the invention, development, marketing, and play of video games. The oral histories capture the interviewees recollections, emotions, and other perspectives often missing from written records. The Video Game Initiative is intended to support scholarly and public history research; public engagement with science, engineering, and innovation; and future exhibitions at the National Museum of American History.

Administration

Author
Alison Oswald
Sponsor
The Smithsonian's Lemelson Center for the Study of Invention and Innovation gratefully acknowledges financial support from the Entertainment Software Association for this oral history project.
Accruals
Further oral histories are expected.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Made for the National Museum of American History.

Using the Collection

Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research. Access and use of born digital audio materials available in the Archives Center reading room.
Preferred Citation
Video Game Pioneers Oral History Collection, Archives Center, National Museum of American History
Conditions Governing Use
Collection items available for reproduction, but the Archives Center makes no guarantees concerning copyright restrictions. Other intellectual property rights may apply. Archives Center cost-recovery and use fees may apply when requesting reproductions.

Keywords

Keywords table of terms and types.
Keyword Terms Keyword Types
Video games Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Oral history -- 2010-2020 Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Transcripts Topical Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Video recordings Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Born digital Genre Form Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Bushnell, Nolan Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Laurel, Brenda Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Alcorn, Allan, 1948- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Dabney, Samuel Frederick "Ted", 1937-2018 Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Edwards, Daniel Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Daglow, Donald Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Graetz, Martin Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Piner, Stephen Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Russell, Stephen, 1937- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Samson, Peter, 1941- Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Saunders, Robert Alan Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Weaver, Christopher Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid
Wiitanen, Wayne Personal Name Search Smithsonian Collections Search ArchiveGrid

Archives Center, National Museum of American History
P.O. Box 37012
Suite 1100, MRC 601
Washington, D.C. 20013-7012
Business Number: Phone: 202-633-3270
Fax Number: Fax: 202-786-2453
archivescenter@si.edu