About the Montana Constitutional Convention Oral History Collection

The Montana Constitutional Convention Oral History Collection

What is it?

Oral histories conducted in 2021-2022 with some of the delegates to Montana's 1972 Constitutional Convention. Of the original 100 delegates, eleven were known to be alive at the time of the project. The six delegate interviews represent all those willing and able to be interviewed for this project: Mae Nan (Robinson) Ellingson, Arlyne Reichert, Jerome Leondorf, Lyle Monroe, Gene Harbaugh, and Wade Dahood. In addition, the project completed interviews with longtime capital reporter Chuck Johnson; with Max Baucus, who was on the staff of the convention; and a roundtable with researchers Rick Applegate, Bruce Sievers, and James Grady. There is also a recording of the March 22, 2022, celebration at Montana State University with a presentation of a video created from the oral histories and a panel discussion. The project was a collaboration of the MSU Library, MSU President's Office, Vice President of Communications Tracy Ellig, MSU alumnus Sarah Vowell, the Montana Free Press, and Montana PBS.

Preferred Citation

[Identification of item], Montana Constitutional Convention Oral History Collection, Montana State University (MSU) Library, Bozeman, MT, [Item permalink or DOI]

Copyright Notice

Whenever possible, the Montana State University Library provides information about copyright in our digital collections records. We often do not own the rights in materials, and as such do not grant permissions for their use. Permissions and fees may be required from the individual copyright holder for uses beyond what is allowed based on U.S. Copyright Law (http://www.copyright.gov/fair-use/).

Please attempt to determine if an item is protected by copyright and follow any copyright or use restrictions when applicable. Written permission from the copyright holder is required for reproduction of protected items beyond what is allowed by fair use or other exemptions. These materials may be used for personal use, research, teaching (including distribution to classes), or any "fair use" as defined by U.S. copyright laws.

For more information please contact Archives and Special Collections at the Montana State University Library or Leila Sterman, Scholarly Communication Librarian.

Use of Artificial Intelligence & Tools

Montana State University Library allows the use of artificial intelligence (AI) technologies and tools with its digital collections for noncommercial educational, scholarly, and research purposes only.

Users are permitted to make content accessible to other users in any legal manner, use content to train AI models or create large language models (LLMs) for nonprofit educational, scholarly, or research purposes, with proper attribution to the MSU Library, and incorporate AI-generated content or derivatives in academic works (e.g., presentations, books, articles) with proper credit and acknowledgment of the original product(s). These uses must adhere to U.S. Copyright Law, MSU Library policies, and ethical guidelines for AI in academic and scholarly contexts.

Users are not permitted to use MSU Library content for creating commercial products or proprietary services and should avoid actions that will disrupt the functionality, integrity, or accessibility of the content, such as altering metadata, reformatting digital files, or impeding access for other users.

Harmful Language and AI

When using artificial intelligence (AI) technologies and tools with resources held by the MSU Library, an AI system may encounter and process historical materials containing language or content that is now recognized as harmful, offensive, or discriminatory. These materials do not reflect the views of the MSU Library or its staff but have been preserved to maintain the integrity of the historical record and to provide a complete and accurate representation of the past. The MSU Library is not liable for any damage(s) resulting from the processing of such language by AI systems, and users are encouraged to approach these materials with appropriate historical and ethical sensitivity.

Back to Montana Constitutional Convention Oral History Collection Homepage