The first 35 folders contain materials from a History class at the University of North Dakota in 1974 titled "North Dakota in the Depression." Students in the class interviewed North Dakotans about their experiences during the Great Depression. In some cases, a transcription of the interview is included.
The remaining items result from a 1999 oral history project by the Walsh County Historical Preservation Commission. These interviews were recorded on audiocassettes and transcribed, and then were given to Dr. Kim Porter of the UND History Department, who then donated them to the Elwyn B. Robinson Department of Special Collections.