Oral history is a method of gathering, preserving and interpreting the voices and memories of people, communities, and participants in past events. These first-person accounts are by some of the many outstanding people associated with the Sierra Club.
Since 1970, the Sierra Club has collaborated with the Oral History Center (formerly the Regional Oral History Office) at the University of California, Berkeley, in collecting interviews from devoted leaders, volunteers, and contributors of the Sierra Club. This collaboration is called the Sierra Club Oral History Project.
In 2019, the Sierra Club’s William E. Colby Memorial Library embarked on a new oral history program, known as the Sierra Club Library Oral History Project, to complement those created by the Oral History Center. These interviews and administrative work were performed by library staff with a goal of expanding the oral history collection, by acquiring shorter, focused narratives of Sierra Club champions, to be compiled into subject-based collections. These oral histories are denoted with an asterisk (*).
SINGLE INTERVIEW VOLUMES
Ansel Adams
Conversations with Ansel Adams. (1978)
Phillip S. Berry
Sierra Club Leader, 1960s-1980s: A Broadened Agenda, A Bold Approach. (c. 1988)
Phillip S. Berry
Sierra Club President, 1991-1992: The Club, the Legal Defense Fund, and Leadership Issues, 1984-1993. (c. 1997)
David R. Brower
Environmental Activist, Publicist, and Prophet. (c. 1980)
David R. Brower
Reflections on the Sierra Club, Friends of the Earth, and Earth Island Institute. (c. 2012)
Doris Cellarius
Sierra Club Volunteer Leader: Grassroots Activist and Organizer on Hazardous Waste Issues. (c. 2005)
Richard A. Cellarius
National Leader in the Sierra Club and The Sierra Club Foundation, 1970-2002, Sierra Club President, 1988-1990. (c. 2005)
Nathan Clark
Sierra Club Leader, Outdoorsman, and Engineer. (c. 1977)
William E. Colby
Reminiscences. (c. 1954)
Robert (Robbie) Cox
Sierra Club President 1994-96, 2000-01, and 2007-09, on Environmental Communications and Strategy. (c. 2023)
Michael L. Fischer
Sierra Club Executive Director, 1987-1992. (c. 1997)
Richard M. Leonard (v. 1)
Mountaineer, Lawyer, Environmentalist, Volume I (c. 1975)
Richard M. Leonard (v. 2)
Mountaineer, Lawyer, Environmentalist, Volume II (c. 1975)
Norman B. Livermore, Jr.
Man in the Middle: High Sierra Packer, Timberman, Conservationist, and California Resources Secretary. (c. 1983)
Aaron Mair
Sierra Club President 2015-2017, on Heritage, Stewardship, and Environmental Justice. (c. 2020)
Darryl Malek-Wiley * COMING SOON!
Environmental Justice Leader for Louisiana. (c. 2024)
J. Michael McCloskey
Sierra Club Executive Director: The Evolving Club and the Environmental Movement. (c. 1983)
J. Michael McCloskey
Sierra Club Executive Director and Chairman, 1980s-1990s: A Perspective on Transitions in the Club and the Environmental Movement. (c. 1999)
Susan D. Merrow
Sierra Club President and Council Chair: Effective Volunteer Leadership, 1980s-1990s. (c. 1994)
James Moorman
Attorney for the Environment, 1966-1981: Center for Law and Social Policy, Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund, Department of Justice Division of Lands and Natural Resources. (c. 1994)
Laurence I. Moss
Sierra Club President, 1973-1974, Nuclear Engineer: Energy and Environmental Policy. (c. 2014)
Michele Perrault
Sierra Club President 1984-1986 and 1993-1994, Environmental Educator, and Nature Protector. (c. 2019)
Carl Pope
Environmentalism and Progressive Politics: Sierra Club Executive Director, 1992-2012. (c. 2014)
Gordon Robinson
Forestry Consultant to the Sierra Club. (c. 1979)
H. Anthony (Tony) Ruckel
Sierra Club President 1992-1993, Pioneering Environmental Lawyer with Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund. (c. 2021)
Doug Scott
Campaigner for America’s Wilderness, Sierra Club Associate Executive Director. (c. 2013)
Denny Shaffer
Sierra Club Officer and Leader, 1970 to 1997. (c. 2006)
William E. Siri
Reflections on the Sierra Club, the Environment, and Mountaineering, 1950s-1970s. (c. 1979)
Wallace Stegner
The Artist as Environmental Advocate. (c. 1983)
Gary Torre
Labor and Tax Attorney, 1949-1982; Sierra Club Foundation Trustee, 1968-1981, 1994-1998. (c. 1999)
Edgar Wayburn
Sierra Club Statesman and Leader of the Parks and Wilderness Movement: Gaining Protection for Alaska, the Redwoods, and Golden Gate Parklands. (c. 1985)
Edgar Wayburn
Global Activist and Elder Statesman of the Sierra Club: Alaska, International Conservation, National Parks and Protected Areas, 1980-1992. (c. 1996)
Peggy Wayburn
Author and Environmental Advocate. (c. 1992)
John Zierold
Environmental Lobbyist in California's Capital, 1965-1984. (c. 1988)
MULTIPLE-INTERVIEW VOLUMES
Building the Sierra Club's National Lobbying Program, 1967-1981 (c. 1985)
Brock Evans. Environmental Campaigner: From the Northwest Forests to the Halls of Congress.
W. Lloyd Tupling. Sierra Club Washington Representative.
Pacific Northwest Conservationists (c. 1986)
Polly Dyer. Preserving Washington Parklands and Wilderness.
Patrick D. Goldsworthy. Protecting the North Cascades, 1954-1983.
The Sierra Club and the Urban Environment I: San Francisco Bay Chapter Inner City Outings, and Sierra Club Outreach to Women (c. 1980)
Patrick Colgan. ‘Just One of the Kids Myself.
Jordan Hall. Trial and Error: The Early Years.
Duff LaBoyteaux. Towards a National Sierra Club Program.
Marlene Sarnat. Laying the Foundations for ICO.
George Zuni. From the Inner City Out.
Helen Burke. Women's Issues in the Environmental Movement.
The Sierra Club and the Urban Environment II: Labor and the Environment in the San Francisco Bay Area(c. 1983)
David Jenkins. Environmental Controversies and the Labor Movement in the Bay Area.
Amy Meyer. Preserving Bay Area Parklands.
Anthony L. Ramos. A Labor Leader Concerned with the Environment.
Dwight C. Steele. Environmentalist and Labor Ally.
Sierra Club Leaders I, 1950s-1970s (c. 1982)
Alexander Hildebrand. Sierra Club Leader and Critic: Perspective on Club Growth, Scope, and Tactics, 1950s-1970s.
Martin Litton. Sierra Club Director and Uncompromising Preservationist, 1950s-1970s.
Raymond J. Sherwin. Conservationist, Judge, and Sierra Club President, 1960s-1970s.
Theodore A. Snyder, Jr. Southeast Conservation Leader and Sierra Club President, 1960s-1970s.
Sierra Club Leaders II, 1960s-1970s (c. 1985)
J. William Futrell. 'Love for the Land and Justice for Its People': Sierra Club National and Southern Leader, 1968-1982.
David Sive. Pioneering Environmental Lawyer, Atlantic Chapter Leader, 1961-1982.
The Sierra Club Nationwide I (c. 1983)
Alfred Forsyth. The Sierra Club in New York and New Mexico.
Grant McConnell. Conservation and Politics in the North Cascades.
Stewart M. Ogilvy. Sierra Club Expansion and Evolution: The Atlantic Chapter, 1957-1969.
Anne Van Tyne. Sierra Club Stalwart: Conservationist, Hiker, Chapter and Council Leader.
The Sierra Club Nationwide II (c. 1984)
John Amodio. Lobbyist for Redwood National Park Expansion.
Kathleen Goddard Jones. Defender of California's Nipomo Dunes, Steadfast Sierra Club Volunteer.
A. Starker Leopold. Wildlife Biologist.
Susan Miller. Staff Support for Sierra Club Growth and Organization, 1964-1977.
Tom Turner. A Perspective on David Brower and the Sierra Club, 1968-1969.
The Sierra Club Nationwide III (c. 1989)
George Alderson. Environmental Campaigner in Washington, D.C., 1960s-1970s.
Frank Duveneck. Loma Prieta Chapter Founder, Protector of Environmental and Human Rights.
Dwight Steele. Controversies over the San Francisco Bay and Waterfront, 1960s-1970s.
Diane Walker. The Sierra Club in New Jersey: Focus on Toxic Waste Management.
The Sierra Club Nationwide IV (c. 1996)
Abigail Avery. Nurturing the Earth: North Cascades, Alaska, New England, and Issues of War and Peace.
Robin and Lori Ives. Conservation, Mountaineering, and Angeles Chapter Leadership, 1958-1984.
Leslie Reid. Angeles Chapter and National Sierra Club Leader, 1960s-1990: Focus on Labor and the Environment.
Sally Reid. Serving the Angeles Chapter and the National Sierra Club, 1960s-1990s: Focus on Wilderness Issues in California and Alaska.
Sierra Club Reminiscences I, 1900s-1960s (c. 1974)
Francis P. Farquhar. Sierra Club Mountaineer and Editor.
Joel Henry Hildebrand. Sierra Club Leader and Ski Mountaineer.
Bestor Robinson. Thoughts on Conservation and the Sierra Club.
James E. Rother. The Sierra Club in the early 1900's.
Sierra Club Reminiscences II, 1900s-1960s (c. 1975)
Philip S. Bernays. Founding the Southern California Chapter.
Harold C. Bradley. Lasting Impressions of the Early Sierra Club.
Harold E. Crowe. Sierra Club Physician, Baron, and President.
Glen Dawson. Pioneer Rock Climber and Ski Mountaineer.
C. Nelson Hackett. Lasting Impressions of the Early Sierra Club.
Sierra Club Reminiscences III, 1910s-1970s (c. 1984)
Lewis Clark. Perdurable and Peripatetic Sierran: Club Officer and Outings Leader, 1928-1984.
Jules Eichorn. Mountaineering and Music: Ansel Adams, Norman Clyde, and Pioneering Sierra Club Climbing.
Nina Eloesser. Tales of High Trips in the Twenties.
H. Stewart Kimball. New Routes for Sierra Club Outings, 1930s-1970s.
Joseph Le Conte. Recalling Le Conte Family Pack Trips and the Early Sierra Club, 1912-1926.
Sierra Club Women I & II (c. 1976, 1977)
Elizabeth Marston Badè. Recollections of William F. Badè and the Early Sierra Club.
Nora Evans. Sixty Years with the Sierra Club.
Marjory Bridge Farquhar. Pioneer Woman Rock Climber and Sierra Club Director.
Helen Le Conte. Reminiscences of Le Conte Family Outings, the Sierra Club, and Ansel Adams.
Ruth E. Praeger. Remembering the High Trips.
Sierra Club Women III (c. 1983)
Cicely M. Christy. Contributions to the Sierra Club and the San Francisco Bay Chapter, 1938-1970s.
Wanda B. Goody. A Hiker's View of the Early Sierra Club.
Ethel Rose Taylor Horsfall. On the Trail with the Sierra Club, 1920s-1960s.
Harriet T. Parsons. A Half-Century of Sierra Club Involvement.
Sierra Club’s Environmental Justice Leaders * (c. 2024) COMING SOON!
Robert Tohe. Sierra Club Environmental Justice Leader for Native American Communities in the Southwest.
Bill McCabe. Sierra Club Environmental Justice Organizer for Southern Appalachia.
Jim Price. Sierra Club Southeast Staff Director, and Co-Director of the Sierra Club National Environmental Justice Grassroots Organizing Program.
George Coling. Environmental Justice Leader.
Sierra Club’s Valued Volunteers * (c. 2024) COMING SOON!
Vicky Hoover. Sierra Club Outings Leader and Longtime Volunteer.
John Holtzclaw. Urban Planner and Longtime Sierra Club Volunteer.
Becky Evans. Sierra Club Staff, National and Chapter Leader, and Longtime Volunteer.
Harold Wood. Longtime Sierra Club Volunteer, Chair of the Le Conte Memorial Lodge Committee (now the Yosemite Conservation Heritage Center), and Volunteer Webmaster of the John Muir Exhibit.
Southern Sierrans I (c. 1976)
J. Gordon Chelew. Reflections of an Angeles Chapter Member, 1921-1975.
E. Stanley Jones. Sierra Club Officer and Angeles Chapter Leader, 1931-1975.
Marion Jones. Reminiscences of the Southern California Sierra Club, 1927-1975.
Dorothy Leavitt Pepper. High Trip High Jinks.
Richard Searle. Grassroots Sierra Club Leader.
Southern Sierrans II (c. 1977)
Thomas Amneus. New Directions for the Angeles Chapter.
Irene Charnock. Portrait of a Sierra Club Volunteer.
Olivia R. Johnson. High Trip Reminiscences, 1904-1945.
Robert R. Marshall. Angeles Chapter Leader and Wilderness Spokesman, 1960s.
Southern Sierrans III (c. 1980)
Robert Bear. Desert Conservation and Exploration with the Sierra Club.
Arthur B. Johnson. Climbing and Conservation in the Sierra.
John and Ruth Mendenhall. Forty Years of Sierra Club Mountaineering Leadership, 1938-1978.
Roscoe and Wilma Poland. Desert Conservation: Voices from the Sierra Club's San Diego Chapter.
Volunteer Leadership in the National Sierra Club, 1970s-1980s (c. 1995)
Joe Fontaine. Conservation Activist, Consensus Builder, and Sierra Club President, 1980-1982
Kent Gill. Making the Political Process Work: Chapter Activist, Council Chair, and Club and Foundation President.
AUTHOR INDEX FOR MULTIPLE-INTERVIEW VOLUMES
Alderson, George. The Sierra Club Nationwide III.
Amneus, Thomas. Southern Sierrans II.
Amodio, John. The Sierra Club Nationwide II.
Avery, Abigail. The Sierra Club Nationwide IV.
Badè, Elizabeth Marston. Sierra Club Women I & II.
Bear, Robert. Southern Sierrans III.
Bernays, Philip S. Sierra Club Reminiscences II, 1900s-1960s.
Bradley, Harold C. Sierra Club Reminiscences II, 1900s-1960s.
Burke, Helen. The Sierra Club and the Urban Environment I .
Charnock, Irene. Southern Sierrans II.
Chelew, J. Gordon. Southern Sierrans I.
Christy, Cicely M. Sierra Club Women III.
Clark, Lewis. Sierra Club Reminiscences III, 1920s-1970s.
Colgan, Patrick. The Sierra Club and the Urban Environment I.
Coling, George. Sierra Club’s Environmental Justice Leaders I.
Crowe, Harold E. Sierra Club Reminiscences II, 1900s-1960s.
Dawson, Glen. Sierra Club Reminiscences II, 1900s-1960s.
Duveneck, Frank. The Sierra Club Nationwide III.
Dyer, Polly. Pacific Northwest Conservationists.
Eichorn, Jules. Sierra Club Reminiscences III, 1920s-1970s.
Eloesser, Nina. Sierra Club Reminiscences III, 1920s-1970s.
Evans, Becky. Sierra Club’s Valued Volunteers.
Evans, Brock. Building the Sierra Club's National Lobbying Program, 1967-1981.
Evans, Nora. Sierra Club Women I & II.
Farquhar, Marjory Bridge. Sierra Club Women I & II.
Fontaine, Joe. Volunteer Leadership in the National Sierra Club, 1970s-1980s.
Forsyth, Alfred. The Sierra Club Nationwide I.
Futrell, J. William. Sierra Club Leaders II, 1960s-1970s.
Gill, Kent. Volunteer Leadership in the National Sierra Club, 1970s-1980s.
Goldsworthy, Patrick D. Pacific Northwest Conservationists.
Goody, Wanda B. Sierra Club Women III.
Hackett, C. Nelson. Sierra Club Reminiscences II, 1900s-1960s.
Hall, Jordan. The Sierra Club and the Urban Environment I
Hildebrand, Alexander. Sierra Club Leaders I, 1950s-1970s.
Holtzclaw, John. Sierra Club’s Valued Volunteers.
Hoover, Vicky. Sierra Club’s Valued Volunteers.
Horsfall, Ethel Rose Taylor. Sierra Club Women III.
Ives, Robin and Lori. The Sierra Club Nationwide IV.
Jenkins, David. The Sierra Club and the Urban Environment II.
Johnson, Arthur B. Southern Sierrans III.
Johnson, Olivia R. Southern Sierrans II.
Jones, E. Stanley. Southern Sierrans I.
Jones, Kathleen Goddard. The Sierra Club Nationwide II.
Jones, Marion. Southern Sierrans I.
Kimball, H. Stewart. Sierra Club Reminiscences III, 1920s-1970s.
La Boyteaux, Duff. The Sierra Club and the Urban Environment I.
Le Conte, Helen. Sierra Club Women I & II.
Le Conte, Joseph. Sierra Club Reminiscences III, 1920s-1970s.
Leopold, A. Starker. The Sierra Club Nationwide II.
Litton, Martin. Sierra Club Leaders I, 1950s-1970s.
Marshall, Robert R. Southern Sierrans II.
McCabe, Bill. Sierra Club’s Environmental Justice Leaders I.
McConnell, Grant. The Sierra Club Nationwide I.
Mendenhall, John and Ruth. Southern Sierrans III.
Meyer, Amy. The Sierra Club and the Urban Environment II.
Miller, Susan. The Sierra Club Nationwide II.
Ogilvy, Stewart M. The Sierra Club Nationwide I.
Parsons, Harriet T. Sierra Club Women III.
Pepper, Dorothy. Southern Sierrans I.
Poland, Roscoe and Wilma. Southern Sierrans III.
Praeger, Ruth E. Sierra Club Women I & II.
Price, Jim. Sierra Club’s Environmental Justice Leaders I.
Ramos, Anthony L. The Sierra Club and the Urban Environment II.
Reid, Leslie. The Sierra Club Nationwide IV.
Reid, Sally. The Sierra Club Nationwide IV.
Sarnat, Marlene. The Sierra Club and the Urban Environment I.
Searle, Richard. Southern Sierrans I.
Sherwin, Raymond J. Sierra Club Leaders I, 1950s-1970s.
Sive, David. Sierra Club Leaders II, 1960s-1970s.
Snyder, Theodore A., Jr. Sierra Club Leaders I, 1950s-1970s.
Steele, Dwight C. The Sierra Club and the Urban Environment II.
Steele, Dwight. The Sierra Club Nationwide III.
Tohe, Robert. Sierra Club’s Environmental Justice Leaders I.
Tupling, W. Lloyd. Building the Sierra Club's National Lobbying Program, 1967-1981.
Turner, Tom. The Sierra Club Nationwide II.
Van Tyne, Anne. The Sierra Club Nationwide I.
Walker, Diane. The Sierra Club Nationwide III.
Wood, Harold. Sierra Club’s Valued Volunteers.
Zuni, George. The Sierra Club and the Urban Environment I.
For more information about Sierra Club oral histories, contact the William E. Colby Memorial Library at colby.library@sierraclub.org