Past Research Projects

The story of the Cooper Family and their impact on Waco is told in this project. Included is a historical treatise on the life of Madison Cooper Jr. which details the entry of the Cooper family into the Central Texas area as well as the professional and philosophical development of the man who would create a legacy of charitable giving in memory of his parents. Also included are a series of four biographical pages of family and co-workers who knew the Coopers and Madison Jr. in particular. Through their interviews we learn more about the manner and habits of this unique personality, as well as the impact he had on Waco during his life as a leading businessman, author and philanthropist.
Madison Cooper Jr.

Martha Roane Lacy Howe

Lawrence Christian Lacy

Jesse R. Milam Jr.

Lucile Cooper Lacy Taylor

This portion of the project features a collection of biographies and interviews with Waco-area philanthropists. At the heart of each interview is an investigation into the meaning of the philanthropic spirit to each interviewee. Topics covered include how and when they began giving, what their favorite gift is, and who inspired them to first join the noble cause of charity. In many cases the practice is a lifelong journey - one that allows the giver to discover more about themselves as they come to realize the many avenues available in order to respond to the needs of their community.

James R. Hawkins

Bernard Rapoport

Clifton Robinson

Thomas Salome

Sara Fentress Warren

F. M. and Gloria Young

"Crossroads" focuses on Texas as a backdrop to the larger world in which we live. Demonstrating the interconnection of Texas with the rest of the world, the program inspires viewers to see their own everyday worlds with a fresh perspective. "Crossroads" asks the basic question, "Why do people live here?" It is a question anyone may ask about anywhere people live.

In the case of Waco, for instance, the intersection of the Brazos River with the Balcones Escarpment created a hard rock crossing over which early animals passed, migrating with the seasons over the grasslands. In pursuit of the animals came humans, following mammoth and bison tracks across the prairies and fording the river at the low rock outcropping. Today, near the path along which ancient peoples traveled, within sight of the hard rock crossing, runs U.S. Interstate 35, cutting a broad swath of concrete between the nation's northern and southern borders.

About the program:

"Crossroads" first aired on Waco public television station KCTF-TV, Channel 34, and Temple station KNCT-TV, Channel 46, on July 3, 1991. In subsequent years, the program appeared frequently on Waco's city access channel. "Crossroads" was produced by the Baylor University Institute for Oral History with funding from the Madison A. and Martha Roane Cooper Foundation of Waco, Texas.

Hosted by Daryl Fleming, "Crossroads" features a range of people with strong ties to the land and people of Central Texas, from professional geologists to amateur archeologists, from folklore hobbyists to longtime ranchers. David Stricklin was the executive producer; Floyd Cable, producer and director. Thomas L. Charlton was the humanities advisor, and Jaclyn L. Jeffrey, the primary script writer.

"Crossroads" is copyrighted by Baylor University and is not to be reproduced in part or whole without the permission of the Baylor University Institute for Oral History. By entering this site you are accepting this condition.

Companion Study Guide:
Background information, discussion questions, project suggestions, and additional resources to enhance the educational value of "Crossroads."

For 45 years the Baylor University Institute for Oral History has dutifully gathered the eyewitness testimonies of WWII veterans living in the state of Texas. Now seventeen of the most compelling narratives are available in the most recent BUIOH publication, "Tattooed on My Soul: Texas Veterans Remember World War II."

Edited by Director Stephen M. Sloan, Associate Director Lois E. Myers and Editor Michelle Holland, this volume is divided into three sections covering the beginning, middle, and end of the war. These sections include veterans from all branches of service and from Texas cities small and large. Many of the veterans chosen for this book were lifelong Texans, and all but one was interviewed while living in Texas.

On land, in air, and by sea, in the Pacific and in Europe, these veterans fought for America's future. With the clear ring of authenticity and a surprising immediacy, even after all these years, their stories make a global war deeply personal, and absolutely indelible.

Vincent Bosquez of the San Antonio Express-News states: “'Tattooed on My Soul' does not focus on the events that lead to World War II, military combat strategy or the rebuilding of tattered nations. Instead, it is an amazing march through history that personalizes the deadliest war ever fought and gives today’s reader a glimpse into the lives of Texas’ WWII service members who may soon be gone."

"Tattooed on My Soul," published by Texas A&M University Press as part of the Williams-Ford Military History Series, is now available through Amazon in both hardcover and Kindle formats.