Oral history interviews with Tadaye Fujimoto Kawasaki, Yoshiko Fujimoto Sugiyama, Kimi Fujimoto Tanbara, and Sadako Hirose by Brenda Sonnier conducted 02/1993. Sisters Tadaye "Teddy" Kawasaki, Yoshiko Sugiyama, Kimi Tanbara, and friend Sadako Hirose recall their school years at Tacomas Nihon Go Gakko (Japanese Language School) and describe life within the citys Japanese-American community during the 1920s, 30s, and 40s. They provide an extensive history of the school building, including its designation as a registration center following Executive Order 9066 and its use as a hostel for Japanese-Americans returning home from internment camps.

Oral history interviews with members of the Jewish community, Rabbi Richard Rosenthal, Steph Farber, and Lucille Hurst by Nardah L. Fox conducted February-May 1992. The interviews with three members of Tacoma's Jewish community, Richard Rosenthal, Steph Farber, and Ruth Hurst, to some degree all touch upon the exodus of businesses (many of them Jewish-owned) from the downtown Tacoma business district. In two interview segments, Rabbi Rosenthal discusses early Jewish settlement in Tacoma, the 1960 merger of existing Conservative and Reform congregations to form Temple Beth El, and adds some details about his early life and training. Farber recounts his beliefs about misguided urban renewal practices of the 1960s and 1970s and reminisces about the many businesses that once flourished in downtown Tacoma. The transcript of the interview with Hurst appears to provide only an excerpt; she discusses her family business, Feist & Bachrach, as well as other downtown Tacoma stores operating prior to 1965.

Oral history interviews with Leonard W. Holden and Julius Jahn by Juanita Hembrow conducted 02/1992. Leonard Holden, founder of the Tacoma Friends Meeting, and Julius Jahn, a long-time member of the Religious Society of Friends, talk about the history of the Quakers and reflect on the personal experiences and revelations that inspired them to become pacifists and Conscientious Objectors. Holden shares his efforts in establishing a permanent Quaker meeting place in the Tacoma area, and Jahn describes his experiences with various Quaker groups and sects throughout the United States. Both men expound on the various services and humanitarian projects that the Tacoma Friends Meeting has been involved in, from draft counseling services to collaborative efforts with other churches to rehabilitate low-income housing.

Oral history interviews with Kosho Yukawa and Yaeko Nakano by Susan Stout conducted February-March 1992. This project includes interviews with the then minister of Tacoma Buddhist Temple, Reverend Kosho Yukawa, and Mrs. Yaeko Nakano, a longtime member of Tacoma Buddhist Temple and its principal organist. Yukawa describes Buddhist religious practices, the activities of the Temple and its various organizations, his family, and Sunya Pratt. Nakano discusses her family life growing up as a Japanese American in Tacoma, Washington during the Depression, her education, internment experiences during the Second World War, her training and work as a musician, and her involvement with the Tacoma Buddhist Temple in many capacities.

Oral history interviews with Joseph Schibig, Katy Schibig, and Joseph Marty by Pamela M. Hailey conducted January-February 1994. Joseph and Katy Schibig and Joseph Marty describe their experiences as Swiss immigrants to Tacoma and reflect on the legacy of the citys close-knit Swiss community. Areas of focus include the Tacoma Swiss Society and the Swiss Hall and Tavern, which Marty managed from 1952 to 1963.

Oral history interviews with Patricia Ditter, David Algers, Bill Bichsel, Doris Barkley, and Barbara Thomashofski by Cynthia A. Thomas conducted February-March 1992. Community members and church leaders reflect on the history and legacy of St. Leo Church, a Jesuit parish located in Tacomas Hilltop neighborhood. Long-time parishioners Patricia Ditter and Barbara Thomashofski and former parishioner Doris Barkley discuss the churchs growing pains in the wake of Vatican II and the subsequent emergence of its social justice ministry. Reverend David Alger, director of Associated Ministries, describes some of St. Leos numerous out-reach programs and shares his thoughts on its position as a spiritual anchor within the community. Lastly, Father Bill Bichsel, a former associate pastor at St. Leos and a well-known social activist, discusses his commitment to social justice and his involvement with several church-related projects, such as the Martin Luther King Center.

Oral history interviews with Mark A. Peters, Calvin Peters, Josephine Peters, James Krise and Randolph Krise by Carrie Bratlie conducted February-March 1993. Tribal members Mark, Calvin, and Josephine Peters and James Krise share their connections to Squaxin Island, a reservation located in the southern part of Puget Sound. Interviewees recount stories from their childhood and describe some of the hardships faced by Puget Sound Native Americans during and after the Great Depression. Mark and Calvin Peters, both tribal fishermen, also comment on the 1974 Boldt Decision, which reaffirmed fishing rights for Washington tribes.

Oral history interview with Mary Cabrini Rohr by Connie M. Smith conducted 02/1994. Sister Mary Cabrini Rohr (Frances Rohr, 1910-1997) discusses her decade-spanning nursing and teaching career, including her time as director of the School of Nursing at Providence St. Peter Hospital in Olympia, Washington. Special focus is given to the schools 1954 changeover from a three-year professional program to a one-year practical program, a transition that Sister Cabrini personally oversaw.

Oral history interview with Tacoma resident Karen Saxon conducted by dindria barrow on April 12, 2023. In this interview, Karen shares her story about the historic 1963 March on Washington where she heard Martin Luther King, Jr. speak and Mahalia Jackson sing. Karen shares her 60 year-old scrapbook of the event and shared the documents that prepared her for nonviolent demonstrations. Karen tells us that “your peace walk begins in your kitchen.” In other words, we must all start from ourselves and our homes before we can inspire change in others and in our society.