First Oral History

On September 27, 1995, the Georgia Women’s Movement Oral History Project officially came to life when Dana Von Tilborg interviewed Diane L. Fowlkes. A long-time women’s rights advocate, Diane’s efforts have been particularly focused on the representation of women’s experiences within the academy. Between 1974 and 1994 she was an active member of Georgia State University’s Women’s Studies Group, creating and advocating for the development of Women’s Studies courses at the university. The group’s efforts culminated in the creation of the Women’s Studies Institute, of which she was the founding Director. Diane retired from GSU in 1997, and she is currently writing a novel.

In her interview, Diane talks about her childhood and education, as well as the events that triggered her interest in the women’s movement. She also describes the effects of the women’s movement on herself personally, as well as at GSU.

Diane talks about how the women’s movement affected her personal life.


Diane talks about how the women’s movement and the Women’s Studies Institute affected Georgia State University.


The Diane L. Fowlkes Papers are also part of the Donna Novak Coles Georgia Women’s Movement Archives. They document Diane’s professional life, as well as the creation and accreditation of GSU’s Women’s Studies Institute, which is now known as the Institute for Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies.

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