Mormon History Association Oral History Interview of Carol Cornwall Madsen on March 14, 2024 [Audio and Transcript]

This oral history interview with Carol Cornwall Madsen, conducted on March 14, 2024, highlights her pioneering career as a historian specializing in Mormon women's history. Madsen details her educational journey at the University of Utah, where she earned three degrees in American history before self-training in women's history. She recounts her accidental entry into Mormon history through her husband's suggestion to research the Woman's Exponent and her early role as a docent at the Beehive House. The interview emphasizes her pivotal role in establishing women's history as a legitimate field within Mormon studies, including teaching BYU's first women's history course and her collaboration with other prominent female historians. Madsen discusses her most impactful research on Emmeline B. Wells, her experiences with the Mormon History Association, including her presidency, and her hopes for the future of Mormon history. She also reflects on the challenges and successes of advocating for women's voices and contributions within the LDS Church's historical narrative.