After completing his graduate work at the University of Delaware, Stuart "Bill" Leslie came to Johns Hopkins as a post-doctoral fellow in 1981, specializing in the history of science and technology. He has been at Hopkins ever since, as a faculty member of the History of Science and Technology with a secondary appointment in Geography and Environmental Engineering. Leslie has published work on the topics of corporate research and development, the Cold War, and American science and laboratory design and architecture. In addition, Leslie was commissioned by Johns Hopkins University President Ron Daniels to write a book detailing the history of the university, projected to be completed in 2018. In this interview, Leslie discusses the evolution of the History of Science and Technology department at Hopkins, as well as the university's unique features as an institution housing both an engineering school and a school of arts and sciences. This oral history is a part of the Mame Warren oral histories series.

Dr. James Cross is an engineer and professor who graduated from Hopkins in 1960 with a degree in electrical engineering. Cross details his experiences as one of the first Black students at Hopkins. He mentions befriending one Black student who was also living on campus at the time, Ernie Bates, and attending a sit-in at a local restaurant with another Black student, Victor Dates. During his undergraduate years, Cross was a member of ROTC, he ran track, and strongly committed to his studies and education as a form of civil rights activism. In the interview, Cross touches on his early life growing up in rural Virginia, his experiences abroad while in the Army, and the various educational and professional paths his life took in his post-Hopkins years. He remains an active member of his community and speaks fondly of his family's endeavors and accomplishments. Dr. Cross was nominated for the Indispensable Role of Blacks at Hopkins Exhibit and has spoken about his life and career at the Fred Scott Brigade Annual Dinner. This oral history is part of the Hopkins Retrospective oral history series.