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Over four sessions, Ann Cotrell Free describes her life, advocacy for animals, and the philosophical underpinning for her activism. She begins by discussing the growth of her consciousness about treatment of animals during her childhood, including incidents with domestic animals, agricultural animals, transport animals, and fox hunts. She describes activism while attending Barnard College, and analyzes how inconsistent attitudes cause injustice. She discusses her entry into journalism and coverage of World War II, working for the United Nations Relief in China, and working for the Marshall Plan in Europe.

Carter Luke begins the one session by discussing his childhood, early interest in animals, and experiences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He describes interactions with Professor Harry Harlow and Steven Suomi, researchers using primates for psychological research, and discusses the importance of civil interactions despite philosophical differences. He describes starting with the Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (MSPCA). He also analyzes activities at the MSPCA during the 1990s, the 1993 Year of the Cat national campaign, coalitions between organizations, and the interactions between the veterinary and humane communities.

Ethel Thurston begins this two session interview by describing her childhood experiences, including experiences with dogs. She discusses her education, including interest in ethics, and studying music with Nadia Boulanger in France. She discusses her experiences with Christianity, and examines attitudes of different sects towards animals. She also describes her experiences studying and teaching music in New York from the 1940s onward.

In this two session interview, F. Barbara Orlans discusses her early life including family, her choice to become a vegetarian as a youth, hometown, the place of religion in her life, and her undergraduate and graduate education in England. Orlans discusses her decision to come to the United States in the years following World War II because of more abundant job opportunities. She details her work at Johns Hopkins University and her transition to the National Institute for Health (NIH); the impetus for her interest in animal advocacy, as well as her role in founding the Scientists Center for Animal Welfare (SCAW). Orlans discusses the politics within SCAW which lead to her departure, the organization's decision to revise its bylaws, and the personal effects ten years of working to build the organization. Additional attention is devoted to her partnership with Christine Stevens and their efforts to lobby elected officials in Washington, D.C. to create guidelines and regulations for people involved in animal care, and the possibility of requiring licensing to ensure the humane treatment of animals. The interview includes a critique of the American animal care standards versus other countries and their use in medical research and experimentation. Orlans also discusses the perils of publishing related to two of her books,Scientific Perspectives on Animal Welfare, andAnimal Care: From Protozoa to Small Mammals; as well as article publication in scholarly journals. Orlans discusses her views on People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals' (PETA) tactics in the late 1980s; other animal rights; gains in animal advocacy over the last 30 years; professional scientific associations, such as the American Psychological Association (APA) and American Physiological Association (APA); and the lack of action among groups that use experimental animals.

Jim Mason begins this three session interview discussing his experiences growing up on a farm in Missouri during the 1950s. He analyzes at length the rural outlooks on animals, including in agriculture and hunting. He describes his initial interests in biology, entry into college as a pre-med student, and eventual decision to pursue law career instead. He describes his introduction to animal rights while at law school, and becoming more politically conscious in the 1970s following the death of his wife and as the result of his work as a legal services attorney in Bridgeport, Connecticut.

John Kullberg begins this interview discussing his youth, his involvement with the Christian Brothers, and the philosophical concerns the led to his departure from the order. He then discusses his subsequent education and teaching experience in English. He describes his experience as director of admissions at Columbia University's School of Law, including issues of race and gender in admission. He discusses his involvement with animal protection through Christine Stevens, involvement with the Animal Welfare Institute, and Gretchen Wyler's lawsuit against the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).

In this one session interview, Margaret Moreland Stathos discusses her involvement with the New England Anti-Vivisection Society (NEAVS), the institution's history, and her views on activism, particularly surround laboratory animals. She begins the interview discussing her childhood experiences with animals, her learning of vivisection and opposition to it following the disappearance of a neighborhood cat in 1957, graduate work as a pianist in Germany in 1958, and early influences. Figures mentioned over the course of the interview include Albert Schweitzer and Rachel Carson. She discusses the NEAVS presidencies of George Farnum, Judge Robert Ford, and Cleveland Amory, and the activities of NEAVS from the 1960s-1990s. Also addressed is her work in the NEAVS educational department, writing the history of NEAVS, and reflections on the state of animal rights activism at the time of the interview.

In this two session interview, Peter Singer discusses a range of topics including his family and childhood in Australia; education and activism while in college; interest in ethics and philosophy; employment, research, and writing; and the animal rights movement. Singer discusses his college activism which included participation in the anti-conscription and antiwar movements, and a burgeoning interest in animal issues. Additionally, he worked on the student newspaper and was a member of the Radical Philosophy Group. He recounts meeting David Keshen, Stanley and Roslind Godlovitch who influenced his decision to become a vegetarian. Singer provides detailed information on why and howAnimal Liberationwas written. He discusses his collaboration and with former student Henry Spira, views on People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), his participation in protest activity, his views on the status of animal advocacy in the United States, and attention given animal rights by the US media. Singer also gives his views on various campaigns aimed at ending animal testing, farming and research issues. Singer also describes assuming the presidency of Animal Rights International (ARI).