The James Van Allen Oral History, dated 1983, 1997-2001, contains audio recordings, administrative information, and transcripts of the interview between Dr. Van Allen and Brian Shoemaker of the American Polar Society conducted on November 18, 1997. Major topics discussed include Van Allen's career in polar regions and inter-planetary astrophysics, the planning and implementation of the International Geophysical Year (IGY), development of rockoons, and how his work led to the discovery of Earth's radiation belt, later named the Van Allen Belt.