| Title: |
Reminiscences of Helen Gahagan Douglas
|
| RLIN number: |
NXCP91-A1
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| Document type: |
Oral history
|
| Accessibility: |
Free Only
|
| Repository: |
Columbia University. Oral History Research Office
|
| Collection: |
Helen Gahagan Douglas Project
|
| Description: |
Family background: Gahagan family history in Ohio, childhood in Brooklyn; Gahagan Engineering Corporation; parents influence on philosophy, career choices; Barnard College 1920-24, and first theater, opera experiences; marriage to Melvyn Douglas and move to California 1932; concert tour in Germany 1937; first political activities: Anti-Nazi League of California 1937, lobbying activities on behalf of migrant workers, Civil Defense Chair of California 1939, National Democratic Committee vice-chair 1940-1944; interest in minority rights, 1902 Reclamation Act (160 acre limit); Congressional races of 1944, 1946, 1948: campaigning, Washington office set-up; domestic stands in Congress: post-war price controls, tax reform 1947, Fair Employment Practices Commission 1947, National Redwood Forest Bill 1947, committee work on bill for cancer research 1949, National Housing Act 1949, Housing Act 1950; relationships with lobbyists; communist accusations in Congress; membership on Foreign Affairs Committee: support of United Nations, Marshall Plan, United States recognition of Israel, Atomic Energy Bill of 1949; Senate campaign 1950: reclamation issue, tidelands oil issue, press perspective of campaign, Catholic support, campaign funds, Nixon's red-scare tactics; post-1950 activities: American Christian Palestine Committee, work with Adlai Stevenson and Dean Acheson at United Nations, campaigning for John F. Kennedy 1960, book on Eleanor Roosevelt, Advisory Committee on Agricultural Labor, Women's International League for Peace and Freedom 1964; friendship with Helen Fuller; comparison of directors, productions; reflections on marriage, meshing two careers.
|
| Extent: |
Transcript: 345 leaves
|
| Restrictions: |
Access: Open. Permission required to cite, quote, and reproduce. Contact Bancroft Library for information. Original oral history held by: Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720.
|
| Original Language: |
English
|
| Speaker: |
Douglas, Helen Gahagan, 1901-1980
|
| Speaker gender: |
Female
|
| Speaker date of birth: |
1901
|
| Speaker occupation: |
Actress; Congresswoman; Singer
|
| Document date: |
Undated
|
| Interviewer: |
Fry, Amelia R.
|
| Organizations discussed: |
Democratic Party, US; U.S. Congress. House of Representatives; United Nations
|
| Locations discussed: |
North America; United States
|
| Topics discussed - ASP terms: |
Acting; Civil rights; Democratic Party, US; Elections--United States; Environmental policy; Housing; Legislators--United States; Motion picture actors and actresses; North America; Oral history; Singers; Singing; U.S. Congress. House of Representatives; United Nations; United States; United States--Politics and government--1945-; Women in politics
|
| Topics discussed - Other terms: |
California--Politics and government--1850-1950; Campaign management; Douglas, Helen Gahagan, 1901-1980; Internal security--United States; Marshall Plan; United States--Foreign policy--1945-
|
| ASP release: |
2005-06
|
| Document code: |
OHI0021235-16674
|
