Abstract
An oral history with Jackie Goldberg, former member of the California State Assembly, Los Angeles School Board, and Los Angeles City Council. This interview was conducted for the Women, Politics & Activism Since Suffrage Oral History Project for California State University, Fullerton’s Center for Oral and Public History. The purpose of this interview was to gather information regarding Goldberg’s history in activism and politics. Specifically, she discusses her parents’ lives in Los Angeles, and family background as Jewish immigrants; talks about growing up in Inglewood, the racism she encountered; mentions family’s involvement in the Jewish community; recounts losing her faith; details high school experience and exposure to politics; recalls early activism against racism; details involvement with Women Strike for Peace and SLATE, while demonstrating at UC Berkeley; recounts activism with the Ad Hoc Committee Against Discrimination, including her first arrest; recalls Delta Phi Epsilon sorority life; mentions participation in Berkeley’s Free Speech Movement and third arrest; describes process of becoming a feminist; details participation in the Women’s International Democratic Federation in 1963, and exposure to anti-American sentiment while at the World Congress of Women in Moscow; recounts how McCarthyism made it difficult to apply to the University of Chicago, and details her protests there against the Vietnam War; recalls difficulty finding work as a teacher in Chicago, and efforts to tackle racism in schools; mentions similar experiences trying to teach in Los Angeles, ultimately teaching happily in Compton for twenty-one years; details activism in Echo Park/Silverlake community; recounts meeting partner Sharon while working for school integration, and her growing identity as a lesbian; discusses successful run for the LA school board; mentions development of a peace curriculum, and an AIDS policy; recalls leaving office; describes work with Gloria Molina; talks about financial and family difficulties while in office; details run for city council and being outed as gay; lists her accomplishments on the council, working with other women, and dealing with the issues faced by women firefighters and police; recounts effort to develop the domestic partner registry and impact; expresses how women politicians are generally less prideful than men and more willing to cooperate; discusses insistence on tackling issues that no one else would; recalls run for the State Assembly; describes difficulties facing women in politics; reflects on Election 2016; and finally, expresses pride in her work to improve people’s lives and education.
