Oral history interview with Jerry Burris and Stuart Glauberman, 2022
Abstract
Stuart and Jerry reflect on their careers in journalism and what led them to write a book about how Hawaii shaped Barack Obama's life. Stuart mentions his experiences of being a New Yorker as part of the reason for inquiring into Barack Obama's upbringing in Hawaii. Both Stuart and Jerry are candid about the methodology behind their book. They acknowledge they do not know Barack Obama personally, h aving compiled the book through interview clippings, quotes from Obama's books, and Jerry Burris' historical knowledge of Hawaii. Glauberman and Burris detail Hawaii's influence on Obama versus Chicago's influence and how marketing Obama from Chicago was more politically salient. They affirm this further by noting his identification with the Black community before Hawaii's hapa community. Glauberman and Burris speculate on a supposed Black role model in Obama's life- Frank Marshall Davis. Additionally, they emphasize the influence of Anne Dunham on Barack Obama's upbringing, noting that her strong beliefs had such an enormous impact on him that their book should have been titled 'Dreams From My Mother'
Presidents--United States; Journalists; Branding (Marketing)--Political aspects--United States; Hawaii Politics and government; Burris, Jerry; Glauberman, Stuart; Obama, Barack; Dunham, S. Ann (Stanley Ann); United States
Format
oral histories
Genre
Interviews
Date
2022
Physical Description
96 pages
Note (Biographical)
Stuart Glauberman and Jerry Burris are the authors of the 2008 book 'The Dream Begins: How Hawai'i Shaped Barack Obama.' Stuart grew up in New York and studied journalism at the University of California Berkeley. He studied at the University of Hawaii for his Masters in Arts in Asian Studies. Stuart worked primarily as a journalist for 30 years but also handled public relations for various companies such as Hawaiian Airlines, Polynesian Cultural Center, the Hawaii Visitor's Bureau, Aloha Airlines, The Honolulu Advertiser, The Star-Bulletin, and as a spokesperson for hydropower projects for the Lao government. Jerry Burris has also worked primarily as a journalist, having first worked at the University of Hawaii publication, KALEO. Jerry was drafted in the Vietnam War, where he says he fought the war with a typewriter. Jerry has also worked for the Honolulu Advertiser and as a trustee for Tokai University
Note
Interviewed by Dr. Davianna McGregor and Landon Tom on Thursday, August 18, 2022. This interview is part of the University of Hawaiʻi: Obama Presidency Oral History
Note (Provenance)
Jerry Burris and Stuart Glauberman, Gift, transferred from Columbia Center for Oral History Research 2022