Oral history interview with Buddy Goodman, 1999

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Name: Goodman, Buddy (Interviewee); Michaels, Sheila, 1939-2017 (Interviewer)
Title: Oral history interview with Buddy Goodman, 1999
Other Titles: Reminiscences of Buddy Goodman, 1999; Oral history of Buddy Goodman, 1999
Abstract: Goodman begins this interview critiquing aspects of the Congress of Racial Equality (CORE). Goodman then returns to his introduction to St. Louis CORE through the demonstrations against the American Theater (Orpheum Theater) in which his brother, Arnold, participated. Goodman recalls the policies of the American Theater and the Municipal Theatre Association of St. Louis in the early 1960s. Goodman was a member of St. Louis CORE until 1968. He recalls the events of the demonstration at St. Louis Arch and the distinct tactics of local leaders, including Norman Seay, Percy Green, and Ivory Perry. Goodman speaks at length on his position within the movement. Goodman explains his admiration for Ivory Perry and describes what he sees as the poor outcomes of the civil rights movement. Goodman illustrates this point with an analysis of gentrification, Black dialect, and affirmative action. After speaking more broadly on the impact of the civil rights movement, Goodman speaks on several campaigns of CORE, including a mass boycott against the St. Louis service cars, demonstrations against the Chevrolet Plant, and blocking downtown traffic. The interview concludes with an analysis of racial discrimination in World War II, the killing of civil rights activists, and America's fear of Communism. Goodman recalls with fondness Ivory Perry's stories of World War II and the acts of the Tuskegee Airmen. In the last portion of the interview, Goodman discusses the murder of Vernon Dahmer, CORE pickets against the Missouri Athletic Club, and the stigma around Communism in the United States
Collection Name: Sheila Michaels civil rights organization oral history collection
Subjects: Civil rights movements--History--20th century.--United States; Civil rights demonstrations--Missouri; Boycotts--Missouri; Discrimination in the military--History--20th century.--United States; Anti-communist movements--History--20th century.--United States; United States Race relations 20th century; Goodman, Buddy; St. Louis Committee of Racial Equality
Format: oral histories
Genre: Interviews
Date: 1999

Physical Description: 80 pages
Note (Biographical): Bernard "Buddy" Goodman was born April 6th, 1924 in St. Louis, Missouri. Goodman was deployed to Italy in World War II. Following his return to the United States, Goodman taught Italian and French at the University of Wisconsin before taking over the family business of textiles and dry goods. He also worked as a corporate headhunter for a decade and was a playwright in his free time. Goodman participated in many demonstrations, including the Jefferson Bank Demonstration of 1963 and the 1964 protest at the St. Louis Arch. Goodman resided in University City, Missouri before his death on November 30th, 2009
Note: Interviewed by Sheila Michaels on September 10, 1999
Note (Provenance): Sheila Michaels, Gift circa 1998-2005
Language: English
Library Location: Columbia Center for Oral History, Columbia University
Browse Location’s Digital Content
Catalog Record: 11603864
Also In: Oral History Archives at Columbia; Time-Based Media; Time-Based Media
Persistent URL: https://dx.doi.org/10.7916/d8-7q2g-ge29
Related URLs: Available digital content for this interview.