Oral history interview with Richard Landerman, 1999

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Name: Landerman, Richard (Interviewee); Michaels, Sheila, 1939-2017 (Interviewer)
Title: Oral history interview with Richard Landerman, 1999
Other Titles: Reminiscences of Richard Landerman, 1999; Oral history of Richard Landerman, 1999
Abstract: Landerman begins this interview by describing his upbringing in West Hartford, Connecticut and his early impressions of Duke University, including its political atmosphere. Landerman explains how attending civil rights demonstrations in Chapel Hill, North Carolina in 1962 shifted his passion from athletics to politics. He describes Duke CORE, including the organization's structure and its early lea ders, Sara Evans and Harry Boyd. He recalls his experience participating in the Durham desegregation campaign in May of 1963, for which he was arrested and missed a semester of school. Landerman explains his decision to leave Duke for the Mississippi Freedom Summer Project. Landerman details his experiences in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, including his connection to Hattiesburg's Black teenagers. He describes the small, rural communities he has worked in across the south. He also recalls the Waveland Conference of 1964, and his experiences canvassing. Landerman concludes his recollections with a summation of his life after Mississippi. He discusses the student initiative he co-founded in 1965 to lift up the poor white community in Durham, North Carolina. Finally, Landerman discusses the flaws of the group, his evolving position on the women's movement, and the social pressures and willingness of civil rights workers to risk their personal safety
Collection Name: Sheila Michaels civil rights organization oral history collection
Subjects: Civil rights movements--History--20th century.--United States; Civil rights demonstrations--North Carolina; Civil rights workers--History--20th century.--Mississippi; United States Race relations 20th century; Hattiesburg (Miss.) History; Landerman, Richard; Congress of Racial Equality; Duke University
Format: oral histories
Genre: Interviews
Date: 1999

Physical Description: 67 pages
Note (Biographical): Richard L. Landerman grew up in West Hartford, Connecticut. He attended Duke University for both his bachelor's and postgraduate education. In 1979, Landerman received a PhD in medicine. Subsequently, he served as an Assistant Medical Research Profess or, Associate Professor in the School of Nursing, and Associate Professor at Duke University's School of Medicine. During his time as an undergraduate, Landerman participated in civil rights demonstrations in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. In the summer of his sophomore year, Landerman left Duke to participate in the Mississippi Freedom Summer Project. Landerman stayed in Hattiesburg, Mississippi until the winter of 1964. Upon returning to Duke University in 1965, Landerman began working towards social change with poor white communities around Durham and eastern North Carolina
Note: Interviewed by Sheila Michaels on January 1, 1999
Note (Provenance): Sheila Michaels, Gift circa 1999-2005
Language: English
Library Location: Columbia Center for Oral History, Columbia University
Catalog Record: 11604182
Persistent URL: https://dx.doi.org/10.7916/d8-bxa0-9x07
Related URLs: Available digital content for this interview.