Name
L., Jerry (Interviewee)
Joseph, Herman, 1931- (Interviewer)
Title
Oral history interview with Jerry L., 1981
Other Titles
Reminiscences of Jerry L., 1981; Oral history of Jerry L., 1981
Abstract
In this interview, Jerry L. discusses his life in New York, paying special attention to his drug use, and career as a professional jazz musician. He describes his experience at various Catholic homes including St. John's Home in Brooklyn and Mount Loretto Home in Staten Island, as well as his experience at The House of Refuge reformatory school. He explains his exposure to heroin, which began at ag e thirteen. He explains how he learned to play instruments at a young age, and went on to become a professional jazz trumpeter and bandleader. He discusses the jazz scene in NYC and his experience touring the United States with his band. He also describes his visits at Lexington, Kentucky for treatment. He also delves into his ten-year experience in being on a methadone program. He discusses the relative prices and forms of heroin including caps, bags, and packages. Jerry's counselor at the methadone clinic, Ms. Barnett, is briefly interviewed as well
Collection Name
Addicts Who Survived oral history collection
Subjects
Jazz musicians; Jazz--New York (State); Drug addicts--United States; Drug traffic--History--20th century.--United States; Heroin abuse--History--20th century.--United States; Methadone maintenance--History--20th century.--United States; L., Jerry; Narcotic Farm
Format
oral histories
Genre
Interviews
Date
1981
Physical Description
109 pages
Note (Biographical)
Jerry L. was born September 12, 1906 in Stamford, Connecticut. He is the second of three children. His father was a baker, and his mother was a coat maker. Early in his childhood, his family moved to Brooklyn, New York. Jerry was educated through the fourth grade, and spent time at two Catolic homes: St. John's Home in Brooklyn and Mount Loretto Home in Staten Island. He used heroin for the first time at thirteen years of age. His mother found out Jerry was using heroin and sent him to Rikers Island for the "hundred day cure," and then onto the House of Refuge reformatory school where he stayed from age seventeen to twenty-one. It was in this reformatory school where he learned many skills such as how to play various instruments, nursing, and sewing. Upon leaving reformatory, Jerry continued to use heroin, and began playing gigs as a jazz trumpeter, eventually becoming a bandleader. During World War II he and his band toured the United States playing shows. In 1961, Jerry quit heroin and joined a methadone program. He was married and divorced twice in his life. Jerry L. was interviewed for the project that led to the book Addicts Who Survived. The name is likely a pseudonym for the project
Note
Interviewed by Herman Joseph on January 22 and March 12, 1981
Note (Provenance)
David Courtwright, Herman Joseph, and Don Des Jarlais, Gift, 1988
Language
English
Library Location
Columbia Center for Oral History, Columbia University
Catalog Record
11868539
Persistent URL
https://dx.doi.org/10.7916/d8-jnpa-an22
Related URLs
Available digital content for this interview.