David Dellinger Memoir
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
University of Illinois at Springfield Norris L Brookens Library Archives/Special Collections David Dellinger Memoir D381D. Dellinger, David b. 1915 Interview and memoir 4 tapes, 135 mins., 89 pp. WWII CONSCIENTIOUS OBJECTORS PROJECT Dellinger, one of eight Union Seminary students jailed for refusing to register for the draft during WWII, discusses the events and people who have influenced his pacifism, his decision not to register, and his subsequent prison terms. He also discusses his involvement with various radical causes, publication of his magazine Liberation, organizing the Intentional Community at Glen Gardiner, New Jersey, Dr. Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights Movement, protests and a prison hunger strike, war-tax resistance, McCarthy and communism, activism in civil rights and anti-nuclear causes, and the 1968 Chicago Democratic National Convention and the trial which followed. Interview by C. Arthur Bradley, 1988 OPEN See collateral file Archives/Special Collections LIB 144 University of Illinois at Springfield One University Plaza, MS BRK 140 Springfield IL 62703-5407 © 1988 University of Illinois Board of Trustees Preface 'Ibis manuscript is the product of tape-recorded, interviews conducted by c. Arthur Bradley for the oral History Office on J\tly 7, 1988. Margaret Reeder transcribed the tapes ani Lima Jett edited the transcript. David Dellirger reviewed the transcript. David Dellirger was born in wakefield, Massachusetts on AugUst 22, 1915. He is a graduate of wakefield High School ani Yale COllege. After Yale he spent a year of stlXly at New COllege, OXford, ani then two years as a graduate advisor at Dtlight Hall, the canplS religious m:ganization at Yale. Mr. Dellin;Jer was at union for alB year before his refUsal to register. He was alB of the eight union CX>' s who went to jall in 1940. After two separate prison tenns, one spent at Iml1:m:y, COnnecticut ani the other at Maricm, Illinois, Mr. Dellinger returned to New Jersey to live in an intentional c:x::.mm.mity ani start a radical magazine, Liberation. He was both editor, pmlisher ani printer of this magazJ.ne. At the same tiJne David was active in various radical causes. He served em the executive board of the Fellowship of Reconciliation, the war Resisters Isague, the Ccmnittee for Ncm-violent Action. Dellin;;Jer ani his wife Elizabeth have three qrown children ani live in Peacham, Ventr.tnt where he oontinues his writin], OJ:ganizing, ani lecbJri.rq on issues of radicalism, pacifism ani socialism. c. Arthur Bradley has been an Associate Cbnferenoe Minister for the Illinois Cbnference of the united Church of Christ, deployed in the central Association in Peoria, Illinois, fran 1980 to the present. Dr. Bradley grew up in Shaker Heights ani Cl:Jerlin, ado. Since 1952 he has been an OJ:dained clergyman, first in the Q:n;Jregational Christian Churches ani then after the merger in the united Qrurch of Christ. He has served clnlrches in New HaDplhire ani Cbnuecticut. He holds a Bachelors degree fran Harvard COllege, a Masters of Divinity Degree fran unicm 'lheoloqical seminary, a Masters of 8acred 'lheology fran Yale Divinity SChool, ani a D:Jctor of :Arll.oeqity in American studies fran New York university. Dr. Bradley is married to Jean ani they have four adult children. Readers of the oral histoJ:y l18lDir should bear in mini that it is a transcript of the spoken word, ani that the :inte:r:viewer, narrator and editor sought to preserve the infonnal., conversational style that is inh.el:ent in such historical sc:uroes. 8arganDn state university is not responsible for the factual accuracy of the menoir, nor for views ~ therein; these are for the reader to judge. 'Ihe manuscript rray be read, quoted am cited freely. It rray not be reproduced in whole or in part by art:/ means, electronic or mechanical, without permission in writing fran the oral Histo:cy Office, Sanqam:m state university, Sprirqfield, Illinois 62794-9243. Table of Contents Padical Ideas • • • • • • 0 1 Reinhold Neib.lhr ani Ncmnan 'Ihcmas. 0 • 2 Nazi GeJ:many ani Jews • • 3 Jube Memorial c::hurdl in Newark, New Jersey. • 4 stalinist Trials ani camm.mism.. • • 5 OXford university Pacifist Association. • 7 social Classes ani Inequality • 0 8 Influences of Ghan:ii. • .10 Newark, New Jersey. • .12 Dorothy Day and the catholic worker • .15 original statement of Pacifism. .17 'lbe Trial • • .18 5uR;orters ani Opponents. .19 Reasons for Organizin;J. .20 Intentialal CCmmmity in Glen Gardiner, New Jersey. .21. Attempted Assassination and Destruction • .22 Fhll.osqhy of the Intentional Ommmity • • .23 Li.bartarian Press ani Workers Cooperative • .24 A. J. lollste • .25 Burger strike 0 0 .27 Peacemakers • 0 • .29 caumittee for Non-violent Action. • .30 March an washi.nqton and the Civil Rights Act. .33 Civil Disobedience. .34 war-tax Resistance. .35 Martin Il1ther King and Liberation . .36 After Release fran Prisal, April 1945 .38 Peace Machine • .39 Reflection of Prisal Hl.1rger stikes. • .41 SOWin;J the seeds 0 • .44 Hydrogen Banb • .45 Ethel ani Julius RosenbeJ:q. .47 canmuna1 in Glen Gardiner • .48 Liberation ard Al:tm:native. • .50 Paul Goodman. • .52 Clergy Pecple arxi Politicians • • .55 Martin I..uther K:iJ'q ani the Bus Boyoatt. .57 Activism in Civil Rights ani Anti-nuclear Causes. .59 Public Speakin;J ED;Jagements • • .65 McCarthy' Ccmm.mism ani the Cbld War. • .69 American Forum on SOCialist F.ducation • .70 Chicaqo Democratic convention • .75 silence in the Media. .77 Trial in Chicago. .so Wasb.i.r¥ft.on Demonstration, .AuJUst 1965 • .86 David Dellinger, July 7 I 1988, F'eacham, VQJ:lOOl'lt. c. Arthur Bradley I Interviewer. Q: What were the infl'\lel'a!S that brought you to the pacifist position? A: I think the key original influence was the New Testament. I grew up bored with church and not very much in favor of it but I was a reader. In junior high school I 'Went to the New Testament to look up sanethir:¥;J I had been read.irq. I think it was in Shelley. I have been writirq about this in an autobiography so same of this is already in m,y mind. I think it was sc:methin:;J in Shelley but if not it was one of the ranantic :poets probably or novelists. 'Ib m,y utter amazement I was thrilled by the Senoon on the Mount to begin with. As I say in m,y autobiography, the 'WOrds came alive ccmpletely differently than the way they had been used against us in chUrch. Against everything that seemed to be flm and lively 0 Q: Were you a member of a COl'lgregational church? A: I did belorq to the COl'lgregational church, I was baptized there and I joined. Q: It was very dull and prchlbitive? A: It was, ani the big eag;i1asis was on original sin, etc. so that was a sustainin:J influence ani probably still is. But then when I went to college I was again influenced by the university Christian Association, by Dr.right Hall, an::1 by groJpS, workshops ani classes whatever they had, discussion groups. Q: But not in high school? '!here wasn 1 t any group discussion? A: Only with a couple of my closest frietXls. I should say by the way I was also radicalized right arourrl the same time that I discovered the New Testament. Q: Were you? A: well, naively radicalized. I made the mistake of fall~ in love with a poor Irish girl ani my best friem, because he and I were well it wasn't just because that but he ani I were two of the best athletes in our class, was a poor Italian boy and both of those were outside the pale of the society that I grew up in. so all those influences came together and I think less with my girl friem than with my boy friern, I discusse:l the New Testament. He ani I together were impressed by it, etc. we had various radical ideas about buildin;J a David Dellin;Jer 2 real church where they WJUld live like the early Olristians in Which you were "neither rich or poor ai1IOlJ3S"t them." Q: '!he social distinctions in society :really get to you? 'Ihe fake society? A: Yes, on a very personal level but at the same time I discovered the New Testament. But I still stayed c;utside the church. But at Yale, D.rlght Hall was alive ani Battel Cllapel had a series of brilliant speakers mostly fran the outside. I couldn't tell you which years but in the relatively early years I was very much influenced by Nonnan 'D1anas ani Reinhold Nei.buhr, both of whan came there ani spoke there at least once if nat twice a year. By the time I had finished at Yale I was disillusialed with Reinhold Ne.iJ:Juhr who began his transition to Moral Man ani InllDral Soci1Eebut actually it heoame i.nmcral man ani 1irilim'al society. BUt by tine I had refused to register for the draft at union Semi.nal.'y, Reinhold Neibuhr was an outspoken qp:>nent of pacifism. Q: Yes, he was, a very ~ opponent of it. A: 'Ihe day that eight of us went to jail he spoke in the chapel ani said, I don't knc:M, the idea was that this was the DDSt shameful day of his mi.nisb:y, that eight students at the seminary Where he was teachi.n; had no right goiniJ to jail as pacifists. Q: He JmJSt have been ~ ani upset? A: well yes, but m:t disUlusiOl'lltellt with Rainie had begun two or three years before that.