The U.S. DistricT coUrT of oregon historical SocieTy newSletter Memories of working for civil rights 1964, My Story of Life and Death in Mississippi By Jacob Tanzer This is an edited version of a memoir Jacob Tan- I learned of the horrors of the Holocaust when zer wrote of his summer in Mississippi in 1964. I was ten. When I was taught in Sunday School This is part one of a two-part article. and at Passover Seders of the historical oppres- sion of Jews, there was always an important y first experience in Mississippi in the late subscript: the oppression of any people or race Msummer of 1964 was a visit to a poor, or religion even in America was as immoral and humble church set in the rolling cotton country of dangerous as what had happened to the Jews of central Mississippi. It had been torched by a gang Europe and of ancient Egypt. I was taught that of white toughs and the church was no more than vigilance was a duty (particularly for Jews) that a few burned-out embers and scattered bricks. A extended to all peoples. four- or five-step cement staircase leading to the In the seventh grade I decided to be a lawyer. entrance stood like a tombstone over the remains. I didn’t know much about being a lawyer, but I It was another act of violence in a season of vio- admired my cousins Sol Stern and Maurice Suss- lence that had seen 80 arsons in the Deep South so man who were lawyers. Maurie had represented far that year. Yet this fire and the night of murder interned Japanese during the war. that followed became a historic milestone. It also I became a lawyer in 1959 and hung up a shin- began the most profoundly moving experience gle with a friend. In 1960, I was inspired by John of my life. This is my personal story of my jour- Kennedy’s vision and I worked in his campaign. ney to Neshoba County, what I saw, and what I Wanting to be part of something meaningful, learned there. in early 1962 I moved to Washington, D.C., to be a Trial Attorney in the Organized Crime & Finding My Way to Mississippi Racketeering Division of Robert Kennedy’s Jus- I was born to Russian immigrant parents. Dad tice Department. The work was heady, exciting, had learned his English on the streets and he called Continue on page 4 black people “Niggers.” Dad was a good-hearted man and meant no disrespect. He thought that was the right word. Acceptable language changes, especially the language of race. The term “black” was at that time considered pejorative. Now it is acceptable. “Negro” or “colored” were accept- able, but are now considered offensive. Like my father, whatever term I may use in this story, I use it respectfully. We moved to Portland in 1945, where we lived Jacob Tanzer’s credentials. When he showed on NE Tenth Avenue. I didn’t know any black then to a mobster in Ohio, he eyed them, looked people, although a few black kids were in my class back at Tanzer, and said, “They didn’t do you no at Irvington Grade School. favors, Mac.” Spring 2010 1 President’s Message Summer is looming. It is the experienced acting as mentors to Stephen Beckham, you understand graduation season, and the aspiring. To insure that future the importance of collections like soon will be wedding sea- practitioners uphold the highest stan- ours to historical researchers and son. Vacations are coming dards of the practice, experienced scholars. The creation and preser- up. Time marches on. The practitioners have to befriend them, vation of oral histories of practi- USDC Historical Society show them, and remind them, even tioners, judges, and court staff in has a couple of events casually and informally. This social Oregon is, of course, the core mis- coming this summer, as hour is a way to do that—who knows sion of the USDC Historical Soci- well as some business to who you might meet, and what part- ety. Digitization of our materials is conduct. nership might come from it? We hope an invaluable tool in that mission. On Thursday, June 24, 2010, we to see you there. We are currently seeking funding will conduct the Annual Summer This year, the Annual Picnic comes for that project from the USDC Associates Program in partnership a little early on Sunday, August 8, Attorney Admission Fund, and in with the Oregon Chapter of the Fed- 2010. The theme honors distinguished the foreseeable future may very well eral Bar Association. The Summer trial attorneys with barbeque, music, turn to you, our members and sup- Associates Program is a day for law games, with some small ceremonial porters, in a more direct appeal for school students working summer recognition that allows us all to pause funding associated with that proj- clerkships to tour the Hatfield Court- and feel good about our profession, ect. We hope you will consider that house, meet the members of the federal not to mention meeting old and new seriously. bench, observe proceedings before the friends under the trees at the Leavy We have a new, more interac- court and learn about federal practice Hop farm near Donald, Oregon. The tive and user-friendly website on here in Oregon. It’s also an opportu- picnic is always a terrific experience, the near horizon. Justin Thorp, the nity to meet fellow aspiring lawyers and we hope to see you there. USDCHS Board member who has during the day-long program, and to As you may have heard, the Oregon taken the leadership role in that meet and network with experienced Historical Society is currently under- project, has been working with practitioners at the Bench & Bar Social going some tough financial times. The Colin Love-Geiger, Jennifer Esmay, in the late afternoon. Did I just use USDCHS has worked in conjunction Jenifer Johnston, and outside ven- “network” as a verb? I guess I did, with OHS since our inception, and dors to bring the new, improved sorry about that. our original historical materials are website on-line. In the very near It is widely rumored that there may housed by OHS. That means that future, you will be able to renew not be as many summer law clerks in access to our collection has always membership, pay dues, RSVP for all areas of law practice as there have been obtained through the OHS events, pay admission to the Annual been in the past, times being what library. Because of the uncertainty Dinner, view and hear some limited they are. So the idea of “networking” surrounding the future of OHS, portions of our oral history collec- among students, clerks and practitio- both immediate and long-term, the tion, view and research back issues ners is perhaps more important this USDCHS been moving toward more of Benchmarks. There will also be year than ever. If you have summer direct management our collection an opportunity through the new clerks working with you this summer, of oral histories, photos, documents website configuration to do more or know of a law student who is work- and other items. Currently, we are of our business and communication ing as a clerk, intern, or volunteer, or making an effort to create digital electronically and use less paper. We is idle but interested, make an effort copies of our oral history materi- expect the fully upgraded website to get them over to this program. als, photos and documents in order to be on-line and functional early And make the effort to get yourself to make those materials available to in June, and for some utilities to to the social hour that afternoon. researchers directly on-line, without be added after that. Who knows, The USDCHS knows that preserving having to depend on physical entry maybe some day we’ll sell t-shirts— history helps pass on certain kinds of to OHS. If you were at the Annual it could happen. Stay tuned. knowledge and understanding, with Dinner in October 2009 to hear Dr. – David Landrum, President 2 U.S. District Court of Oregon Historical Society Oral History Today By Janice Dilg 2009 was the year of all things digi- of Oregon Historical Society as well a completed transcript by February tal. Greg Miner continued as chair as a copy provided to the narrator. 2010—a record turnaround time! of the Oral History Committee, and Once some judges oral histories were Please note additional recognition for Tom Edmonds of the U.S. Attorney’s bound and others not, the issue of the interview and transcription work in office joined committee members format of previously completed oral the sidebar. If you would like to learn Vicki Smith and Mary Ellen Farr. histories arose. Last year, the Execu- more about becoming a volunteer As reported in the Fall 2009 Bench- tive Committee decided to fund the interviewer or offer transcriptions marks, all oral history interviews are binding of three earlier oral histories services to the oral history project, now being recorded digitally, whether and selected Judges Robert Belloni, please contact Greg Miner at gminer@ audio only, or video recordings. Much Owen Panner, and Roosevelt Robin- betemanseidel.com, or Janice Dilg at of the work of the committee in 2009 son. For 2010, the committee chose [email protected]. centered on the desire of the U.S, three more histories for binding: District Court of Oregon Historical Judges Gus Solomon, John Kilkenny, Oral History Volunteers Society’s to digitize its existing oral and Donal Sullivan.