Bryn Mawr | The HistoryMakers

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The Honorable LaDoris Cordell

Judge LaDoris Cordell was born on November 19, 1949 in Ardmore, Pennsylvania to Clara Beatrice Jenkins and Lewis Randall Hazzard. Cordell earned her B.A. degree in drama from Antioch College in 1971, and her J.D. degree from Stanford University in 1974.

Cordell opened the Law Office of LaDoris Hazzard Cordell in East Palo Alto, California. In 1978, she became the assistant dean for student affairs at Stanford University’s Law School. Cordell was appointed to the Municipal Court of Santa Clara County by Governor Jerry Brown in 1982. During her time on the Municipal Court, Cordell spent three months as justice pro tem for the State Court of Appeal, Sixth District. In 1988, Cordell won an election to the Superior Court of Santa Clara County, making her the first African American woman to sit on a Superior Court in Northern California. She remained on the court until 2001. Cordell was then hired as vice provost and special counselor to the president for campus relations at Stanford University. In 2003, she was elected to a four-year term on the Palo Alto City Council. Cordell retired from her position at Stanford in 2009 and was appointed as an independent police auditor by the City of San Jose the following year. She remained in that position until 2015. Cordell then served on a Blue Ribbon Panel that reviewed the operations of the San Francisco Police Department. In 2017, she was chosen to be the presiding judge on the television show, “You the Jury.”

Cordell received many awards for her community involvement and judicial career. She was the recipient of the Silicon Valley NAACP’s William E.B. Dubois Award, the Iola Williams Public Service Award, and the National Council of Negro Women’s Public Service Award. Cordell also received the Social Justice Award from the Legal Advocates for Children & Youth and the Rose Bird Memorial Award from the California Women Lawyers.

During her career, Cordell was involved with the Lucile Packard Foundation for Children, United Way of Santa Clara County, Community Working Group, Inc., Sierra Club Legal Defense Fund, the San Francisco Family Violence Project, and the East Palo Alto Art & Music Project, among many others. She also co-founded the African American Composer Initiative in 2014.

Cordell and her partner, Florence Keller, have two daughters, Cheran Denis Cordell and Starr Lynn Cordell.

LaDoris Hazzard Cordell was interviewed by The HistoryMakers on November 28, 2017.

Accession Number

A2017.207

Sex

Female

Interview Date

11/28/2017

Last Name

Cordell

Maker Category

LawMakers

Middle Name

Hazzard

Occupation

Judge

Organizations

American Law Institute

Schools

Antioch College

Stanford Law School

First Name

LaDoris

Birth City, State, Country

Bryn Mawr

HM ID

COR07

Favorite Season

None

State

Pennsylvania

Favorite Vacation Destination

None

Favorite Quote

Activism is my rent for living on this planet.

Bio Photo

Speakers Bureau Region State

California

Birth Date

11/19/1949

Birth Place Term

Bryn Mawr

Speakers Bureau Region City

Bay Area/Stanford

Country

USA

Favorite Food

Collard Greens

Short Description

Judge LaDoris Cordell (1949- ) served on the Municipal Court of Santa Clara County from 1982 until 1988. She was elected to the Superior Court of Santa Clara County in 1988 as the first African American woman to hold a Superior Court judgeship in Northern California, and served on the court until 2001.

Employment

Private Practice

Stanford Law School

Municipal Court

Superior Court

Stanford University

City of San Jose

CBS

Favorite Color

None

Read more about The Honorable LaDoris Cordell

Jim Vance

Broadcast journalist Jim Vance was born on January 10, 1942 in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. In 1964, Vance earned his B.S. degree in secondary education from Cheyney State College (now Cheyney University) in Cheyney, Pennsylvania.

Upon graduation, Vance worked as a teacher in the Philadelphia Public Schools, and was then hired as a print journalist for The Philadelphia Independent. During this time he also worked weekends at the radio station WHAT-AM. In 1968, Vance moved to WKBS-TV in Philadelphia, where he served as a reporter and interviewed Muhammad Ali. The following year, Vance joined WRC-TV NBC 4 in Washington, D.C., where he has worked for over forty-five years.

At WRC-TV, Vance worked as co-anchor with Glenn Rinker between 1972 and 1976, and then as a co-anchor with Sue Simmons from 1976 to 1980. Vance and Simmons were one of the first African American co-anchors of a major market newscast. Since 1989, Vance has co-anchored with Doreen Gentzler and they are the longest-running anchor team in Washington, D.C.

Vance has earned numerous awards and honors, including seventeen Emmys and membership in the Silver Circle of the Washington Chapter of the National Association of Television Arts and Sciences. He holds the Ted Yates Award for outstanding community service and has been honored as “Washingtonian of the Year.” Vance was inducted into the National Association of Black Journalists Hall of Fame in 2007, and on May 2, 2008, he was inducted into the National Alumni Hall of Fame of Cheyney University of Pennsylvania. He has also appeared in the documentaries, Without Bias and The Nine Lives of Marion Barry; and the feature film State of Play.

Vance lived in Washington, D.C. with his wife, Kath McCampbell Vance. They have three children and one grandson.

Jim Vance was interviewed by The HistoryMakers on May 19, 2014.

Vance passed away on July 22, 2017 at age 75.

Accession Number

A2014.133

Sex

Male

Interview Date

5/19/2014

Last Name

Vance

Maker Category

MediaMakers

Marital Status

Married

Occupation

Broadcast journalist

Organizations

Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity

Schools

Cheyney University of Pennsylvania

Ardmore Avenue Elementary School

Lower Merion High School

Ardmore Junior High School

Search Occupation Category

MediaMakers:Television

First Name

Jim

Birth City, State, Country

Bryn Mawr

HM ID

VAN07

Favorite Season

Fall, Spring

State

Pennsylvania

THM DA Link

http://marc.thehistorymakers.org/thmdigital/A2014.133.htm

Web Clip 1

https://thmdaprodmedia.blob.core.windows.net/media/story/video/637241

Favorite Vacation Destination

St. Martin and Durango, Colorado

Favorite Quote

None

Bio Photo

Speakers Bureau Region State

District of Columbia

Birth Date

1/10/1942

Birth Place Term

Bryn Mawr

Speakers Bureau Region City

Washington

Country

USA

Favorite Food

Macaroni and Cheese

Death Date

7/22/2017

Short Description

Broadcast journalist Jim Vance (1942 - 2017 ) anchored WRC-TV Channel 4 in Washington, D.C. for forty-five years. He was inducted into the National Association of Black Journalists Hall of Fame in 2007.

Employment

Philadelphia Public Schools

The Philadelphia Independent

WHAT-AM

WKBS-TV

WRC-TV NBC 4

Favorite Color

Blue

Web Clip 2

https://thmdaprodmedia.blob.core.windows.net/media/story/video/637259

Timing Pairs

0,0:10052,137:10766,145:11684,159:12602,211:21405,307:25680,383:39990,553:55486,748:63842,821:69611,892:74050,940:74450,945:74850,950:81350,1111:83150,1138:87545,1150:87830,1156:88058,1161:88400,1168:92777,1226:95290,1249:101521,1381:103939,1412:106543,1453:107194,1461:107566,1466:119310,1517:119912,1526:120858,1539:125670,1570:126110,1575:126880,1584:127650,1594:179162,2087:179842,2111:186801,2212:208265,2465:214160,2493$0,0:3497,203:14976,469:16974,503:17270,508:18750,533:19194,540:21488,588:22598,611:23412,626:23856,634:24152,639:32044,698:36240,727:37995,775:53635,953:55330,959:55805,965:60935,1031:71244,1213:71649,1219:74160,1276:76914,1323:83820,1410:84220,1416:89766,1478:91852,1523:117030,1871:118060,1885:120635,1929:126585,2009:132516,2071:133812,2094:143078,2174:147642,2222:148026,2227:148602,2234:149274,2242:149658,2247:157722,2374:163828,2438:164730,2452:165058,2457:176600,2722:181550,2873:198230,3000

DAStories

Tape: 1 Story: 1 - Slating of Jim Vance's interview

Tape: 1 Story: 2 - Jim Vance lists his favorites

Tape: 1 Story: 3 - Jim Vance describes his mother's background

Tape: 1 Story: 4 - Jim Vance talks about his relationship with his mother

Tape: 1 Story: 5 - Jim Vance talks about his upbringing

Tape: 1 Story: 6 - Jim Vance describes his mother's education

Tape: 1 Story: 7 - Jim Vance talks about his maternal grandfather's family

Tape: 1 Story: 8 - Jim Vance talks about his maternal family's lore

Tape: 1 Story: 9 - Jim Vance remembers his mother's emphasis on etiquette

Tape: 1 Story: 10 - Jim Vance remembers his maternal grandfather

Tape: 2 Story: 1 - Jim Vance describes the Main Line community near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Tape: 2 Story: 2 - Jim Vance talks about the relationship between his maternal and paternal grandparents

Tape: 2 Story: 3 - Jim Vance describes his father's family background

Tape: 2 Story: 4 - Jim Vance remembers his paternal grandfather, pt. 1

Tape: 2 Story: 5 - Jim Vance remembers his paternal grandfather, pt. 2

Tape: 2 Story: 6 - Jim Vance talks about his father's career as a plumber

Tape: 2 Story: 7 - Jim Vance talks about his father's U.S. Army service in World War II

Tape: 2 Story: 8 - Jim Vance remembers his father's aspirations

Tape: 3 Story: 1 - Jim Vance reflects upon his upbringing

Tape: 3 Story: 2 - Jim Vance talks about his parents' marriage

Tape: 3 Story: 3 - Jim Vance remembers his family's expectations, pt. 1

Tape: 3 Story: 4 - Jim Vance describes his likeness to his parents

Tape: 3 Story: 5 - Jim Vance describes his earliest childhood memory

Tape: 3 Story: 6 - Jim Vance remembers his community in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, pt. 1

Tape: 3 Story: 7 - Jim Vance remembers his community in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, pt. 2

Tape: 3 Story: 8 - Jim Vance remembers his early experiences of religion, pt. 1

Tape: 4 Story: 1 - Jim Vance remembers his early experiences of religion, pt. 2

Tape: 4 Story: 2 - Jim Vance describes his schooling in Ardmore, Pennsylvania

Tape: 4 Story: 3 - Jim Vance talks about his skin condition

Tape: 4 Story: 4 - Jim Vance remembers his early interest in journalism

Tape: 4 Story: 5 - Jim Vance remembers his family's expectations, pt. 2

Tape: 4 Story: 6 - Jim Vance remembers an encounter with law enforcement

Tape: 4 Story: 7 - Jim Vance talks about his decision to attend college

Tape: 5 Story: 1 - Jim Vance recalls his start at Cheyney State College in Cheyney, Pennsylvania

Tape: 5 Story: 2 - Jim Vance talks about the development of his racial identity

Tape: 5 Story: 3 - Jim Vance recalls lessons from Coach James Stevenson, pt. 1

Tape: 5 Story: 4 - Jim Vance recalls lessons from Coach James Stevenson, pt. 2

Tape: 5 Story: 5 - Jim Vance reflects upon his experiences at Cheyney State College, pt. 1

Tape: 5 Story: 6 - Jim Vance remembers playing football at Cheyney State College

Tape: 5 Story: 7 - Jim Vance reflects upon his experiences at Cheyney State College, pt. 2

DASession

1$1

DATape

3$5

DAStory

3$6

DATitle

Jim Vance remembers his family's expectations, pt. 1

Jim Vance remembers playing football at Cheyney State College

Transcript

I really loved my childhood. I loved being Little Jimmy [HistoryMaker Jim Vance], which is what they called me, for all of those years, because except for my mother [Eleanor Littlejohn Vance] and my [maternal] grandfather [Joseph Littlejohn], everybody else seemed to be really happy that I was around and treated me--and for a long--for a good number of years, I was the only male grandchild, and as such I was spoiled as much as you know, a kid in that level of life could be spoiled. Other side of that is, though, my man, expectations were really high. And I remember there were goodly periods of time where I was mad at those people. I adore them now, but I was angry. The last thing I was--I'll give you an example. For years (gesture) that, any time of day, all day, where an aunt or an uncle, and they were always around, they would (gesture) somebody would do that to me. The deal was, "Hold your head up boy. Do not lower your eyes because you do that you don't see the world." Number one, I remember their saying, all you see is your feet and the ground, you can't learn anything that way. Number two, you never give anybody any sense that you're defeated or dejected or whatever the case may be. Number three, you never, ever show any kind of weakness at all, you know, stand up and keep your head up. I used to hate 'em (laughter). I wanted to punch them when they did that to me. But after a while, you don't do this anymore because it's important you know to--"Okay, whatever you want." That was important to them that I meet, greet, meet, deal with the world and life with a sense of self in pride and whatever else the case may be, and I give them so much credit for that. Now it also had a downside. I was--B's were not good in grades. But whatever ball I was playing you expected to start. The job that I would go to you expected to do this job well. You asked me earlier about a favorite expression or something like that and I really have so many which is why I said, no. One of them among them, and my grandfather--good enough ain't never. He meant that, he lived by that good enough ain't never good enough, or is never acceptable as far as he was concerned. And so those kinds of expectations and demands put a lot of pressure on a kid and 'cause I didn't always feel up to it. Of course, when I grew up, you know I couldn't thank them more for raising the bar, but the bar was always held very, very high, and I was expected to (cough) meet it.$(Simultaneous) So did you play football for Cheyney [Cheyney State College; Cheyney University of Pennsylvania, Cheyney, Pennsylvania] (simultaneous)?$$(Simultaneous) Yeah, played football.$$Okay. What position did you play? I never asked you before, but should have asked.$$See how old you really are, I was a split end.$$Yeah, I know--$$Remember--what's his name, I can't remember his name at Army [United States Military Academy, West Point, New York] who was the first notable split end, call 'em wide receivers now, except we rarely went that far out normally, but it was you know just off the end. But those were the days of both ways. So if you started, you played sixty minutes of ball because, oh god, at Cheyney, because we didn't have scholarships or anything else, we had minimal number on the team. And when I say minimal, I mean we might have twenty-eight, twenty-nine guys, thirty guys. But if you started--and, oh, you were in the game, third quarter come and so you're here on offense and you don't make the first down, you just turn around and now you're a defensive man (laughter), because that's the way it goes. Bradley [Ed Bradley] and I used to always tell the story and some of the other guys of how--he was a center on the team and then middle linebacker when we turn it around. And in the first quarter--I'm sorry, I'm laughing at this 'cause it's just--you had to be there. First quarter Bradley, he's what, 255 [pounds] then kind of big for that time. "Army gang," you know the center calls the huddle, you know, and you huddle in, and he's enthusiastic, "Army gang!" And then the second quarter, "Army gang," third quarter comes, Bradley's like, "Over here, guys." And by the fourth quarter, "(Unclear) (makes sounds)," and that's all, you know, he doesn't even call it anymore, and we're all feeling the same way. And because, on each quarter, with the other teams who are at forty-five, fifty, fifty-five guys, what they put out, we're looking like, just filled with dirt and mud. Here come these new, brand new fresh uniforms, every quarter, we turn around and it's like, oh, my god, and it's a war for sixty minutes, but there's nobody on those teams that ain't my boy, 'cause when you're playing like that, and you know, they're being paid--not paid, but they're getting at least food, meal tickets. And when you're out there, just 'cause, you know, you like playing ball, the guys that are also with you like that who stay to the end of the season, 'cause a lot of times a lot of guys would come they'd stay until homecoming so they could get their picture taken and their parents and their girlfriends come see them, then they'd be off the team and they're gone. We ended most seasons--I remember my first--we ended our season with nineteen guys. We didn't have two full--eleven guys for us. You play with guys like that you're with them for all, for life.$$Okay.$$You don't lose their (unclear). Another thing for example that Cheyney gave to me.

Read more about Jim Vance

Gen. Julius Becton, Jr.

Military Officer and federal government administrator Julius W. Becton, Jr. was born on June 29, 1926 in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania to Julius Wesley and Rose Banks Becton. He joined the Army Air Corps in July 1944 and graduated from Infantry Officer Candidate School in 1945. While on active duty, Becton graduated from Prairie View A & M College in 1960 with his B.S. degree in mathematics and the University of Maryland in 1966 with his M.A. degree in economics. He is also a graduate of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, the Armed Forces Staff College and the National War College. Post his military service, Becton has received honorary doctorate degrees from Huston-Tillotson College, Muhlenberg College, Prairie View A & M University, The Citadel, Dickinson College, and American Public University System.

Becton joined the 93rd Infanry Division in the Pacific at the end of World War II and was separated from the Army in 1946, but returned to active duty after President Harry S. Truman issued Executive Order 9981 to desegregate the military in 1948. Rising to the rank of Lieutenant General in 1978 he commanded the 1st Cavalry Division, the United States Army Operations Test and Evaluation Agency, and the VII Corps – the Army’s largest combat corps in Europe during the Cold War. Becton also served in the Korean War and the Vietnam War, and retired from the U.S. Army in 1983 after nearly 40 years of service. However, his public service career was far from over.

From 1984 to 1985, he served as the director of the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance in the United States Agency for International Development. He then served as the third director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency from 1985 to 1989 under President Ronald Reagan. In his mid-sixties, Becton began a new career, that of education administrator. From 1989 to 1994, he was the fifth president of Prairie View A & M University, his alma mater – becoming the first graduate of Prairie View A & M University to attain flag rank in the military. In 1996, he became the superintendent of the Washington, D.C. public school system.

Among his decorations are the Distinguished Service Medal, two Silver Stars, two Legion of Merit medals and two Purple Hearts, along with the Knight Commander’s Cross of the Order of Merit of Germany. Becton married to Louise Thornton, and they have five children: Shirley, Karen, Joyce, Renee, and Wesley. They also have eleven grandchildren and three great grandchildren

Julius W. Becton, Jr. was interviewed by The HistoryMakers on August 27, 2012.

Accession Number

A2012.227

Sex

Male

Interview Date

8/27/2012 |and| 2/14/2013

Last Name

Becton

Maker Category

MilitaryMakers

Marital Status

Married

Middle Name

Wesley

Occupation

Military Officer

Organizations

Marine Spilled Response Corporation

American Battle Monuments Commission

Valley Forge Military Academy

Florida A&M University

American Public University System

NITV/SFL

Schools

Army Command and General Staff College

University of Maryland

Lower Merion High School

Officer Candidate School

Muhlenberg College

National War College

Joint Forces Staff College

Bryn Mawr Elementary School

Lower Merion Junior High School

Prairie View A&M University

Search Occupation Category

MilitaryMakers:Army

First Name

Julius

Birth City, State, Country

Bryn Mawr

HM ID

BEC02

Favorite Season

Fall

State

Pennsylvania

THM DA Link

http://marc.thehistorymakers.org/thmdigital/A2012.227.htm

Web Clip 1

https://thmdaprodmedia.blob.core.windows.net/media/story/video/34308

Favorite Vacation Destination

Aruba

Favorite Quote

Get it done.

Bio Photo

Speakers Bureau Region State

District of Columbia

Interview Description

A2012_227_Becton_Julius_EAD.pdf

A2012_227_Becton_Julius_EAC.pdf

Birth Date

6/29/1926

Birth Place Term

Bryn Mawr

Speakers Bureau Region City

Washington

Country

USA

Favorite Food

Liver, Onions, Baked Beans, Cole Slaw

Short Description

Military officer Gen. Julius Becton, Jr. (1926 - ) , was a retired Lieutenant General and the first African American officer to command a Corps in the U.S. Army (VII U.S. Corps).

Employment

United States Army

United States Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance

Federal Emergency Management Agency

Prairie View A&M University

District of Columbia Public Schools

Favorite Color

Cavalry Yellow

Web Clip 2

https://thmdaprodmedia.blob.core.windows.net/media/story/video/34292

Timing Pairs

0,0:4469,37:14262,117:33344,345:47436,485:55648,548:65970,657:73214,781:73670,786:137900,1388:162240,1666$0,0:16216,287:17793,302:18457,313:25038,411:27180,421:30440,454:33730,477:53885,725:54395,732:56690,768:57115,774:63310,806:65700,843:78476,967:81241,1014:84643,1095:91300,1157:91666,1164:104283,1346:107860,1378:108740,1410:112632,1450:126652,1615:131040,1645:131700,1653:135167,1760:147746,1882:151486,1981:156440,2053

DAStories

Tape: 1 Story: 1 - Slating of Julius Becton's interview

Tape: 1 Story: 2 - Julius Becton lists his favorites

Tape: 1 Story: 3 - Julius Becton describes his mother's family background

Tape: 1 Story: 4 - Julius Becton talks about his mother, Rose Inez Banks

Tape: 1 Story: 5 - Julius Becton describes his father's family background

Tape: 1 Story: 6 - Julius Becton talks about his father, and his strong work ethic

Tape: 1 Story: 7 - Julius Becton talks about his family's involvement in the church

Tape: 1 Story: 8 - Julius Becton talks about his brother, and how his parents met

Tape: 1 Story: 9 - Julius Becton describes his parents' personalities and who he takes after

Tape: 1 Story: 10 - Julius Becton describes his earliest childhood memory

Tape: 1 Story: 11 - Julius Becton talks about growing up in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania

Tape: 1 Story: 12 - Julius Becton talks about his father's job in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania

Tape: 2 Story: 1 - Julius Becton talks about his father being his role model

Tape: 2 Story: 2 - Julius Becton talks about growing up with undertones of racial segregation in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania

Tape: 2 Story: 3 - Julius Becton describes the sights, sounds and smells of growing up

Tape: 2 Story: 4 - Julius Becton talks about his family's visits to North Carolina

Tape: 2 Story: 5 - Julius Becton describes his experience in elementary school

Tape: 2 Story: 6 - Julius Becton talks about his brother, Joseph William Becton

Tape: 2 Story: 7 - Julius Becton talks about studying mathematics in college

Tape: 2 Story: 8 - Julius Becton talks about his teachers in elementary school, and his progress to high school

Tape: 2 Story: 9 - Julius Becton talks about his childhood jobs, and his father's income

Tape: 3 Story: 1 - Julius Becton talks about his involvement with Saints Memorial Baptist Church since his childhood

Tape: 3 Story: 2 - Julius Becton talks about his involvement in sports while growing up

Tape: 3 Story: 3 - Julius Becton talks about how he met his wife

Tape: 3 Story: 4 - Julius Becton talks about joining the Civil Air Patrol in 1941, becoming eligible for flight school, and turning it down to command a unit

Tape: 3 Story: 5 - Julius Becton talks about his father's political affiliation and his decision to enroll at Muhlenberg College

Tape: 3 Story: 6 - Julius Becton talks about joining the Civil Air Patrol in 1941 and the Army Air Corp Enlisted Reserve in 1943

Tape: 3 Story: 7 - Julius Becton talks about others who graduated from his high school, and his desire to join the Army Air Corps

Tape: 3 Story: 8 - Julius Becton talks about attending Officer Candidate School in 1944

Tape: 3 Story: 9 - Julius Becton reflects upon his experience with segregation in the South in the 1940s, and the changes that have occurred since then

Tape: 3 Story: 10 - Julius Becton talks about his experience in the U.S. Army while stationed in the Philippines

Tape: 3 Story: 11 - Julius Becton talks about his separation from the U.S. Army in 1946, joining Muhlenberg College on a football scholarship, and getting injured there

Tape: 4 Story: 1 - Julius Becton talks about playing football at Muhlenberg College, as a center on offense and a linebacker on defense

Tape: 4 Story: 2 - Julius Becton talks about getting married in 1948

Tape: 4 Story: 3 - Julius Becton talks about returning to the U.S. Army in 1948, and his parents' support of him financially

Tape: 4 Story: 4 - Julius Becton describes his experience in the Korean War

Tape: 4 Story: 5 - Julius Becton describes how his unit, the 9th Infantry Regiment, Second Division, was integrated in the midst of the Korean War, pt. 1

Tape: 4 Story: 6 - Julius Becton describes how his unit, the 9th Infantry Regiment, Second Division, was integrated in the midst of the Korean War, pt. 2

Tape: 4 Story: 7 - Julius Becton talks about his return to the U.S. from the Korean War in 1951

Tape: 4 Story: 8 - Julius Becton talks about his assignments after returning from the Korean War in 1951

Tape: 4 Story: 9 - Julius Becton talks about going to Prairie View A&M University as an assistant professor of military science and to complete his degree

Tape: 4 Story: 10 - Julius Becton describes his experience on tour in Germany

Tape: 4 Story: 11 - Julius Becton describes his success on tour in Germany, and how he was able to attend the Commander and General Staff College (CGSC)

Tape: 5 Story: 1 - Julius Becton describes his experience at Prairie View A&M University

Tape: 5 Story: 2 - Julius Becton describes his experience at Command General Staff College (CGSC) at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas

Tape: 5 Story: 3 - Julius Becton describes his assignment in France

Tape: 5 Story: 4 - Julius Becton talks about his experience at the Armed Forces Staff College and the challenges to finding a house for his family in Virginia

Tape: 5 Story: 5 - Julius Becton talks about earning his master's degree in economics

Tape: 5 Story: 6 - Julius Becton describes how he was assigned to join the U.S. Army in Vietnam

Tape: 5 Story: 7 - Julius Becton describes his experience in the U.S. Army in Vietnam

Tape: 6 Story: 1 - Julius Becton reflects upon the Vietnam War

Tape: 6 Story: 2 - Julius Becton discusses race relations in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War

Tape: 6 Story: 3 - Julius Becton discusses his thirteen-point management philosophy in terms of commanding troops

Tape: 6 Story: 4 - Julius Becton talks about his service in the Vietnam War and the get-togethers of his command staff

Tape: 6 Story: 5 - Julius Becton describes how General Colin Powell was selected to attend the National War College in 1975

Tape: 6 Story: 6 - Julius Becton talks about his training at the National War College

Tape: 6 Story: 7 - Julius Becton talks about his assignment as the brigade commander of the 2nd Brigade, Second Armor Division in Fort Hood, Texas

Tape: 6 Story: 8 - Julius Becton discusses trends in the number of women and their roles in the military between the 1970s and 2012

Tape: 6 Story: 9 - Julius Becton talks about his selection and experience as the Branch Chief of Armor and being promoted to the rank of brigadier general in 1972

Tape: 7 Story: 1 - Julius Becton describes his experience as deputy commander at Fort Dix, New Jersey

Tape: 7 Story: 2 - Julius Becton describes his experience as a division commander at Fort Hood, Texas, pt. 1

Tape: 7 Story: 3 - Julius Becton describes his experience as a division commander at Fort Hood, Texas, pt. 2

Tape: 7 Story: 4 - Julius Becton talks about mentoring in the U.S. Army

Tape: 7 Story: 5 - Julius Becton talks about his service as the commander of the Operational Test and Evaluation Agency (OTEA)

Tape: 7 Story: 6 - Julius Becton talks about being recognized as one of the '100 Most Influential Blacks' by Ebony Magazine

Tape: 7 Story: 7 - Julius Becton describes his experience as the commander of the U.S. VII Corps stationed in Cold War Europe

Tape: 7 Story: 8 - Julius Becton talks about his appointments as Deputy Commander of Training for TRADOC and as the Army Inspector of Training

Tape: 7 Story: 9 - Julius Becton describes his decision to accept the position of Director of the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance at U.S. AID

Tape: 7 Story: 10 - Julius Becton talks about becoming the director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)

Tape: 10 Story: 1 - Julius Becton talks about his former colleague, educator Arlene Ackerman

Tape: 10 Story: 2 - Julius Becton reflects upon the crisis in urban education in the U.S.

Tape: 10 Story: 3 - Julius Becton describes his hopes and concerns for the African American community

Tape: 10 Story: 4 - Julius Becton discusses the crisis in today's community regarding physical and behavioral health

Tape: 10 Story: 5 - Julius Becton discusses the prospects for young people who are interested in joining the military

Tape: 10 Story: 6 - Julius Becton reflects upon his legacy

Tape: 10 Story: 7 - Julius Becton talks about his family

Tape: 10 Story: 8 - Julius Becton talks about receiving the George Catlett Marshall Medal in 2007

Tape: 10 Story: 9 - Julius Becton talks about the gathering of African American Flag Officers and being honored by the Buffalo Soldiers

Tape: 10 Story: 10 - Julius Becton talks about his autobiography, 'Becton: Autobiography of a Soldier and Public Servant'

Tape: 8 Story: 1 - Slating of Julius Becton's interview, pt. 2

Tape: 8 Story: 2 - Julius Becton's describes the ceremony honoring his retirement from the U.S. Army in 1983

Tape: 8 Story: 3 - Julius Becton's reflects upon the changes in the status of African American soldiers and women in the U.S. Army

Tape: 8 Story: 4 - Julius Becton reflects upon the U.S. Military's repeal of the "Don't ask, don't tell" policy

Tape: 8 Story: 5 - Julius Becton describes his service as the director of the Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance in the USAID

Tape: 8 Story: 6 - Julius Becton describes his experience as the director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), pt. 1

Tape: 8 Story: 7 - Julius Becton talks about the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) since his service there, and discusses the role of FEMA

Tape: 8 Story: 8 - Julius Becton talks about Lieutenant General Russel Honore's service towards disaster relief in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina

Tape: 8 Story: 9 - Julius Becton describes his experience as the director of the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), pt. 2

Tape: 8 Story: 10 - Julius Becton talks about becoming the president of Prairie View A&M University in 1989

Tape: 9 Story: 1 - Julius Becton describes his selection as the president of Prairie View A and M University

Tape: 9 Story: 2 - Julius Becton describes his experience as the president of Prairie View A and M University

Tape: 9 Story: 3 - Julius Becton discusses the reputation of Prairie View A and M University

Tape: 9 Story: 4 - Julius Becton describes how he became the superintendent of the Washington, District of Columbia public school system in 1996

Tape: 9 Story: 5 - Julius Becton discusses the challenges faced by the Washington, District of Columbia public school system

Tape: 9 Story: 6 - Julius Becton describes his experience as the superintendent of the Washington, District of Columbia public school system, pt. 1

Tape: 9 Story: 7 - Julius Becton describes his experience as the superintendent of the Washington, District of Columbia public school system, pt. 2

Tape: 9 Story: 8 - Julius Becton talks about the challenges that are faced by the public school system in Washington, District of Columbia

Tape: 9 Story: 9 - Julius Becton describes his life after retiring as the superintendent of the public school system in Washington, District of Columbia

Tape: 11 Story: 1 - Julius Becton talks about his relative, HistoryMaker Thelma Groomes

Tape: 11 Story: 2 - Julius Becton reflects upon his life and career, pt. 1

Tape: 11 Story: 3 - Julius Becton reflects upon his life and career, pt. 2

Tape: 11 Story: 4 - Julius Becton talks about his parents

Tape: 11 Story: 5 - Julius Becton talks about how he would like to be remembered

Tape: 11 Story: 6 - Julius Becton describes his photographs

DASession

1$2

DATape

10$9

DAStory

8$1

DATitle

Julius Becton talks about receiving the George Catlett Marshall Medal in 2007

Julius Becton describes his selection as the president of Prairie View A and M University

Transcript

Let me just point out that, now, you received the George Catlett Marshall Medal in 2007--$$2007.$$Right, yeah. Now, this is, now, tell us the significance of that medal?$$Well, the Association of the United States Army, AUSA, provides, they give an award in the name of General Marshall, "Marshall" being the former Chief of Staff of the Army, also former Secretary of State and a few other things. It's the highest award they have. And I'm very fortunate to have been selected for that. Some of the other award recipients, well, Jim Baker was just last year, the former Chief of Staff to Reagan [President Ronald Reagan]. He was also his Secretary of State and so forth. Colin Powell [General Colin Powell; former Secretary of State] is a recipient of that, and they have a long list of solid citizens. I was--it was rather amusing how I got that award. I mean I got aware of it. I was a trustee in the Association of the United States Army and Vice Superintendent, Vice Chancellor. At a meeting for the association's Council of Trustees, the meeting got started, and the chairman of the board, Nick Chapra (ph.), Nick, who at that time was the Chairman of the Board and CEO at General Dynamics, convened the meeting and then said, "Julius, would you mind stepping out for a minute?" Why? Because I said so. Yes, sir. I go out, came right back in five minutes. And he had just announced to the board that the committee had recommended Julius Becton to become the Marshall recipient in 2007. And you could have knocked me over with a feather. I think you have some pictures in that folder of the group, of the family appearing for that presentation.$All right, so we're on a cliffhanger, and you found out why that you were selected [as the president of Prairie View A&M University, Texas]--$$Yes, I found out why the board selected me. The Board of Regents is like the Board of Trustees or Board of Directors of any institution. It's made up of, in Texas, all graduates of Texas A&M [University]. They are appointed by the governor, and all the [U.S.] Army officers, retired, National Guard, but not active. And they were looking for a "butt kicker," not an academician, their term, not mine. And the other person was an academician. And so, I got unanimous selection and went up to the campus. And I should have known this before I got there, but I didn't. Another reason that they were in dire straits, the Texas legislature had said in writing that Prairie View, you get your acts together and deal with your funding or we will put a conservator in. And that was my welcoming to the Prairie View A and M University.$$Okay, now, how did you feel about that? You're being hired as a "butt kicker." Did you wind your foot up and get ready or did you say wait a minute. What's going on?$$No, I, having been a student at the institution, albeit a non-traditional student because I was in ROTC [Reserve Officers' Training Corps] duty as a major--captain, excuse me. But I knew about a third of the staff and faculty, which I felt was pretty good, a good going in. And I found out quickly that there were about three different groups of people, particularly, staff and administration, about 20, 25 percent, "We don't want a soldier coming in here as the president." And on the other side of that 20, 25 percent, "We know Becton. He's just the right person for it. He'll do a good job here." And that group in the middle did not know me and are waiting, take a look, let's see what he's gonna do. And they had rumors that we're gonna start having reveille, we're gonna start wearing combat boots. We're gonna start saluting, all those idiotic things that people come up with on campuses.

Read more about Gen. Julius Becton, Jr.

Wendell Holland

Attorney Wendell Holland was born on February 10, 1952 and raised in Ardmore, a community in Lower Merion Township in Pennsylvania. His parents are Jeremiah William, Sr. and Jane Foster Holland. Holland attended Lower Merion High School. He then attended Fordham University on a full basketball scholarship, graduating in 1974 with a B.S. degree in urban studies and psychology. He also attended Rutgers School of Law, where he was class president.

In time, he specialized in energy and utility regulation, and worked with the New York Public Service Commission and the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PUC). He served as a judge and in 1990 was appointed as commissioner of PUC. After practicing law and serving as a corporate executive, he became chairman of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission in 2004 where he was responsible for deciding utility mergers and acquisitions; for the implementation of legislation that triggered comprehensive and substantial changes to renewable energy; telecommunication reform; and consumer services legislation.

Holland also served as vice president and general counsel of the Global Bioscience Development Institute. In 2002 and 2003 respectively, Holland was appointed to coordinate the City of Philadelphia Trade Missions with China and South Africa.

Holland has served on three public company boards. He was elected to the board of directors for Aqua America, Inc. in 2011. He was also named to the board of trustees for Main Line Health Inc. in 2012. Holland was also the 1994 recipient of the annual award for excellence for the National Association of Water Companies, Pennsylvania chapter. He was named one of Philadelphia’s 100 Most Influential African Americans. In 2007, he became the recipient of the Whitney M. Young, Jr. Service Award for the Cradle of Liberty Council of the Boy Scouts of America. Holland has served as president of the Mid-Atlantic Conference of Regulatory Utility Commissions and the Organization of PJM States. In 2007, he was the treasurer of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC), where he also served on the board of directors and as chairman of its audit and investment committees. Holland is married to Anita Persaud Holland, and they have three children.

Wendell Holland was interviewed by The HistoryMakers on May 24, 2012.

Accession Number

A2012.128

Sex

Male

Interview Date

5/24/2012

Last Name

Holland

Maker Category

LawMakers

Marital Status

Married

Occupation

Lawyer

Organizations

Agnes Irwin School

Mid-Atlantic Conference of Regulatory Utilities Commissions

Organization of PJM States

National of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC)

Main Line Health, Incorporated

Cradle of Liberty Council

Allegheny Energy, Inc.

Southern African Development Community

City of Philadelphia Trade Mission to China

Aqua America, Inc.

Schools

Lower Merion High School

Fordham University

Rutgers School of Law

Ardmore Avenue Elementary School

Wynnewood Road School

Ardmore Junior High School

First Name

Wendell

Birth City, State, Country

Bryn Mawr

HM ID

HOL16

Favorite Season

4th Of July

State

Pennsylvania

THM DA Link

http://marc.thehistorymakers.org/thmdigital/A2012.128.htm

Web Clip 1

https://thmdaprodmedia.blob.core.windows.net/media/story/video/632757

Favorite Vacation Destination

Cape Town, South Africa

Favorite Quote

None

Bio Photo

Speakers Bureau Region State

Pennsylvania

Birth Date

2/10/1952

Birth Place Term

Bryn Mawr

Speakers Bureau Region City

Philadelphia

Country

USA

Favorite Food

None

Short Description

Lawyer Wendell Holland (1952 - ) was the chairman of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, and played a leading role in the privatization of public utilities in the United States.

Employment

Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission (PaPUC)

LeBoeuf, Lamb, Greene & MacRae LLP

Reed, Smith, Shaw & McClay

American Water Works Company

Obermayer, Rebmann, Maxwell & Hippel

Global Bioscience Development Institute

Saul Ewing LLP

Legal Services of Greater Miami

Favorite Color

None

Web Clip 2

https://thmdaprodmedia.blob.core.windows.net/media/story/video/632765

Timing Pairs

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DAStories

Tape: 1 Story: 1 - Slating of Wendell Holland's interview

Tape: 1 Story: 2 - Wendell Holland lists his favorites

Tape: 1 Story: 3 - Wendell Holland describes his mother's family background

Tape: 1 Story: 4 - Wendell Holland describes his father's family background, pt. 1

Tape: 1 Story: 5 - Wendell Holland describes his father's family background, pt. 2

Tape: 1 Story: 6 - Wendell Holland describes his parents' personalities and professions

Tape: 1 Story: 7 - Wendell Holland describes his earliest childhood memory

Tape: 1 Story: 8 - Wendell Holland describes his neighborhood in Ardmore, Pennsylvania

Tape: 1 Story: 9 - Wendell Holland describes the sights, sounds and smells of his childhood

Tape: 2 Story: 1 - Wendell Holland remembers the Penn Relay Carnival in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Tape: 2 Story: 2 - Wendell Holland talks about the basketball community in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, pt. 1

Tape: 2 Story: 3 - Wendell Holland talks about the basketball community in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, pt. 2

Tape: 2 Story: 4 - Wendell Holland remembers the integration of schools in Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania

Tape: 2 Story: 5 - Wendell Holland describes his experiences at the Ardmore Avenue School in Ardmore, Pennsylvania

Tape: 2 Story: 6 - Wendell Holland recalls his elementary school years in Ardmore, Pennsylvania

Tape: 2 Story: 7 - Wendell Holland remembers his first day at the Wynnewood Road School in Ardmore, Pennsylvania

Tape: 3 Story: 1 - Wendell Holland describes his experiences at the Wynnewood Road School in Ardmore, Pennsylvania

Tape: 3 Story: 2 - Wendell Holland remembers Ardmore Junior High School in Ardmore, Pennsylvania

Tape: 3 Story: 3 - Wendell Holland talks about his early influences

Tape: 3 Story: 4 - Wendell Holland describes his early experiences of religion

Tape: 3 Story: 5 - Wendell Holland remembers the deaths of his mother and his role model

Tape: 3 Story: 6 - Wendell Holland recalls his suspension from Ardmore Junior High School

Tape: 3 Story: 7 - Wendell Holland remembers his introduction to the Black Power movement

Tape: 4 Story: 1 - Wendell Holland remembers the assassination of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Tape: 4 Story: 2 - Wendell Holland talks about the Black Power movement

Tape: 4 Story: 3 - Wendell Holland recalls the consequences of the walk out at Lower Merion High School in Ardmore, Pennsylvania

Tape: 4 Story: 4 - Wendell Holland describes his decision to attend Fordham University in New York City

Tape: 5 Story: 1 - Wendell Holland recalls his introduction to New York City's African American community

Tape: 5 Story: 2 - Wendell Holland describes his academic experiences at Fordham University in New York City

Tape: 5 Story: 3 - Wendell Holland recalls his basketball career at Fordham University

Tape: 5 Story: 4 - Wendell Holland describes his experiences at the Rutgers School of Law in Newark, New Jersey

Tape: 5 Story: 5 - Wendell Holland remembers meeting his wife

Tape: 5 Story: 6 - Wendell Holland describes his work with Legal Services of Greater Miami, Inc. in Miami, Florida

Tape: 5 Story: 7 - Wendell Holland describes his role at the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission

Tape: 5 Story: 8 - Wendell Holland recalls his appointment as commissioner of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission

Tape: 6 Story: 1 - Wendell Holland talks about his law career in the utility industry

Tape: 6 Story: 2 - Wendell Holland remembers the inauguration of South African President Nelson Mandela

Tape: 6 Story: 3 - Wendell Holland describes his positions at Reed, Smith, Shaw and McClay LLP

Tape: 6 Story: 4 - Wendell Holland talks about the privatization of public utilities

Tape: 6 Story: 5 - Wendell Holland describes his role at Obermayer Rebmann Maxwell and Hippel LLP

Tape: 6 Story: 6 - Wendell Holland talks about his work with the Global Bioscience Development Institute

Tape: 6 Story: 7 - Wendell Holland remembers his trade mission to China in 2002

Tape: 6 Story: 8 - Wendell Holland talks about the Mid-Atlantic Conference of Regulatory Utilities

Tape: 6 Story: 9 - Wendell Holland remembers being honored by the Cradle of Liberty Council

Tape: 6 Story: 10 - Wendell Holland describes his board membership at Aqua America, Inc.

Tape: 6 Story: 11 - Wendell Holland describes his position at Saul, Ewing, Arnstein and Lehr LLP

Tape: 7 Story: 1 - Wendell Holland talks about the privatization of public utilities

Tape: 7 Story: 2 - Wendell Holland describes his hopes and concerns for the African American community

Tape: 7 Story: 3 - Wendell Holland reflects upon his life

Tape: 7 Story: 4 - Wendell Holland reflects upon his legacy

Tape: 7 Story: 5 - Wendell Holland talks about his family

Tape: 7 Story: 6 - Wendell Holland describes how he would like to be remembered

Tape: 7 Story: 7 - Wendell Holland narrates his photographs

DASession

1$1

DATape

5$6

DAStory

7$7

DATitle

Wendell Holland describes his role at the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission

Wendell Holland remembers his trade mission to China in 2002

Transcript

This is 1980 that you started?$$Yeah 1980, and the reason--well why was the, why was the public utility commission [Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission] relevant at that time? And I didn't know it because I had never heard of the public utility commission. It was relevant because energy was in the news at that time. You might recall in the mid to late '80s [1980s]--mid to late '70s [1970s], we had the Arab oil embargo, but on March 28, 1979, we had the largest nuclear accident in America right here in Pennsylvania, right here in Harrisburg--right in Harrisburg and Harrisburg was about twenty miles literally from Three Mile Island [Dauphin County, Pennsylvania]. The person--the regulator who was in charge of fixing that mess, if you will, was a guy by the name of [HistoryMaker] W. Wilson Goode, who was the--who went on to be the first African American mayor of the City of Philadelphia [Pennsylvania]. So the public utility commission was still in the news even a year--two years later because the backlash from that accident--that nuclear accident continued to put focus on nuclear power and energy. I realized that in my own quiet way, I had been blessed because I found an area of law that was law, had the kind of hard and technical numbers that I wanted. It had a little bit of economics, accounting, engineering, auditing and all the things that we didn't do in college. Most importantly it put me in a situation where I was doing an area of law that was untraditional from what most black lawyers did. In fact, when I started there were three black lawyers in the whole agency. The whole agency was a group of about maybe 625 people with a total legal compliment, gosh close to 100 and I was one of three black lawyers in the whole State of Pennsylvania and there are twenty-nine thousand lawyers in Pennsylvania to practice that kind of law. I realized that I loved it almost from day one, almost from day one.$$Okay. So--$$Why did I love it?$$Yeah (laughter).$$Sure. I loved it because first, it was exciting, it was energy, it was something that people were talking about on an everyday basis. Second, energy and utilities; electric, natural gas, telephone and water, they are traditionally utilities are used and consumed by every single American, every single minute of the day. So I was involved in an area of law that everybody touched every day. Right now, for example, we're using electricity because of the light. I'm sure we're about to get a drink of water in a little while, we'll go to a water fountain. Those are the kind of things that utilities are involved in. Second, I found that it was something that I could help not only my community but many communities around the state in. When you litigate a utility case--an energy case, it doesn't affect just one person but it affects all the customers of a particular utility. So in the case of Philadelphia Electric [Philadelphia Electric Company] or PECO [Philadelphia, Pennsylvania] the kind of cases that I would handle would affect and change the course of lives for 1.5 million Philadelphians. That was kind of neat--that was kind of interesting, that was the kind of thing that was more impactful to somebody who generally thought he was here to change the world. That was more impactful than me going out and try a slip and fall case or me going out and trying a murder case. Third, what I learned in time was that this is the kind of thing that I could literally use around the world, literally use around the world because people needed energy and utility services in Czechoslovakia [Czech Republic and Slovakia], in southern Africa, in China and in Asia. Once I came to that realization, I literally tried to take my skills to other parts of the world and, and help those nations, in particular those developing nations.$You were appointed in 2002 to coordinate the Philadelphia trade mission--$$Yeah.$$--with People's Republic of China.$$Yeah, that was some experience. I learned in the early '90s [1990s] the joy of selling America to the world. My first venture was a telephone privatization in Hungary that I took a Pennsylvania company to, and then it progressed to the Southern Africa experience that I talked about. While at Obermayer [Obermayer Rebmann Maxwell and Hippel LLP], the city had a very aggressive--was in a very aggressive posture to do business literally around the world. So I formed a trade mission and we took about twenty--well we took twenty-five Philadelphia [Pennsylvania] businessmen to China and we hit seven cities in nine days and came back with three deals. One involved auto parts, the other was a restaurant and I forgot what the third one was. But again it was my and Philadelphia's attempt to literally join the rest of the world and see to what extent we can strengthen and expand economic ties. Our sister city's a little place called Tianjin [China], which is about forty miles [sic.] outside of Beijing [China] and it was an incredible experience. Not my first trip to China but an incredible experience. The mayor was grateful and we came back with a couple of deals.$$Any observations about China?$$Yep, I've never been in a country with a billion people before, I guess China is a billion three [1.3 billion] and it was funny if we hit seven cities in nine days, five of those cities were larger than New York City [New York, New York]. In fact, New York City with only 8 million people would be smallish compared to Shanghai [China] and Beijing who had 17 and 26 million. Second, I realized that if you have, yet again, a good business product that transcends race and nationality and the business of business is business and that impression was reinforced yet again by that trip.$$Do you get a sense when you are in China that it's so much bigger than New York by being there (simultaneous)?$$(Simultaneous) Oh by far, by far. And it's literally not even close. Not only was it the sense that it was bigger than New York, but you often hear about the Chinese economy growing by leaps and bounds. One of our favorite early morning activities at breakfast was to come down and talk about how many cranes that we had seen in the cities that we were in that represented new developments, new office building or whatever going up. It's the kind of thing that you don't see in Philadelphia often. I don't even know if you see it in Detroit [Michigan] anymore but--and I don't know what Dayton [Ohio] is like but that's real growth, that's real development and that's exactly the kind of thing that everyone was talking about. The second thing that just kind of smacks you in the face is the sense of bilingualism. While every--while many Chinese people speak their own respective dialects, there's a great effort to learn and speak English and it's clear that they are ready to do business with the world.$$Now I don't know if this comes next or not 'cause I think you already mentioned being chair of the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission so that doesn't come in this scenario, I mean after the trips to China, right?$$Yes it did, I think I did China in '02 [2002] or '03 [2003] and then I became chair and then as I said, we literally shopped Pennsylvania to Serbia, to--we had partnerships with Serbia; Zambia; India, two states, Uttar Pradesh [India] and Delhi [India]; Hungary and there was one other one and again it gave me a chance to see that the world is more--as an African American, the the world is more than just Africa. That we can do business virtually anywhere and, you know selling Pennsylvania was proof of that.

Read more about Wendell Holland

Renee J. Amoore

Health care advocate Renee J. Amoore was born on January 24, 1953 in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania to Juanita Ramsey, a domestic worker and nurse, and John Ramsey, a school bus driver. Amoore has earned a reputation for her innovative approaches to treating mental illness and other disorders.

Amoore (then Ramsey) was trained at the Harlem School of Nursing and served as head emergency room nurse at New York's Harlem Hospital. While working as evening and night program coordinator at the Philadelphia Child Guidance Clinic, Amoore earned a bachelor's degree at Antioch College in 1979. Antioch University granted her a master's degree in administration in 1982. By that time, Amoore was already working as a supervisor of Wordsworth Academy's hospital program in Pennsylvania. In 1986, the Philadelphia Center for Developmental Services, Inc. hired her as a program director. Growth Horizons, Inc., an organization running group homes for people with mental illness and substance abuse problems, employed Amoore in 1988 where she worked until 1996, becoming its vice president and chief operating officer.

In 1995, Renee Amoore founded a health care management and consulting firm called the Amoore Group in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania. The company includes Amoore Health Systems, Inc., a local service provider and health care consultant; 521 Management Group, Inc., a public relations and governmental liaison business; and Ramsey Educational and Development Institute, Inc., which provides programs focusing on job creation and workplace diversity. Amoore's political connections serve her well. In 1992, she was elected to Pennsylvania's Republican State Committee and became the deputy chair in 1996.

Amoore has taught as an adjunct professor at Drexel University, Antioch University and Lincoln University. Her civic commitments include membership in the NAACP, the American Legion Auxiliary and the African American Museum of Philadelphia's Advisory Board. She serves as a deacon at Saints Memorial Baptist Church and a guest host on a WHAT-AM community talk show. Honors Amoore has received include the Artemis Award from the Euro-American Women's Council in Greece, the Evelyn McPhail Award for Republican Activist of the Year, the NAACP Award for Community Services in Education and the Madam C.J. Walker Award from the Coalition of 100 Black Women. She and her husband, Joseph Amoore, have one daughter, Cherie.

Renee J. Amoore was interviewed by The HistoryMakers on September 10, 2002.

Accession Number

A2002.179

Sex

Female

Archival Photo 1

Interview Date

9/10/2002

Last Name

Amoore

Maker Category

MedicalMakers

Marital Status

Married

Middle Name

Occupation

Chief Executive Officer

Healthcare Executive

Nurse

Organizations

Schools

Haverford High School

Coopertown El Sch

Speakers Bureau

Yes

Archival Photo 2

Speakers Bureau Availability

Depends on Schedule

First Name

Renee`

Birth City, State, Country

Bryn Mawr

HM ID

AMO01

Speakers Bureau Preferred Audience

Whatever she qualifies for.

Favorite Season

Winter

Speaker Bureau Notes

Preferred Audience: Whatever she qualifies for.

State

Pennsylvania

THM DA Link

http://marc.thehistorymakers.org/thmdigital/A2002.179.htm

Web Clip 1

https://thmdaprodmedia.blob.core.windows.net/media/story/video/61336

Favorite Vacation Destination

Jamaica

Favorite Quote

Cut Through The Chase. What's The Bottom Line?

Bio Photo

Speakers Bureau Region State

Pennsylvania

Birth Date

1/24/1953

Birth Place Term

Bryn Mawr

Speakers Bureau Region City

Philadelphia

Country

USA

Favorite Food

Potato Chips

Short Description

Chief executive officer, healthcare executive, and nurse Renee J. Amoore (1953 - ) is a home health care entrepreneur and has served as the vice chair of the Republican Party of Pennsylvania.

Employment

Wordsworth Academy

Philadelphia Center for Developmental Services

Growth Horizons

Amoore Group

Republican Party of Pennsylvania

Drexel University

Antioch College

Lincoln University

Favorite Color

Purple

Web Clip 2

https://thmdaprodmedia.blob.core.windows.net/media/story/video/70030

Timing Pairs

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DAStories

Tape: 1 Story: 1 - Slating of Renee Amoore's interview

Tape: 1 Story: 2 - Renee Amoore lists her favorites

Tape: 1 Story: 3 - Renee Amoore talks about her family background

Tape: 1 Story: 4 - Renee Amoore talks about her mother, Juanita Ramsey

Tape: 1 Story: 5 - Renee Amoore describes her father, John Ramsey

Tape: 1 Story: 6 - Renee Amoore describes the sights, sounds, and smells of her childhood

Tape: 1 Story: 7 - Renee Amoore describes her childhood home

Tape: 1 Story: 8 - Renee Amoore talks about an experience with racial discrimination in middle school that led to changes in the school

Tape: 1 Story: 9 - Renee Amoore talks about her grades

Tape: 1 Story: 10 - Renee Amoore talks about her childhood activities

Tape: 1 Story: 11 - Renee Amoore talks about the demographics of Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania

Tape: 1 Story: 12 - Renee Amoore describes her experience at Haverford High School

Tape: 1 Story: 13 - Renee Amoore talks about her mentors and activities at Saints Memorial Baptist Church in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania

Tape: 1 Story: 14 - Renee Amoore talks about high school gang activity

Tape: 1 Story: 15 - Renee Amoore talks about her high school band and its covers of songs by Aretha Franklin and Dionne Warwick

Tape: 2 Story: 1 - Renee Amoore talks about applying to nursing school

Tape: 2 Story: 2 - Renee Amoore describes her first day in Harlem, New York

Tape: 2 Story: 3 - Renee Amoore describes learning about the black experience as a student in Harlem, New York

Tape: 2 Story: 4 - Renee Amoore talks about becoming accepted by other students at Harlem Hospital

Tape: 2 Story: 5 - Renee Amoore describes her hands-on experience at Harlem Hospital

Tape: 2 Story: 6 - Renee Amoore describes learning about discipline as a student nurse at Harlem Hospital

Tape: 2 Story: 7 - Renee Amoore talks about an influential teacher at Harlem Hospital, Ms. Renee Johnson

Tape: 2 Story: 8 - Renee Amoore describes the positive aspects of Harlem

Tape: 2 Story: 9 - Renee Amoore talks about working as a nurse in the South Bronx

Tape: 2 Story: 10 - Renee Amoore describes her career as a nurse

Tape: 2 Story: 11 - Renee Amoore talks about the founding of Amoore Health Systems, Inc., 521 Management Group, and the Ramsey Educational Development Institute (REDI)

Tape: 3 Story: 1 - Renee Amoore describes the different arms of the Amoore Group, Inc.

Tape: 3 Story: 2 - Renee Amoore talks about the Amoore Group's work in South Africa

Tape: 3 Story: 3 - Renee Amoore describes her decision to run for the school board director in Upper Merion Township in Pennsylvania

Tape: 3 Story: 4 - Renee Amoore talks about running for the school board in Upper Merion Township in Pennsylvania

Tape: 3 Story: 5 - Renee Amoore talks about her transition from local to state to national political levels

Tape: 3 Story: 6 - Renee Amoore talks about her role in the 2000 Republican National Convention

Tape: 3 Story: 7 - Renee Amoore describes important Republican issues

Tape: 3 Story: 8 - Renee Amoore talks about other black Republicans including HistoryMaker General Colin L. Powell, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, and Condoleeza Rice

Tape: 3 Story: 9 - Renee Amoore talks about Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas

Tape: 4 Story: 1 - Renee Amoore discusses reparations

Tape: 4 Story: 2 - Renee Amoore talks about President Bill Clinton

Tape: 4 Story: 3 - Renee Amoore talks about Mayor John Street's administration in Philadelphia Pennsylvania

Tape: 4 Story: 4 - Renee Amoore describes working on Tom Ridge's gubernatorial campaign

Tape: 4 Story: 5 - Renee Amoore talks about Tom Ridge and the Department of Homeland Security

Tape: 4 Story: 6 - Renee Amoore describes her hopes and concerns for the African American Community

Tape: 4 Story: 7 - Renee Amoore contemplates running for public office

Tape: 4 Story: 8 - Renee Amoore reflects on her mother's pride in her

Tape: 4 Story: 9 - Renee Amoore reflects upon her legacy

Tape: 4 Story: 10 - Renee Amoore talks about how she would like to be remembered

Tape: 4 Story: 11 - Renee Amoore narrates her photographs, pt.1

Tape: 5 Story: 1 - Renee Amoore narrates her photographs, pt.2

Tape: 5 Story: 2 - Renee Amoore narrates her photographs, pt.3

DASession

1$1

DATape

2$3

DAStory

11$5

DATitle

Renee Amoore talks about the founding of Amoore Health Systems, Inc., 521 Management Group, and the Ramsey Educational Development Institute (REDI)

Renee Amoore talks about her transition from local to state to national political levels

Transcript

So, you start out--you started a company [Amoore Health Systems, Inc.] just to, with yourself as your only employee?$$Um-hum, absolutely. I just was gonna do managed health care, go and consult, teach people how to set up managed health care 'cause that was like the big buzz word, you know, six or seven years ago, how to do it, we can help you with your billing or I can come in and train your group on diversity, you know, or I could, you know, train your group on universal precautions, you know, all these little things that different group homes in particular wanted or different agencies. So, that's where we were and then we were called, like I said, by the state [Pennsylvania] about the ex-offenders program because they knew of my background. We were called from labor and industry about working with people with disabilities and then just things started moving, so we went with one staff and now we're up to 100 staff and we have about eight or nine different offices and we're also in South Africa. We'll be duping this in South Africa.$$I'm sorry now when did you come back to Pennsylvania--(unclear)--$$In--when I was in Cha,--(unclear)-- Guidance. That was probably '74 [1974], '75 [1975], probably like in the mid, late '70s [1970s].$$Okay, okay, but you didn't start the business until about--(simultaneous)--$$Nineteen-ninety--you know we start, yeah, the six or seven years. We started about--Amoore Health Systems was a shell for about a year. Late Decem--November 1996 we actually had our first, you know, client. You know, it was just still me, myself, and I, and so in '96 [1996] we had Amoore Health Systems. In '97 [1997], we started 521 Management Group, which is our PR government relations firm which in Pennsylvania we're the only certified African American lobbyist in the state, which we're really proud about. That means we're registered, you know, we have other lobbyists those type of things. We have offices in Washington, D.C. and in Harrisburg [Pennsylvania]. We lobby internationally and nationally and also local and state. And then in 1998, we started REDI, Ramsey Educational Developmental Institute, which is our not-for-profit for children services and adult services where we train welfare-to-work recipients, dislocated workers, but we also have a children's program where we go in the home and actually do home-based programming and it's something I came up with because a lot of folks that have children that are sick can't get out the house also. So, we actually bring in PTs [physical therapists] and OTs [occupational therapists], speech therapists and we actually do the work in the home for them, which was a pilot program that the county asked us to come up with something for kids with early intervention from birth to three. And so we came up with this innovative really good program and they said you can only have about 50 kids and we have about 175 children in that program now from birth to three and a waiting list. It's an amazing program. A lot of kids that have autism, behavioral health problems and you kind of sit there and say how can kids from birth to three have all these issues, but they do.$While I was on the school board, the Republican Party came to me and said we have no blacks in this area state committee, will you run for state committee? I ran for state committee and won. State committee as you know probably is that you're, you're on the state level now, so I'm going all of a sudden from local to state politics, which was a whole different thing and real challenging because when you're always the first black you have this stuff on your shoulder that you gotta carry everything and everybody's issues. And you have to be so careful with that. You know you have to learn how to balance and juggle those things. I mean, when I was on the school board we actually had to get two lines because we would get so many complaints especially from people of color, you know, about how their kids were being treated and blah, blah, blah, and it kind of went all over the southeastern region that I was the first black on the school board, so other school boards were calling too. So, I was going out and speaking to other school boards, and then I was also chairing the Vutek (ph.) board and also the IU, which is working with kids with disabilities in the school district. So, it was really a lot, an awesome position and a lot of work, you know, and I think I was out probably six days a week between meetings and things like that, and our meetings would go to 1 and 2 in the morning you know, fighting about different issues. But, I learned a lot and it really helped me to be strong so that when I was on the state level I became a committee person. You were called a committee person and you represent your area. Again, I represented this area Montgomery County. When I went there, I was very upset 'cause when I looked up on the dais there was no African Americans or no one of color. I said this is ridiculous. This is why they call the Republican Party mean-spirited. This is why they call the Republican Party white men, bald-headed white men, you know, rich people, that kind of stuff. We have to have some more diversity. For a year and a half I just fought about that, talked about that, and then they were like well if you're that interested, you know, oh what do you want to run for? I said I'll be the deputy chair of the party, second-in-ommand. I didn't want to go for the chair that looked a little, you know, and I still had to learn a lot. I was appointed to deputy chair within two years of being in the Republican Party. So, people know me now on the state level. So, at this point I'm on the state level, which spun into the national level because again you don't have blacks in leadership in our party. So, as your building that you can see how your business can build too 'cause your developing relationships, you're meeting people, you're meeting business people. That's why it's important to use those relationships in a positive way and, and that's why I think we've built, we've grown. And I know I've taken you a long way to explain, but I think it's important for people to know we have to use those things in a positive way and you also cross the line, we cross the line. It doesn't matter if you're R or D [Republican or Democrat]; it's about business. You know, it's about a seat at the table, so we make a lot of policy decisions in this state and that's how people know me. We make a lot of decisions now nationally because since the Republican [National] Convention. You know, again I never thought that I would have an audience with the Bushes or Barbara Bush would introduce me, you know, at an event, those type of things, or make comments or meet Laura Bush or do those things and be able to go to a State Dinner. I'm like oh my God, and you know I can't believe this is me. Today, I spoke with a group of 150 women in Chester County. There was a line for a half an hour for autographs or whatever. I'm saying it's just Renee Amoore, what's the big deal. But when you think about it, it's somebody that has crossed some racial barriers, somebody that has crossed party barriers, and then I started seeing what people are hearing and seeing from me. So, whatever I can do to put that information and insight out and mentor to people. That's what I'm going to continue to do.

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