Albert M. Franco oral history interviews, 1935-2000

Overview of the Collection

Creator
Franco, Albert M
Title
Albert M. Franco oral history interviews
Dates
1935-2000 (inclusive)
Quantity
5 audio cassettes plus transcripts and other textual materials
Collection Number
2834
Summary
Interviews of a Jewish immigrant who discusses family history, moving to Seattle, Sephardic life, Zionism and his career
Repository
University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections
Special Collections
University of Washington Libraries
Box 352900
Seattle, WA
98195-2900
Telephone: 2065431929
Fax: 2065431931
speccoll@uw.edu
Access Restrictions

Open to all users.

Some interviews were recorded on analog tape. If a digital surrogate does not exist, users may be required to pay to have the items transferred to digital format before they would be available for listening. The transcripts have been digitized and links to them are available below.

Languages
English

Historical NoteReturn to Top

Albert was born November 10, 1914 to immigrant parents Rosa Boullissa and Marco Franco of the Island of Rhodes. He attended Leschi Elementary, Garfield High School and graduated from the University of Washington and University of Washington Law School Class of 1939. He served in the US Army Intelligence Corps. Returning to Seattle, he became a founding partner of the law firm Franco, Asia, Bensussen and Coe, and practiced immigration and business law, also serving as the representative of the Mexican Embassy in the Northwest. Albert was an early civil rights advocate, and helped author King County's Civil Rights Ordinance. He also served on the King County Human Rights Commission. A strong philanthropic supporter of the Jewish Community and United Way, Albert was past president of the Jewish Federation of Greater Seattle and was active in the Anti-Defamation League, the American Civil Liberties Union and the American Jewish Committee. [Seattle Times Obituary, Jan. 12, 2011]

Content DescriptionReturn to Top

Three separate interviews conducted over the span of 22 years. Franco discusses family history on the Isle of Rhodes, moving to Seattle, Sephardic life and Zionism. He also discusses his career as a lawyer. One xerox copy of "Progress" dating from March 1935 from the Shalom Alehem and a program from Seattle Maimonidean Octocentennial Committe from 1935 is in Mss. Acc. No. 2934-001 (VF 1024)

Use of the CollectionReturn to Top

Restrictions on Use

Consult the restrictions governing reproduction and use for each of the accessions listed below.

Administrative InformationReturn to Top

Preservation Note

Some interviews were recorded on analog tape. If a digital surrogate does not exist, users may be required to pay to have the items transferred to digital format before they would be available for listening. The transcripts have been digitized and links to them are available below.

Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top

 

Accession No. 2834-001: Albert M. Franco oral history interview, 1935, 1978Return to Top

2 cassettes; 2 items

Scope and Content: Tape-recorded interview, 7-13-78 by Meta Kaplan and Adena Russak; program and "Progress," 1935.

Albert Franco tells of his family's life on the Isle of Rhodes; why they left; how they came to Seattle. He tells of his father, Marco Franco's, achievements in business and of his father's extensive participation in community affairs, in the Sephardic community and in the community in general. He tells of his own education, his career as a lawyer, his war service in the Army Intelligence, and of his work in the community. He experienced discrimination by his fellow Jews when no Sephardic student could join a Jewish fraternity or sorority.

This interview gives illuminating insights concerning the history of an early day Sephardic family and how a child who grew up in that era reacted as shown in his community work as as adult. His account of his father, Marco Franco, as a liaison between the various segments in the community is interesting.

Digital Content/Other Formats: Listen to the audio recording and view the transcript of this interview on the Libraries Digital Collections site.

Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.

Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.

Acquisition Info: Albert M. Franco, Seattle, July 13, 1978.

Description
Albert M. Franco oral history interview

Accession No. 2834-002: Albert M. Franco oral history interview, 1982Return to Top

2 cassettes; transcript: 31 pages.

Scope and Content: Tape-recorded interview, 6-30-82, by Howard Droker with a transcript.

This is a follow-up interview which focuses on Franco's introduction to Zionism, the Sephardic congregations in Seattle, his opposition to moving Ezra Bessaroth, his involvement in B'nai Brith, and concludes with a long discussion of the Jewish community's role in civil rights matters in Seattle.

Digital Content/Other Formats: Listen to the audio recording and view the transcript of this interview on the Libraries Digital Collections site.

Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.

Restrictions on Use: Creator's literary rights not transferred to the University of Washington Libraries.

Acquisition Info: Albert Franco, June 30, 1982

Description
Albert M. Franco oral history interview

Accession No. 2834-003: Albert M. Franco oral history interview, 2000Return to Top

1 audio cassette
Transcript: 7 pages

Scope and Content: Tape recorded interview covering the years 1948 to around 1975, taken on August 23, 2000; transcript.

Mr. Franco discusses the lawsuit of Eugene Levy vs. Jewish Family and Child Service (JFCS) of 1948.

Digital Content/Other Formats: Listen to the audio recording and view the transcript of this interview on the Libraries Digital Collections site.

Restrictions on Access: Open to all users.

Restrictions on Use: Creator's rights dedicated to the public. May be used for research, instruction, publication or similar purposes.

Acquisition Info: Albert M. Franco.

Description
Albert M. Franco oral history interview

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Personal Names

  • Davis, Norman, 1897-
  • Franco, Albert M.--Archives
  • Franco, Marco
  • Franco, Marco
  • Maimon, Moshe Ben
  • Mossafer, Isaac
  • Peha, Nessim J
  • Russak, Adina (interviewee)
  • Tarshis, Samuel William

Corporate Names

  • American Jewish Committee. Seattle Chapter
  • B'nai B'rith Hillel Foundation. University of Washington
  • B'nai B'rith. Anti-defamation League
  • Congregation Ezra Bessaroth (Seattle, Wash.)
  • Jewish Community Center of Greater Seattle
  • Jewish Federation and Council of Greater Seattle
  • Seattle Sephardic Brotherhood
  • Seattle Sephardic Talmud Torah
  • Sephardic Bikur Holim Congregation (Seattle, Wash.)
  • Settlement House (Seattle, Wash.)
  • Temple de Hirsch (Seattle, Wash.)

Other Creators

  • Personal Names
    • Buttnick, Meta Bloom, 1913- (interviewer)
    • Droker, Howard (interviewer)
    • Stiefel, Ernest R (interviewer)

Names and SubjectsReturn to Top

Subject Terms

  • Personal Papers/Corporate Records (University of Washington)