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Oral history interview with Jerome Kohlberg, Jr., 1999 May 19-20
Overview of the Collection
- Interviewee
- Kohlberg, Jerome, Jr., 1925-2015
- Title
- Oral history interview with Jerome Kohlberg, Jr.
- Dates
- 1999 May 19-20 (inclusive)1999-05-191999-05-20
- Quantity
- .1 cubic feet, (4 audiocassettes (2 hr., 46 min., 56 sec.) + transcript (59 pages))
- Collection Number
- SR 1254
- Summary
- Oral history interview with Jerome Kohlberg, Jr. conducted by Michael O'Rourke from May 19-20, 1999, as part of the United States District Court Oral History Project. Kohlberg was a law clerk for U.S. District Court Judge Gus Solomon.
- Repository
-
Oregon Historical Society Research Library
1200 SW Park Avenue
Portland, OR
97205
Telephone: 503-306-5240
Fax: 503-219-2040
libreference@ohs.org - Access Restrictions
-
Collection is open for research.
- Languages
- English
- Sponsor
- This project is supported in whole or part by the Institute of Museum and Library Services through the Library Services and Technology Act, administered by the State Library of Oregon.
Biographical NoteReturn to Top
Jerome Kohlberg, Jr. was born in New York in 1925. He attended Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, then was called to serve in the U.S. Navy during World War II. After his discharge, he attended Harvard Business School, where he earned an MBA. He also earned a law degree from Columbia University. He came to Oregon after graduating from law school and clerked for Judge Gus Solomon of the U.S. District Court of Oregon. He and Nancy Seiffer were married in 1949; they later had four children. He joined Bear Stearns in 1955 and founded the Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts investment firm (also known as KKR & Co.) in 1976. He died in 2015.
Other Descriptive InformationReturn to Top
Forms part of the United States District Court Oral History Project.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
This oral history interview with Jerome Kohlberg, Jr. was conducted by Michael O'Rourke at the St. Regis Hotel in New York, New York, from May 19-20, 1999. In this interview, Kohlberg discusses his experiences as a law clerk for Judge Gus Solomon from 1952 to 1953, including some of the cases Solomon heard, and Solomon's commitment to helping Jewish lawyers. He also briefly describes many of the lawyers and judges he met while in Portland, Oregon. He then talks about returning to New York to practice law and his continued relationship with Gus Solomon and Libby Solomon. He speaks at length about purchasing Fred Meyer in 1981 through his investment firm, Kohlberg, Kravis, Roberts (KKR & Co.), including his interactions with Fred G. Meyer, Oran B. Robertson, and Gerry Pratt. He closes the interview by briefly discussing how KKR has continued to manage Fred Meyer since its purchase.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Alternative Forms Available
Audio and transcript available online in OHS Digital Collections.
Preferred Citation
Oral history interview with Jerome Kohlberg, Jr., by Michael O'Rourke, SR 1254, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Restrictions on Use
Joint copyright for this interview is held by the Oregon Historical Society and the U.S. District Court of Oregon Historical Society. Use is allowed according to the following statement: In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC-EDU/1.0/
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Cassette | ||
| 1-2 | Oral history interview with Jerome Kohlberg, Jr. | 1999 May 19 |
| 3-4 | Oral history interview with Jerome Kohlberg, Jr. | 1999 May 20 |
| Folder | ||
| SR1254 | Transcript of oral history interview with Jerome Kohlberg, Jr. | 1999 May 19-20 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Law clerks--Oregon
- Lawyers--New York (State)--New York
Personal Names
- Kohlberg, Jerome, Jr., 1925-2015
- Solomon, Gus J. (Gus Jerome), 1906-1987
- Solomon, Libby (Elisabeth), 1909-2004
Corporate Names
- Fred Meyer, Inc.
- KKR & Company
Form or Genre Terms
- interviews
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
- O'Rourke, Michael (Filmmaker) (interviewer)
