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Oral history interview with Russell Peyton, 1987 July 28-August 12
Overview of the Collection
- Interviewee
- Peyton, Russell A. (Russell Ackerman), 1903-1996
- Title
- Oral history interview with Russell Peyton
- Dates
- 1987 July 28-August 12 (inclusive)1987-07-281987-08-12
- Quantity
- .1 cubic feet, (7 audiocassettes (6 hr., 22 min., 30 sec.))
- Collection Number
- SR 473
- Summary
- Oral history interview with Russell Peyton conducted by Dan Malone from July 28 to August 12, 1987. Peyton worked as an investigator for the Civil Rights Division of the Oregon State Bureau of Labor, and later was executive director of the Metropolitan Human Relations Commission.
- 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
Russell Ackerman Peyton was born in New Jersey in 1903. He was raised by his maternal grandparents in Virginia. He got involved in a successful lawsuit against Shell Oil while working at a service station in San Francisco, California, which led to his getting a job with the law firm Shepard & Peyton. He then attended the University of Oklahoma in 1936, and earned a bachelor's degree in liberal arts. He came to Portland, Oregon, to work for the Kaiser shipyards as manager of the testing department from 1943 to 1946. After the war, he decided to remain in Oregon. He got involved with the Urban League, which led to his being hired as an investigator for the Civil Rights Division of the Oregon State Bureau of Labor. He was also involved with the Joint Council for Social Welfare for many years and was named Social Worker of the Year in 1972. He later was an executive director of the Metropolitan Human Relations Commission, and an award named for him is awarded each year to human rights activists. After retirement, Peyton served on the boards of numerous humanitarian organizations. He died in 1996.
Other Descriptive InformationReturn to Top
Index (6 pages) available for in-person use at the Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Content DescriptionReturn to Top
This interview with Russell Peyton was conducted by Dan Malone at the Oregon Historical Society in Portland, Oregon, from July 28 to August 12, 1987. In the interview, Peyton discusses his family history and early life in Virginia. He also discusses his early jobs, including working as an assistant to a Chinese diplomat. He then talks about going to California and working in service stations, where he got involved in a lawsuit against the Shell Oil company. Peyton then discusses attending the University of Oklahoma and confronting his own racism. In talking about the lead-up to World War II, he discusses coming to Oregon and working for the Kaiser shipyards and his impressions of Portland. He then talks about a trip he took to Europe shortly after the end of the war. Peyton discusses his involvement with the Urban League and his work toward integration, particularly on housing discrimination. He also discusses the different forms that racism took in the North and South. He then talks about his work as an investigator for the Civil Rights Division of the Oregon State Bureau of Labor, detailing many of his cases. Peyton discusses his work with the Joint Council on Social Welfare and the legislation they lobbied for. He also discusses the achievements of the Oregon Prison Association; working with Portland General Electric to cease cutting off power to people who couldn't pay their bills in winter; and school busing. Peyton discusses his time as executive director of the Metropolitan Human Relations Commission, including affirmative action policies, working to improve the Portland police, food security, pay equality, and employment discrimination. He also discusses working with the Portland City Council and the Metro government. In addition, he talks briefly about Vietnam War protests in Portland. Peyton talks often about Edwin "Bill" C. Berry of the Urban League, as well as other leaders in Portland's black community. He then briefly describes each winner of the Russell Peyton Award from its inception to 1987. Peyton also talks about the numerous humanitarian organizations whose boards he served on after retirement. He closes the interview by reflecting on his career and accomplishments in civil rights.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Alternative Forms Available
Audio available online in OHS Digital Collections.
Preferred Citation
Oral history interview with Russell Peyton, by Dan Malone, SR 473, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
Restrictions on Use
Copyright held by the Oregon Historical Society. Licensed under Creative Commons BY-NC-SA 4.0, http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
Administrative InformationReturn to Top
Detailed Description of the CollectionReturn to Top
| Container(s) | Description | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Cassette | ||
| 1-2 | Oral history interview with Russell Peyton | 1987 July 28 |
| 3-4 | Oral history interview with Russell Peyton | 1987 August 4 |
| 5-7 | Oral history interview with Russell Peyton | 1987 August 12 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- African Americans--Civil rights
- Civil rights--Oregon
- Discrimination in housing--Oregon--Portland
- Racism
Personal Names
- Berry, Edwin C., 1910-1987
- Peyton, Russell A. (Russell Ackerman), 1903-1996
Corporate Names
- Metropolitan Human Relations Commission (Multnomah County, Or.)
- Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries. Civil Rights Division
- Urban League of Portland (Portland, Or.)
Form or Genre Terms
- interviews
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
- Malone, Dan (interviewer)
