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Oral history interview with Gus J. Solomon, 1984 July 23-October 18
Overview of the Collection
- Interviewee
- Solomon, Gus J. (Gus Jerome), 1906-1987
- Title
- Oral history interview with Gus J. Solomon
- Dates
- 1984 July 23-October 18 (inclusive)1984-07-231984-10-18
- Quantity
- .1 cubic feet, (14 audiocassettes (12 hr., 34 min., 10 sec.) + transcript (268 pages))
- Collection Number
- SR 1226
- Summary
- Oral history interview with Gus J. Solomon conducted by Rick Harmon from July 23 to October 18, 1984, as part of the United States District Court Oral History Project. Solomon was a judge for the U.S. District Court of Oregon.
- 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
Gus Jerome Solomon was born in Portland, Oregon, in 1906. He attended Reed College, then transferred to the University of Chicago his junior year. He graduated in 1926. He went on to study law at Columbia University, transferring to Stanford University in 1927. He earned his law degree in 1929. He returned to Portland to practice law. He met Elisabeth Willer through his involvement in the Democratic Party and they were married in 1939; they later had three children. Solomon served as a U.S. District Court judge in Portland from 1949 to 1971, when he took senior status. He served as chief judge from 1959 to 1971. He died in 1987.
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 Gus J. Solomon was conducted by Rick Harmon at the U.S. District Courthouse in Portland, Oregon, from July 23 to October 18, 1984. In this interview, Solomon discusses his family background and early life in Portland, including his memories of World War I, his Jewish upbringing, his father's store, and his education. He then discusses attending Reed College, his interest in history, and his subsequent transfer to the University of Chicago. He discusses studying law at Columbia University, including his social life in New York, then transferring to Stanford University, including his developing political beliefs. He also discusses his family's financial difficulties during this time period. He talks about the difficulty in finding a job in a law office during the Depression, and about some of the cases he worked on, particularly cases involving civil rights. He also talks about his involvement with the Democratic Party, the Oregon Commonwealth Foundation, and the American Civil Liberties Union. He describes his work toward establishing a legal aid program in Oregon, his work on public power, and his efforts getting jobs for young lawyers, particularly those from underrepresented groups. He describes being rejected for military service in World War II and cases he worked on related to internment of Japanese-Americans, particularly after the war.
Solomon discusses serving as a judge for the U.S. District Court of Oregon. He talks about his election to the bench and the opposition he faced; the adjustment from lawyer to judge; and his relationship with his fellow judges. He describes in detail his techniques for speeding up the judicial process, with some case examples. He then discusses his activities as a senior judge, beginning in 1971, which he describes as being largely the same as when he was an active judge. He talks about hearing cases in other districts, particularly in Southern California; the McCarthy era; and cases with political implications, particularly cases regarding the draft. He talks about serving as chief judge from 1959 to 1971, and the changes he made to rules and procedures of the court. He describes some of the law clerks he's had over his career, including Jerome Kohlberg, Jr. He speaks briefly about his early opposition to clubs with discriminatory policies. Solomon provides advice to lawyers on how to win cases, and discusses lawyers he has worked with. He talks about sentencing, judicial activism, and interpreting law.
Solomon closes the interview by talking about his personal life and activities. He discusses the many organizations he has belonged to, including the Reed College Alumni Association and Amnesty International. He also talks about organizations he regularly donates to, including the Jewish Federation. He describes his family life and the activities of his children and grandchildren.
Use of the CollectionReturn to Top
Alternative Forms Available
Audio and transcript available online in OHS Digital Collections.
Preferred Citation
Oral history interview with Gus J. Solomon, by Rick Harmon, SR 1226, 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 | Oral history interview with Gus J. Solomon | 1984 July 23 |
2 | Oral history interview with Gus J. Solomon | 1984 July 23-26 |
3 | Oral history interview with Gus J. Solomon | 1984 August 1 |
4 | Oral history interview with Gus J. Solomon | 1984 August 1-22 |
5 | Oral history interview with Gus J. Solomon | 1984 August 22-24 |
6 | Oral history interview with Gus J. Solomon | 1984 August 24 |
7 | Oral history interview with Gus J. Solomon | 1984 September 13 |
8 | Oral history interview with Gus J. Solomon | 1984 September 14 |
9 | Oral history interview with Gus J. Solomon | 1984 September 21 |
10 | Oral history interview with Gus J. Solomon | 1984 September 26 |
11 | Oral history interview with Gus J. Solomon | 1984 October 4 |
12 | Oral history interview with Gus J. Solomon | 1984 October 4-12 |
13 | Oral history interview with Gus J. Solomon | 1984 October 12-18 |
14 | Oral history interview with Gus J. Solomon | 1984 October 18 |
Folder | ||
SR1226 | Transcript of oral history interview with Gus J. Solomon | 1984 July 23-1984 October 18 |
Names and SubjectsReturn to Top
Subject Terms
- Civil rights--Oregon
- Japanese Americans--Evacuation and relocation, 1942-1945
- Jews--Oregon--Portland
- Judges--Oregon
- Justice, Administration of--Oregon
Personal Names
- Solomon, Gus J. (Gus Jerome), 1906-1987
Corporate Names
- American Civil Liberties Union of Oregon
- Democratic Party (Or.)
- Oregon Commonwealth Federation
- United States. District Court (Oregon)
Form or Genre Terms
- interviews
Other Creators
-
Personal Names
- Harmon, Rick (interviewer)