Forms part of the Oregon Labor Oral History Program.
Collection is open for research.
Gift of Stephanie Vallance, June 2021 (RL2021-058).
James "Jamie" Gilbert Partridge was born in Berkeley, California, in 1949. His family later moved to Washington state and then to Lake Oswego, Oregon. He attended Dartmouth College, and dropped out in 1968. The next year, he returned to Portland. He earned a Medical Lab Tech certification from Portland Community College, and studied at Portland State University. He was involved with six labor unions, including the Teamsters, the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the American Federation of Government Employees (AFGE), the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW), the National Association of Letter Carriers (NALC), and the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). From 1984 to 2011, he was a letter carrier for the U.S. Postal Service. He was a contributor for the Socialist Worker publication, an organizer for Communities and Postal Workers United, and a programmer for KBOO, a community radio station in Portland.
Forms part of the Oregon Labor Oral History Program.
Oral history interview with Jamie G. Partridge, by Stephanie Vallance, SR 1347, Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
This oral history interview with Jamie G. Partridge was conducted by Stephanie Vallance in thirty sessions from February 7, 2020, to April 23, 2021. The interview was conducted as part of the Oregon Labor Oral History Program, which collects oral histories of individuals who have advocated for working people of Oregon, including public figures, union members, and workers. Sessions 1 through 4 were conducted at Partridge's home in Portland, Oregon. The remaining sessions were conducted using Zoom video conferencing software due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In sessions 1 through 5, Partridge discusses his early life and the development of his political beliefs during the 1960s and 1970s, including his experiences during the 1967 "Summer of Love" in San Francisco, California, his involvement with the Black Panthers, and his friendship with Portland police officer Tom Potter.
In sessions 6 through 8, Partridge discusses his involvement in the Freedom Socialist Party, the co-parenting arrangement he entered with a former student, and his involvement with the Central American Solidarity Committee in the 1980s. He also begins to discuss campaigning for Jesse Jackson.
In sessions 9 through 15, Partridge discusses his involvement in the Rainbow Coalition, campaigning for Jesse Jackson, and his involvement in Jobs with Justice. He also talks about his career as a letter carrier for the U.S. Postal Service.
In sessions 16 though 19, Partridge discusses his career as a letter carrier for the U.S. Postal Service and his involvement with the postal workers union.
In sessions 20 through 24, Partridge discusses his involvement in Jobs with Justice. He talks about the 2006 Great American Boycott, and about his radio show on the Portland station KBOO.
In sessions 25 through 30, Partridge talks about his involvement in the postal workers union after his retirement in 2011, discusses his involvement with the Democratic Socialists of America, and reflects on the oral history experience.
Copyright for this interview is held by the Oregon Historical Society. Use is allowed according to the following statement: Creative Commons - BY-NC-SA,
In the first interview session, conducted on February 7, 2020, Partridge discusses his family background and early life in California, in Washington state, and in Lake Oswego, Oregon. He discusses the evolution of his political beliefs, particularly regarding racial justice and labor unions, and talks about some of the people who influenced him. He describes hitchhiking to San Francisco, California, during the 1967 "Summer of Love."
In the second interview session, conducted on February 21, 2020, Partridge continues to discuss his early life, including his education and jobs he worked. He speaks about his experiences in San Francisco during the 1967 "Summer of Love." He describes his involvement in political, labor, and civil rights movements in the late 1960s while a student at Dartmouth College, including his experiences as a protestor at the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Illinois. He also talks about becoming aware of class struggles and of his white privilege.
In the third interview session, conducted on February 28, 2020, Partridge shares his reason for dropping out of college in 1968, then talks about his work with the Brooklyn Action Center. He also describes his relationship with Tom Potter. He speaks about living in various collectives and communes during the 1970s, about seeking conscientious objector status during the Vietnam War, and about his involvement with the Black Panthers and the Community Control of Police initiative.
In the fourth interview session, conducted on March 6, 2020, Partridge discusses his relationship with the Portland Police Bureau, including his friendships with individual officers, witnessing police interactions with Black people, and his involvement with protests against police brutality. He shares his experiences as a victim of sexual assault, and talks about his identity as a bisexual man.
In the fifth interview session, conducted on July 11, 2020, Partridge discusses his involvement with the Black Panthers, talks about his work with feminist organizations, and shares his experiences teaching classes at an experimental high school. He also talks about living in collectives and communes in Portland, about various jobs he held, and about his experiences in San Francisco during the summer of 1976.
In the sixth interview session, conducted on July 18, 2020, Partridge discusses the evolution of his political views during the 1970s and joining the Freedom Socialist Party. He describes a co-parenting arrangement he entered with a former student. He talks about more jobs that he held and his early involvement with labor unions.
In the seventh interview session, conducted on July 25, 2020, Partridge continues to discuss his involvement with the Freedom Socialist Party, and the co-parenting arrangement he entered with a former student. He talks about his involvement with the Central American Solidarity Committee in the 1980s, including traveling to Mexico and Nicaragua.
In the eighth interview session, conducted on August 1, 2020, Partridge discusses organizing postal workers to resist an attempt by the administration of President Donald J. Trump to dismantle the U.S. Postal Service at the time of the interview in 2020. He revisits the topic of his involvement with the Central American Solidarity Committee in the 1980s, talks about the connection between the labor movement and revolutionary politics in Central America, and discusses Canadian postal unions. He talks about his career as a letter carrier for the U.S. Postal Service in Portland from 1984 to 2011. He also discusses campaigning for Jesse Jackson in the 1980s.
In the ninth interview session, conducted on August 29, 2020, Partridge discusses his involvement with the Rainbow Coalition, and continues to talk about campaigning for Jesse Jackson in the 1980s. He discusses his involvement in political campaigns for labor-friendly politicians in Oregon, as well as campaigns for issues such as minimum wage increases and the renaming of Portland streets. He also talks about his work as a contributor to various publications.
In the tenth interview session, conducted on September 19, 2020, Partridge continues to discuss his involvement with the Rainbow Coalition and reads from their newsletter. He talks about his involvement with Jobs with Justice, and about the political activism of his parents.
In the eleventh interview session, conducted on October 3, 2020, Partridge continues to discuss his involvement with the Rainbow Coalition and reads from their newsletter. He continues to talk about his involvement with Jobs with Justice, discusses the history of the Teamsters Union, and talks about the inclusion of agricultural workers in the labor movement. He talks about Jesse Jackson's 1992 visit to Portland, and about the activities of the Portland Teacher's Union in the 1990s.
In the twelfth interview session, conducted on October 16, 2020, Partridge discusses his involvement in election integrity efforts for the 2020 presidential election. He then continues to discuss his involvement with the Rainbow Coalition and to read from their newsletter. He talks about the Workers Rights Hearing Board, and shares his thoughts about police interactions with protestors in Portland.
In the thirteenth interview session, conducted on October 23, 2020, Partridge continues to discuss his involvement with the Rainbow Coalition and read from their newsletter. He discusses his involvement in political campaigns, including acting as campaign manager for Geri Washington, as well lobbying on issues such as single payer health care and an increased minimum wage. He also talks about his relationship with U.S. Senator Ron Wyden.
In the fourteenth interview session, conducted on October 30, 2020, Partridge Partridge reflects on his lifetime of involvement in politics and protest movements. He discusses the transition of the Rainbow Coalition into the New Party, and talks about his involvement with the organization. He talks about the history of trade globalization and the 1999 World Trade Organization (WTO) protests in Seattle, Washington.
In the fifteenth interview session, conducted on November 13, 2020, Partridge continues to discuss his involvement with the New Party and read from their newsletter. He talks about gentrification in North and Northeast Portland, about recovering from a drug addiction, and about his career as a carrier for the U.S. Postal Service.
In the sixteenth interview session, conducted on November 27, 2020, Partridge continues to discuss his career as a carrier for the U.S. Postal Service, including working conditions and unions for postal workers.
In the seventeenth interview session, conducted on December 4, 2020, Partridge continues to discuss his career as a carrier for the U.S. Postal Service and reads from the "Branch Mike" newsletter, which was published by the National Association of Letter Carriers Branch 82. He talks about working conditions and about women postal workers. He discusses his involvement in the postal workers' union and talks about his political activism with the union.
In the eighteenth interview session, conducted on December 18, 2020, Partridge continues to discuss his career as a carrier for the U.S. Postal Service and reads from the "Branch Mike" newsletter. He also talks about his retirement in 2011 and his continued involvement with the union.
In the nineteenth interview session, conducted on January 15, 2021, Partridge continues to discuss his career as a carrier for the U.S. Postal Service and reads from the "Branch Mike" newsletter. He continues to talk about his involvement with the postal workers union.
In the twentieth interview session, conducted on January 22, 2021, Partridge discusses the history and activities of Jobs with Justice, including the annual Bad Boss award and efforts to increase the minimum wage. He also talks about the relationship between police and labor.
In the twenty-first interview session, conducted on January 29, 2021, Partridge discusses his involvement with Jobs with Justice and the Workers Rights Board. He talks about the activities of those organizations, including efforts to organize workers at Powell's Books.
In the twenty-second interview session, conducted on February 5, 2021, Partridge continues to discuss his involvement with Jobs with Justice and talk about its activities, including supporting unionization efforts. He also talks about the 2006 Great American Boycott.
In the twenty-third interview session, conducted on February 19, 2021, Partridge continues to discuss the 2006 Great American Boycott. He also talks about efforts to unionize workers at Providence Hospital and about his show on the Portland radio station KBOO.
In the twenty-fourth interview session, conducted on February 27, 2021, Partridge continues to discuss his show on the Portland radio station KBOO. He talks about the activities of Jobs with Justice, about federal labor legislation, and about the history of Portland's day labor center. He speaks about the Occupy movement.
In the twenty-fifth interview session, conducted on March 5, 2021, Partridge revisits the topic of the Workers Rights Board, focusing on its work on behalf of postal workers. He discusses his involvement in the postal workers union after his retirement, particularly protesting the Postal Service retirement prefunding mandate.
In the twenty-sixth interview session, conducted on March 19, 2021, Partridge discusses his relationship with LaVern Simmons, including their involvement with the New Hope Missionary Baptist Church. He talks about Simmons' early life and her children.
In the twenty-seventh interview session, conducted on March 26, 2021, Partridge revisits the topic of his involvement in the postal workers union after his retirement, particularly regarding resistance against the policies of Postmaster General Louis DeJoy.
In the twenty-eighth interview session, conducted on April 9, 2021, Partridge reviews his life of political activism, describing his involvement in movements not previously discussed in the interview, including Portland Tenants United and Don't Shoot PDX. He also revisits the topics of his relationship with police officers and the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests in Portland.
In the twenty-ninth interview session, conducted on April 16, 2021, Partridge discusses his involvement with the Democratic Socialists of America. He also talks about the postal workers union.
In the thirtieth and final interview session, conducted on April 23, 2021, Partridge closes the interview by reflecting on the oral history interview experience, and by talking about his hopes for the future.