Oral history interview with Monroe and Lil Sweetland
Scope and Contents
This oral history interview with Monroe and Lil Sweetland was conducted by their daughter, Barbara Sweetland, on August 17, 1976. In this interview, the Sweetlands discusses their college experiences. Monroe Sweetland talks about attending Cornell University and Syracuse Law School in New York. Lil Sweetland discusses attending Smith College in Massachusetts. They both discuss meeting through their political activism while in New York; their reasons for being anti-war during the lead-up to World War II; and their involvement with the Socialist Party.
Dates
- Creation: 1976 August 17
Creator
- Sweetland, Monroe, 1910-2006 (Interviewee, Person)
- Sweetland, Lil M. (Lillie Megrath), 1912-1985 (Interviewee, Person)
- Smith, Barbara Sweetland (Interviewer, Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Copyright held by the Oregon Historical Society. Licensed under Creative Commons, BY-NC-SA: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
Biographical note
Monroe Mark Sweetland was born in Salem, Oregon, in 1910. His family moved to Michigan in about 1915, and he spent the bulk of his childhood there. He began his involvement with the Democratic Party when he was just 10 years old by clandestinely organizing a party meeting. He entered Wittenberg University in Ohio at age 16, then attended Cornell University and Syracuse Law School in New York. He met Lillie Megrath while attending Syracuse Law School and they were married in 1933. He returned to Oregon in 1935 and subsequently worked with the Commonwealth Federation, promoted progressive politics, and was instrumental in the rise of the Democratic Party to political power in the state. He also owned several newspapers in Oregon, including the Molalla Pioneer, the Newport News, and the Milwaukie Review. He represented Clackamas County in the Oregon House of Representatives 1953, and served in the Oregon Senate from 1955 to 1962. After leaving the Legislature, he moved to California and lobbied for the National Educaton Association. After retiring from politics, he began a business selling dried floral arrangements, called Western Wilderness Products. He returned to Oregon after Lillie died in 1985, and he ran unsuccessfully for the Oregon Senate again in 1994. He died in 2006.
Biographical note
Lillie "Lil" Megrath Sweetland was born in New Jersey in 1912. She attended Smith College in Massachusetts and met Monroe Sweetland while living in New York. They were married in 1931. She died in 1985.
Extent
.1 Cubic Feet (1 audiocassette (44 min., 15 sec.))
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Oral history interview with spouses Monroe Sweetland and Lil Sweetland conducted by Barbara Sweetland on August 17, 1976. Monroe Sweetland was an Oregon state representative and senator.
Existence and Location of Copies
General
Handwritten index (2 pages) is available for in-person use at the Oregon Historical Society Research Library.
General
Sound quality is extremely poor.
Subject
- Socialist Party of the United States of America (Organization)
- Sweetland, Monroe, 1910-2006 (Person)
- Sweetland, Lil M. (Lillie Megrath), 1912-1985 (Person)
- Title
- Guide to oral history interview with Monroe and Lil Sweetland
- Status
- Completed
- Author
- Sarah Stroman
- Date
- 2020
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
- Language of description note
- Finding aid is written in 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.
Repository Details
Part of the Oregon Historical Society Research Library Repository
1200 SW Park Ave.
Portland OR 97205 United States
5033065204
5033065240
libreference@ohs.org