Oral history interview with Jerry C. Harris
Scope and Contents
This oral history interview with Jerry C. Harris was conducted by Mary Ann DeLap on May 17, 2006. In this interview, Harris discusses coming to Portland, Oregon, from Colorado to meet his future wife, Zola M. Barnes. He talks about working as a court reporter for the Multnomah County courts and his experience as the only black court reporter for the county. He discusses moving to the federal court system and working for U.S. District Court Judge Gus Solomon. He also talks about working for other judges on the U.S. District Court of Oregon. He discusses the discrimination he's faced, his retirement activities, and some of the lawyers he worked with. He describes the process of court reporting, as well as how technology has changed the profession.
Dates
- 2006 May 17
Creator
- Harris, Jerry C. (Jerry Charles), 1936-2011 (Interviewee, Person)
Conditions Governing Access
Collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing 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/
Biographical note
Jerry Charles Harris, Sr. was born in Bogalusa, Louisiana, in 1936. He relocated to Denver, Colorado, as a young child. He came to Portland, Oregon, to meet Zola M. Barnes at the recommendation of his godmother, and they were married in 1956; they later adopted two children. Harris had been attending Western Business College in Colorado, but after moving to Oregon he attended Court Reporting College in Portland, graduating in 1961. In 1962, he became the only black court reporter for the Multnomah County courts. In 1965, he began working as a court reporter for U.S. District Court Judge Gus Solomon. He later worked for other judges on the U.S. District Court of Oregon, and retired in 1997. He was a member of the Community Church of God (now Maranatha) and served as a Sunday school teacher, usher, elder, and chairman of the church board. Harris died in 2011.
Extent
.1 Cubic Feet (1 audiocassette (50 min., 37 sec.) + transcript (30 pages) + 2 photographs (color))
Language of Materials
English
Abstract
Oral history interview with Jerry C. Harris conducted by Mary Ann DeLap on May 17, 2006, as part of the United States District Court Oral History Project. Harris was a court reporter for the U.S. District Court of Oregon.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of the U.S. District Court of Oregon Historical Society, October 2009 (Lib. Acc. 26979).
Existence and Location of Copies
General
Forms part of the United States District Court Oral History Project.
Creator
- Harris, Jerry C. (Jerry Charles), 1936-2011 (Interviewee, Person)
- DeLap, Mary Ann (Interviewer, Person)
- Title
- Guide to oral history interview with Jerry C. Harris
- 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