The HistoryMakers® Video Oral History Interview with Roland Burris



Overview of the Item

Repository: The HistoryMakers
1900 S. Michigan Avenue
Chicago, Illinois 60616
(312) 674-1900
info@thehistorymakers.com
http://www.thehistorymakers.com
Interviewer: Julieanna Richardson
Videographer: Paul Bieschke
Title:Video Oral History Interview with Roland Burris
Dates:May 24, 2000
Abstract: (ABSTRACT)
Quantity: 6 Betacam SP videocassettes, 1 half-Hollinger box containing (NUMBER) folders of accompanying materials.
Identification: A2000.011
Language: The interviews and records are in English

Biographical Note

Born in Centralia, Illinois, Roland Burris received his bachelor's degree in political science from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale in 1959. He then studied at the University of Hamburg, Germany, for a year before entering law school at Howard University.

Burris began his career in 1963 as a national bank examiner for the U.S. Treasury Department. This gave him the honor of being the first African American to examine banks in the United States. From 1964 to 1973, he served as vice president of Continental Illinois National Bank, making significant contacts in both the corporate and African American communities. Burris began his government career in 1973 as director of the Illinois Department of General Services. In 1978, with his election to the first of three terms as state comptroller, he made history as the first African American elected to state office. On November 6, 1990, Roland W. Burris was elected attorney general for the state of Illinois. At that time, the only African American ranking higher in state office was Douglas Wilder, the governor of Virginia. He served as Illinois attorney general from 1991 to 1995.

Burris is now an attorney with the Peters law firm in Chicago, where he specializes in environmental, consumer affairs and estate law. Previously he was managing partner of the Chicago-based law firm of Jones, Ware & Grenard, one of the largest minority law firms in the country.

Biographical Note by The HistoryMakers®

Scope and Contents

This life oral history interview with Roland Burris was conducted by Julieanna Richardson on 2000-05-24 in Chicago, Illinois and is recorded on 6 30-minute Betacam SP videocassettes. Access copies exist on Betacam SP, VHS, DVD and MPEG-1. The interview contains information on (COMPLETE ONE SENTENCE DESCRIPTION OF INTERVIEW). Accompanying materials in the collection include Roland Burris's correspondence with The HistoryMakers® related to the interview; a copy of the signed release form and the production report; the biographical information used by the interviewer to prepare for the interview (DETAILS); paper copies of the interview transcripts, 3 1/2" floppy disks with electronic copies of the transcripts; selected quotes for video clips; photocopies of photographs captured on video; XML files with metadata created in editing and cataloguing the interview for The HistoryMakers Digital Video Library; and paper copies of these XML files.

Restrictions

Restrictions on Access

Access to paper records is restricted. Other restrictions may be applied on a case-by-case basis.

Restrictions on Use

All use of materials must be pre-approved by The HistoryMakers® and appropriate credit must be given. All use credits must be pre-approved by The HistoryMakers®. Copyright is held by The HistoryMakers®.

Index Terms

This record series is indexed under the following controlled access terms.
Contributors:
Bieschke, Paul
Burris, Roland W.
Richardson, Julieanna
Persons:
(PERSONS)
Corporate Bodies:
(CORPORATE BODIES)
Family Names:
Burris
Places:
(PLACES)
Subjects:
(SUBJECTS)
Document Types:
Video oral history interview
Titles:
The HistoryMakers® Video Oral History Interview with Roland Burris

Related Material

Accompanying materials: Accompanying materials are filed in (NUMBER) folders in a half-Hollinger box and shelved at The HistoryMakers® Archives and Collection Library by accession number, separately from the videos.

Administrative Information

Location of Originals

Betacam, VHS, DVD and MPEG-1 access copies are held for in-house use at The HistoryMakers®; Betacam SP, VHS and DVD playback hardware is provided for in-house viewing of the access copies; MPEG-1 copies are searchable and viewable via a digital video database.

Preferred Citation

The HistoryMakers® Video Oral History Interview with Roland Burris, May 24, 2000. The HistoryMakers® African American Video Oral History Collection, 1900 S. Michigan Avenue Chicago, Illinois.

Detailed Description/Tape Listings

Video Oral History Interview with Roland Burris, Tape 1, May 24, 2000, TRT: 00:31:05.

Illinois politician and attorney Roland W. Burris talks about his childhood in Centralia, Illinois, where his father was a laborer for the Illinois Central Railroad and the family also ran a grocery store. The experience of integrating the public swimming pool as a teenager inspired Burris to aim for a career in law and public service. He talks about his values and drive for achievement, and he also shares information about his family history, which he has traced back several generations on both sides.


Video Oral History Interview with Roland Burris, Tape 2, May 24, 2000, TRT: 00:30:53.

Illinois politician and attorney Roland W. Burris talks about growing up in an African American neighborhood in Centralia, Illinois, where he was raised with a strong sense of value of community and respect for elders. He talks about his teenage years and his attendance at Southern Illinois University where he and other students integrated the downtown stores and restaurants by collecting evidence of discrimination which SIU dean Delyte Morris and attorney John Rendleman presented to the city council. Burris also talks about his time as an exchange student studying law in Germany and tells a story about his trip to Washington, D.C. to enroll at Howard University School of Law.


Video Oral History Interview with Roland Burris, Tape 3, May 24, 2000, TRT: 00:30:30.

Illinois politician and attorney Roland W. Burris talks about his experiences at Howard University School of Law, his marriage and move to Chicago, Illinois where he worked first as a bank examine for the U.S. Treasury Department, then at Continental Bank; despite facing discrimination on the job, he became an officer in five years. Burris says that he had his sights set on a political career and worked toward this by joining many organizations, founding the Black Independent Voters Organization, and in 1968, waging his first campaign for the state legislature; although he lost, the race helped to establish his name and he continued working with other politicians and community groups.


Video Oral History Interview with Roland Burris, Tape 4, May 24, 2000, TRT: 00:30:40.

Illinois politician and attorney Roland W. Burris talks about his political career in Illinois state government during the 1970s and 1980s; he served much of that time as state comptroller, the first African American to be elected to a state-wide office in Illinois. He discusses many details of Illinois state politics and his involvement in independent political groups and other organizations such as the Jaycees and Operation PUSH. Burris also talks about his work at Continental Bank, where he faced blatant racism from white employees and some suspicion from other black employees when he was made the bank's first black officer.


Video Oral History Interview with Roland Burris, Tape 5, May 24, 2000, TRT: 00:28:20.

Illinois politician and attorney Roland W. Burris details the changes he instituted upon taking office in 1979 as Illinois Comptroller. He then describes his accomplishments as Illinois Attorney General from 1991-1995, and he talks about his unsuccessful campaign for mayor of Chicago in 1995. He discusses the significance of being an African American trailblazer in these high state offices and the importance of building black political and economic power.


Video Oral History Interview with Roland Burris, Tape 6, May 24, 2000, TRT: 00:18:37.

Illinois politician and attorney Roland W. Burris talks about people who have influenced him and other black politicians from Illinois. He praises his wife, Berlean, as an important support and advisor to him and he details her own education and career in nursing and school administration.