Oral History Interview with Basja Samuelson: Transcript, Eugene Lesbian Oral History Project
- Title
- Oral History Interview with Basja Samuelson: Transcript, Eugene Lesbian Oral History Project
- LC Subject
- Lesbianism Lesbian community
- Local Collection ID
- Coll 520
- Repository
- University of Oregon. Libraries. Special Collections & University Archives
- Interviewee
- Samuelson, Basja
- Interviewer
- Long, Linda, 1956- Raiskin, Judith L.
- Description
- The Eugene Lesbian Oral History Project collection consists of interviews of 83 people for the Eugene Lesbian Oral History Project, conducted by Professor Judith Raiskin and Curator Linda Long at the University of Oregon starting in the summer of 2018.
- Abstract
- Basja was born in 1945 in Weehawken, New Jersey. Her family moved to rural Pennsylvania. She describes the social scene in school. Basja was a tomboy and played sports. Hers was the only Jewish family in the area, and she experienced discrimination, especially at Christmas and Easter. Her parents were disappointed that she did not behave in typical feminine ways. She went to Antioch College and then to library school at Drexel University. The women’s movement helped her follow her own path. In 1977, she moved to Eugene, and initially stayed at Trudy’s Ranch out on Hamm Road. She began work for the Lane County Library system, operating the bookmobile program. She discusses the qualities of the community in Eugene. When the bookmobile program ended, she moved to Portland. She began working for the Washington County Library System. She put together an extensive bibliography of lesbian books in the library system. She discusses marriage equality and the assimilation of lesbians in the community. Basja went to a festival at the We’Moon lesbian land; she discusses the music, workshops, discussions on the future of lesbian separatism, and trans issues. She concludes her interview by discussing aging issues.
- Subject
- Baleboostehs; Bars (Drinking establishments) -- Oregon – Eugene; Bryant, Anita; Cassidy, Gertrude; Judaism; Lesbians of a Certain Age (LOCA); Librarianship; Riviera Room.
- Location
- University of Oregon >> Lane County >> Oregon >> United States
- Date
- 2018-08-29
- Identifier
- Coll520_do053
- Rights
- In Copyright
- Dc Rights Holder
- University of Oregon Libraries
- Local Collection Name
- Eugene Lesbian Oral History Project
- Type
- Text
- Format
- application/pdf
- Set
- Eugene Lesbian Oral History Project
- Institution
- University of Oregon
