Downloadable Content
Download audio
Other
Nestor, Barbara (audio interview #8 of 10)
INTERVIEW DESCRIPTION - This is the seventh interview with Barbara Nestor, a former member of the Communist Party. The audio quality of the interview is fair, and there are a segments in which several skips occur. 1/2/1975
- Date
- 2021-01-21
- Resource Type
- Creator
- Campus
- Keywords
- Handle
- Language
- Notes
- SUBJECT BIO - Barbara Nestor, the mother of Dorothy Healey (former chair, Southern California District, CPUSA), was a radical activist in her own right. Born in Hungary, she was raised first in St. Louis and then in Denver, Colorado. She became a socialist when she was only sixteen, and joined the Socialist Party in 1915. During WWI, she engaged in anti-war agitation. In 1919, when the Communist Party was formed in the US, she joined. After moving to Oakland, California in 1921 with her husband, Joe Rosenblum, and her children, she maintained a high level of activity, particularly with the International Labor Defense, and often risked arrest. She did not re-join the Communist Party until 1936, five years after she moved to Los Angeles. The interviews about the Los Angeles years detail the kind of rank and file organizing in which she engaged. Nestor's oral history sheds light both on her own thinking and on the influence she had on the development of her children's radicalism. Her interviews also reveal a great deal about her relationship with her daughter, Dorothy Healey and her grandson, Richard, for whom she had primary caretaking responsibilities, especially during the 1950s and the Smith Act trials. TOPICS - antifascist activities with the American League for Peace and Freedom, the Anti-Fascist League, and the American League Against War and Fascism; work with the ILD and the Unemployed Councils; visiting prisoners at San Quentin; activism in PTA in Los Angeles; and attitudes towards the party purges and trials in the Soviet Union;decision to rejoin Communist Party in 1936; attitudes towards Joseph Stalin and the trials in the Soviet Union; Popular Front; Non-Aggression Pact and its effect on party policies; and activities during WWII;opinion of Earl Russell Browder; impression of Elizabeth Gurley Flynn and Ella Reeve Bloor; development of political and social consciousness as a young woman; status of women and gender roles in the Communist Party; relationship with Dorothy Healey and raising Dorothy's son, Richard Healey; attitudes towards Slim Connelly;
- *** File: refbnestor17.mp3 Audio Segments and Topics: (0:00-4:34)... The interview begins abruptly with a discussion of her attempts to prevent a group of Nazi speakers organizing a forum in Los Angeles. In 1935, learning of an American Legion sponsored forum featuring Nazis, Nestor contacted the Jewish Anti-Nazi League and the Hollywood Anti-Nazi League urging them to send a speaker to challenge them. Hugh McBeth attended the forum and spoke on behalf of the Jewish people and exposed the cruelty of Nazi policies. When McBeth finished speaking, the audience of approximately 300 people were asked to vote on what position they supported. The audience overwhelming voted against the Nazi line and supported McBeth. (4:34-7:15)... Note: there are a series of short skips in the tape during this segment. Following her move to Los Angeles, Nestor became active with anti-fascist issues. In 1936, she rejoined the Communist Party and often addressed fascist issues within the party. She was also occasionally critical of the party line, but was not expelled from the party for her critiques. She recounts an incident that occurred around 1950 when a party member threatened to report her because she refused to accept the party policy of self-determination for Blacks in the South. (7:15-10:08)... Nestor discusses Elizabeth Gurley Flynn's stance on restricting criticism of the Communist Party. When conflict arose between Flynn and Earl Russell Browder, Nestor disagreed with Browder's decision to expel Flynn from the party. Ella Reeve "Mother" Bloor also had little tolerance for criticism of the Soviet Union. Other party members suggested that Nestor's nitpicking of the party generally focused on issues that were not important, particularly when the party's priority was to support the Soviet Union. This leads to a discussion of her assessment of the leadership skills of Browder and Foster. (10:08-16:07)... Prior to rejoining the Communist Party in 1936, she was involved with a chapter of the Anti-Nazi League, as well as the American League for Peace and Freedom, the American League Against War and Fascism, and the International Labor Defense (ILD). She elaborated on the differences between the Hollywood Anti-Nazi League, which only focused on opposition to Hitler, and the American League for Peace and Freedom and the American League Against War and Fascism, both of which concentrated on broader issues dealing with oppression. (16:07-25:33)... The types of campaigns covered by the ILD included the Thomas Mooney case. While living in Berkeley, she made weekly visits to San Quentin as part of an ILD committee. Each week she visited a different inmate and briefly mentions her impressions of and meetings with Mooney, Warren Billings, Frank Spector, the McNamara brothers and Matthew Schmidt. Nestor took a woman who was infatuated with Schmidt to prison to visit him. She also comments on Clarence Darrow's defense of the McNamaras. (25:33-36:36)... She continued to be active in the ILD when she moved to Los Angeles, as well as the Unemployed Councils. Her main activity with these organizations at the time involved protesting discriminatory rental practices and helping people find homes once they were evicted. She recalls that landlords often removed the renter's property from an apartment and members of the Unemployed Councils would move the furniture back into the apartment as a means of protest. It is not clear if she was aware of the specific disagreements between the Communist Party and the NAACP regarding the handling of the Scottsboro case; disagreements were not always advertised. In addition, the party assigned her to certain campaigns and not to others. During this period in Los Angeles, Nestor was also widely involved in the PTA and recalls her attempts to get the floor to discuss issues that affected her children. She recalls engaging in a debate with Ann Trojan over the Soviet Union invading Czechoslovakia. Trojan remarked that it was time for Nestor to be put out to pasture and Nestor rebutted by telling Trojan that she was a crude and ignorant woman. (36:36-42:28)... When she rejoined the Communist Party in 1936, the party purges and trials in the Soviet Union were already underway. She discusses her attitude towards the trials, indicating that although she expressed her opinion of the events, she was careful not to oppose the Soviet Union outwardly because any criticism was viewed as a threat to its stability. Although some comrades agreed with her criticisms, many others accused her of not understanding the situation or dismissed her as a rebel. Yet, she was still tolerated in the party and respected as one of the founding members. Her home in Los Angeles, as in Berkeley, continued as a haven and headquarters for people in the party. end of tape *** File: refbnestor18.mp3 (0:00-4:57)... Even though she did not agree with the party line regarding Joseph Stalin's policies and the trials in the Soviet Union, she was pressured by comrades to return to the party. She believes many of her comrades began to view her extended absence as a sign that she lacked a degree of courage. She digresses into a discussion regarding the naive stance she adopted when she testified during a murder trial involving Frances' husband and five other defendants. (4:57-12:55)... Nestor doesn't believe that the party communicated enough with other groups and organizations during the Popular Front period. Although people in the party did not agree with the change of direction during the Popular Front, it was very difficult to persuade them to question party leaders. In general, she did not have any reverence for party and describes Dorothy's discussion of this fact when Bill Schneiderman visited Nestor's home. Whenever Nestor criticized party policies, she was discounted as someone who did not possess the knowledge required to understand the events transpiring, or alternatively, was made to feel that any criticism of the party was an attack on the Soviet Union and support for their enemies. (12:55-17:16)... Initially, she accepted the Nazi-Soviet Pact (sic) because it was lauded as a non-aggression pact, protecting a vulnerable and unprepared Russia from German attack. However, she did not view this pact as a sign of any real cooperation between the two countries. She believes that it gave the Soviet Union time to build up arms and prepare for defensive measures. The non-aggression pact witnessed a shift in party policies away from anti-fascism. Although some party members agreed with her insistence that opposition to Adolph Hitler continue, they did not openly voice their criticism. (17:16-22:31)... In general, she believes the union between the Russian and American Communists was silly. She discusses her attitudes towards the William Z. Foster and Jay Lovestone conflict and the party's decision to seek mediation from Joseph Stalin. She believes that the American Communists were more in tune with their internal politics than was Stalin. She cites V.I. Lenin's prediction that in every country, differences would exist within the Communist Party, particularly in the United States where democratic conditions were vastly different than the conditions in the Soviet Union. By the same token, she viewed strict adherence to the Soviet party line and the Hitler-Stalin Pact as a weakening of the anti-fascist opposition to Hitler. During the years between the pact and the invasion of Russia, she fought against the demise of the anti-fascist movement and advocated that Hitler's atrocities be recognized within the American party, irrespective of the Nazi-Soviet entente. (22:31-31:21)... Nestor's distaste for Franklin D. Roosevelt grew during the conflict in Spain although she viewed him as a better leader than others because of his New Deal social programs. She changes directions and talks about the Popular Front and party coalitions with the unions, indicating that many laborers came to Dorothy for assistance after being fired because of their affiliation with the Communist Party. (31:21-34:12)... In response to whether the Communist Party could appeal to more people while not abandoning the ideal of a revolution, Nestor explains her position about reaching these two goals. She believes that the Popular Front was a beneficial movement and views it as a means of appealing to people's self-interest in an attempt to gain their support and break down the walls of ignorance and opposition to the Communist Party. (34:12-38:50)... It was very difficult for her to criticize Soviet relations during the period of the (Hitler-Stalin) non-aggression pact, but she did speak up whenever possible. When the Soviet Union was invaded and the Communist Party changed party policies in opposition to Hitler, she thought it was unfortunate that men would have to sacrifice themselves for something that may have been prevented. During WWII, the focus was not anticapitalist as in previous conflicts. She contemplated introducing a resolution in opposition to war profits, but was discouraged because it was against party policies. Nestor recalls a demonstration where a comrade remarked on the common war effort and the exuberant feeling she felt because they were not being opposed by the whole of society for their communist beliefs. Nestor predicted that this feeling would be short lived. During the war years, her activities revolved around the war effort and she did not participate in any other organizations or radical activities. (38:50-41:14)... For the most part, her contributions to the war effort were through the Communist Party and involved supplying soldiers with clothes and other necessities. She recalls debates within the party on the issue of a second front. Many comrades believed that Roosevelt was defending the status quo. It was also felt that the Soviet Union was doing most of the fighting and was instrumental in breaking the Nazi regime with the invasion of Berlin. (41:14-44:02)... She contends that World War II was a result of capitalism and discusses her attitudes towards Earl Browder's position on capitalism. She believes that Browder wrote and spoke on procapitalist issues because the Communist Party asked him to, not because he believed in capitalism. She did not agree with the party's support of capitalist policies, nor did she find it necessary to cheer and sing songs with the rest of her comrades when Browder addressed the party. end of tape *** File: refbnestor19.mp3 (0:00-1:26)... Nestor discusses the internal conflict between Browder and William Z. Foster, whom she viewed as a "dud" though he was an effective speaker and writer. Although she did not agree with the party's decision to expel Browder, she believes that he did go too far in advocating his policies. (1:26-6:57)... Nestor offers her assessment and opinions of party dynamics and various notables, like Elizabeth Gurley Flynn and Mother Bloor, as well as her attitudes toward anarchism. She recalls attending a CP convention in 1948, at which Bloor affirmed the party's position that they would not tolerate any criticism of the Soviet Union. (6:57-10:32)... Note: there are several skips in the recording during this segment. When she lived in Denver, Nestor was hired by a Republican to escort voters to the polls and persuade them to vote for the Republican candidate. She describes her experiences in this position, indicating that she refused to support a Republican, capitalist candidate and advised people to vote for the Democratic candidate. As a result, the Republican candidate lost the election and the man who hired Nestor refused to pay her the $10 he promised because she undermined his orders. In the end, however, she threatened to report him to the Democratic Committee and he gave her the money. She again recounts the early development of her social and political consciousness as a result of reading and questioning religious tenets, and the impact of reading Robert Green Ingersoll, who confirmed many of her thoughts on religion. (10:32-16:46)... She recalls discussions in the CP on the status of women, particularly related to equal pay and the double duty of housework and party work. For the most part, women coordinated the cooking and cleaning responsibilities at party functions and were assisted by some men if asked. Other men in the party remained more aloof in taking on these responsibilities. She does not recall any specific campaigns within the party to address women's issues. Many communists supported woman's suffrage and participated in suffrage activities in other parts of the country (Colorado had already granted women the vote). When she rejoined the CP in 1936, there were discussions at party meetings regarding women's status, but the main emphasis was bringing about socialism. There were very few women leaders in the Communist Party even though the preponderance of members were women. The only female leaders she recalls are Flynn, Bloor, and Kate Richards O'Hare. She discusses Bloor's and Flynn's personalities, mannerisms, and techniques as political leaders. Nestor digresses and recounts a story about five men approaching Dorothy at one of her speaking engagements. They complemented her speaking abilities, but threatened that they would kill her if advised by their organization. (16:46-22:43)... While Dorothy's husband was serving in the army, she moved from San Francisco to live with Nestor in Los Angeles. At the time, Dorothy was pregnant with Richard (Ricky) and gave birth on June 18, 1943. While living in San Francisco, Dorothy worked as a Deputy Labor Commissioner for the State of California, but resigned from this position when Richard was eight months old. Nestor discusses her relationship with Dorothy, indicating that the only issues about which they disagreed were Stalin's policies and the fact that the Communist Party does not pay its members for their activities. While Dorothy argued that party needs come first, Nestor believes that a person is only useful if their personal needs are met first. (22:43-31:07)... Irrespective of Dorothy's position within the Communist Party, Nestor expressed her criticism of the party and opinion of party policies. In general, she and Dorothy agreed on most things and had very few conflicts over party issues. Nestor explains that while she was occasionally looked on as Dorothy's mother, she was also viewed as a separate entity. Nestor discusses her relationship with her grandson, Richard, and her role in his life. She basically raised Richard from the time he was five months old. She was almost sixty years old at the time, but did not find this task difficult. When Richard graduated high school at the age of sixteen, he received a scholarship to Reed College and left home. Although Dorothy was not always present in Richard's life because of jail sentences, she was an excellent mother and doted on Richard when she was home. This was the source of many quarrels between Dorothy and "Slim" (Philip) Connelly (to whom she was married at the time). (31:07-37:24)... Nestor continues discussing her relationship with her son-in-law, Connelly and recounts several conflicts that they had. Although, he had a bad temper, Dorothy defended him on at least two occasions when he experienced problems in his position with the CIO. Ultimately, however, his poor temper caused him to lose favor with the organization. (37:24-39:43)... Nestor discusses Dorothy's position as an organizer and a case involving a factory owner (Shapiro) who freely donated cans of food to the ILD, but did not use the same generosity in paying his workers. When the workers went on strike, Dorothy organized a group of children to visit Shapiro and tell him that the reason they did not have adequate clothing and shoes was because he paid their parents so little. Shapiro complained of Dorothy's tactics, but she explained that her job was to protect the workers, not the factory owners. (39:43-44:11)... Nestor discusses Dorothy's influence in the Communist Party and how this affected how others treated Nestor. Carol Jean was affected by Dorothy's status more than anyone in the family, and was often referred to as "Dorothy's sister." Nestor contrasts the political and radical atmosphere she created for her children with the one created by Carol Jean, whose son has no knowledge of socialism. By contrast, Dorothy's son, Richard, was involved in radical activities from a very early age. She believes that as a mother, she cultivated a radical environment more than other parents active in the Communist Party. She did not force her opinions on her children, but they discussed current events and radical theories. Her son, Bernard, was the only one of the children who felt that she was too dedicated to the party. end of tape
- Rights Note
- This repository item may be used for classroom presentations, unpublished papers, and other educational, research, or scholarly use. Other uses, especially publication in any form, such as in dissertations, theses, articles, or web pages are not permitted without the express written permission of the individual collection's copyright holder(s). Please contact the CSULB Library Administration should you require permission to publish or distribute any content from this collection or if you need additional information or assistance in using these materials: https://www.csulb.edu/university-library/form/questionssuggestions-the-digital-repository-group
| Thumbnail | Title | Date Uploaded | Visibility | Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
5203001744744547-refbnestor17.mp3 | 2023-10-19 | Public | Download |
|
|
1711427934042524-refbnestor18.mp3 | 2023-10-19 | Public | Download |
|
9551653804629469-refbnestor19.mp3 | 2023-10-19 | Public | Download |