Grant, Edward, 2005 December 6

Part of Collection

Call Number: RU 1055, Series Accession 2008-A-001

Scope and Contents

Edward Grant was born in New Haven in 1922. During World War II, Grant was stationed in New Orleans, deep in the segregated South. Grant was involved in a few minor acts of civil disobedience in New Orleans, and returned from the war with a determination to overturn racism and segregation in New Haven. Grant pursued this goal on a number of fronts -- working to include black history in school curriculums, involving himself the Civil Rights group CORE (Congress of Racial Equality), and working closely with the Q-House community center in New Haven. Grant discusses his involvement with Democratic party politics in New Haven, including his work to secure the election of Mayor Richard Lee. In retrospect, Grant recognizes the shortcomings of Lee's redevelopment plans, but insists that the blame should be placed on the state of Connecticut, not on Lee. Grant talks about the strained relationship between Yale University and New Haven's African-American community, and discusses his relationships with Yale Presidents Bartlett Giamatti and Kingman Brewster. Grant also describes the 1967 Black Panther Trials and the protests and riots that surrounded them.

Interviewer: Raymond, Sarah

Dates

2005 December 6

Conditions Governing Access

As a preservation measure, original materials may not be used. Digital access copies must be provided for use. Contact Manuscripts and Archives at mssa.assist@yale.edu to request access