Interviewer: Ruth Kornberg
Interview Date: October 22, 2019
Location: Boyer residence, Portland, Oregon
Duration: 1:14:18
Judy Boyer opens the interview by talking about how and why her parents moved to Portland, Oregon. She then goes on to reflect upon her early childhood, including her experiences growing up in a mostly white neighborhood, being the only Black family in her family’s church, and being one of two Black children in her grade school. She then talks about going to a diverse high school, and how much that experience differed from her earlier years. Boyer then goes on to discuss her career training and her early career, going into detail about her time working at Goodyear Tires. She then discusses her time working at the employment office, remarking on the employment discrimination she witness and how that led her to get involved with union organizing.
Boyer then talks about her time working for a local union office, and how that began her involvement in political activity and organizing. Boyer goes on to reflect upon meeting her second husband and her experience raising a blended family. She also discusses the importance of politics in people’s daily lives, the importance of church and faith in her life, and the values that her parents instilled in her. She then discusses her family life. Boyer then recalls the circumstances that led her to lose her union job, and how that led her into a career working in nonprofits, primarily in the field of employment and training. She also recalls her time working as staff for Gladys McCoy, the first African-American Multnomah County Chair. She recalls the circumstances that led her to go back to school and her experience getting her degree later in life. She then reflects on the Civil Rights Movement, including her own involvement and her perspectives on the differing approaches to the movement. Boyer ends the interview by stressing the importance that family had had in her life.
Judy Boyer was born in Portland, Oregon in 1949. After graduating high school, Boyer attended a one-year business college to learn business secretarial skills. She then began her career by working at Goodyear Tires for five years, where she was the only Black person in her office. From there, she went on to work for the employment office for five years, during which time she became involved in union organizing. This led her to work for the local AFL-CIO union office, where she remained for five years until the office closed. Boyer then moved on to working for nonprofits, primarily in the employment and training field. She also briefly served on the executive staff of Gladys McCoy, who was the first African American to serve as Multnomah County Chair. At the age of 55, Boyer decided to go back to school, first attending Portland Community College and then Concordia University, where she completed an undergraduate degree in Business.
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Boyer then talks about her time working for a local union office, and how that began her involvement in political activity and organizing. Boyer goes on to reflect upon meeting her second husband and her experience raising a blended family. She also discusses the importance of politics in people’s daily lives, the importance of church and faith in her life, and the values that her parents instilled in her. She then discusses her family life. Boyer then recalls the circumstances that led her to lose her union job, and how that led her into a career working in nonprofits, primarily in the field of employment and training. She also recalls her time working as staff for Gladys McCoy, the first African-American Multnomah County Chair. She recalls the circumstances that led her to go back to school and her experience getting her degree later in life. She then reflects on the Civil Rights Movement, including her own involvement and her perspectives on the differing approaches to the movement. Boyer ends the interview by stressing the importance that family had had in her life.
Judy Boyer was born in Portland, Oregon in 1949. After graduating high school, Boyer attended a one-year business college to learn business secretarial skills. She then began her career by working at Goodyear Tires for five years, where she was the only Black person in her office. From there, she went on to work for the employment office for five years, during which time she became involved in union organizing. This led her to work for the local AFL-CIO union office, where she remained for five years until the office closed. Boyer then moved on to working for nonprofits, primarily in the employment and training field. She also briefly served on the executive staff of Gladys McCoy, who was the first African American to serve as Multnomah County Chair. At the age of 55, Boyer decided to go back to school, first attending Portland Community College and then Concordia University, where she completed an undergraduate degree in Business.