University of Virginia School of Law oral history collection, RG.32.405

May Days Oral History Project

9 items 9 digital interviews and their accompanying transcripts

1960-2020English.

Biographical / Historical

The May Days Oral History Project is an ongoing initiative to preserve the history of UVA Law in the era of the Vietnam War. This era of the University's history was a period of intense activism not only about the war but also about issues of race, gender, and American governance. This project aims to honor and preserve a diversity of law school perspectives and experiences from the 1960s and 1970s, but particularly the concentrated period of student demonstrations at the University of Virginia during the month of May of 1970. The primary timeline of events of May 1970 are well-represented in the University of Virginia's archives. However, information on UVA Law's "legal marshals" is sparse and has received little attention despite their integral role in maintaining peace during student demonstrations. Considering this fact, Class of 1970 alum Edward "Ted" Hogshire contacted UVA Law Special Collections in early 2019 and recommended that the library preserve and tell the "legal marshal" story. May 2020 also marks the 50th anniversary of the student strike movement at the University of Virginia. With that encouragement, the Law Special Collections team decided to revitalize the library's oral history program, starting with the stories of student marshals during the "May Days" protests.

Scope and Contents

This collection currently includes X interviews with former legal marshals, Law School faculty, and citizens that participated in the various student demonstrations of May 1970. Unless otherwise stated, each interview is presented in video format with an accompanying transcript. Interviews were conducted in-person until the outbreak of the novel COVID-19 virus, in which case they were conducted via Zoom. This collection and associated documentary research are currently available for viewing on the Marshaling May Days online exhibition site. [insert hyperlink]

Oral history interview with Daniel "Dan" Sullivan, Class of 1970
Sullivan, Daniel, "Dan"2020-02-19Sullivan discusses his role as one of the founding members of the legal marshals during the May days of 1970 at the University of Virginia. His vivid memories of key events and of his arrest provide a first-hand look into to the May Days protests. As Sullivan explains, the protests and police response served as a political awakening for him and many others.English.
Oral history interview with David Levy, Class of 1970
2020-03-04As a legal marshal, Levy's role was different than most. In this interview, Levy explains how he manned the phone and distributed information to his fellow marshals and other students during May Days. He also discusses how his time as a marshal was driven by his experience with the Legal Aid SocietyEnglish.

Law Oral Histories Project - David Levy Transcript

Scope and Contents
Randall Flaherty, Meggan Cashwell, and Michael Klepper drove from Charlottesville, Virginia to Fairfax, Virginia to interview Class of 1970 alum David Levy for the May Days Oral History Project. Through documentary research, Levy was identified as a legal marshal during May 1970. Interview questions were prepared ahead of time, although interviewers posed follow-up questions where appropriate.
Oral history interview with Gerald "Jake" MacFarlane, Class of 1970
MacFarlane, Gerald, "Jake"2020-02-21
Oral history interview with Robert "Bob" Olson, Class of 1970
Olson, Robert, "Bob"2020-02-05In this interview, Olson describes being arrested in front of the Rotunda and carted off to the local police department in a Mayflower moving van. As Olson explains, his arrest charges carried unique implications for him as he transitioned into his career in the summer of 1970
Oral history interview with Edward "Ted" Hogshire, Class of 1970
2019-02-28
Scope and Contents
Edward "Ted" Hogshire approached Randall Flaherty in early 2019 with a proposition for a new Law Library initiative concerning those individuals involved as "legal marshals" during the various student demonstrations at the University of Virginia in May 1970. Hogshire was a legal marshal and agreed to conduct the first oral history interview for this initiative. His insistence lit the spark for what later became the May Days Oral History Project. Interview questions were prepared ahead of time, although interviewers posed follow-up questions where appropriate.
Oral history interview with Edwin "Ed" Finch and Francis "Frank" McDermott, Class of 1970
McDermott, Francis, "Frank"Finch, Edwin, "Ed"2020-03-19In this interview, Finch and McDermott exchange memories and laughs as they remember nights spent together writing papers and then—when student demonstrations hit UVA—surveying Grounds from the roof of the Downtowner Motor Inn as legal marshals. Finch recalls attending a handful of May Days events and his political shift from a relative conservative to a moderate as a result. McDermott specifically remembers the police presence during those days and the permanent effect the Vietnam War had on his generation.English.
Scope and Contents
Due to the novel COVID-19 virus, Randall Flaherty, Addison Patrick, and Meggan Cashwell connected with Edwin "Ed" Finch and Francis "Frank" McDermott via Zoom. Finch and McDermott preferred to be interviewed together because they were good friends during Law School and could jog each other's memories. Through documentary research, MacFarlane was identified as a legal marshal during May 1970. Interview questions were prepared ahead of time, although interviewers posed follow-up questions where appropriate.
Oral history interview with H. Lane Kneedler, Class of 1969
2020-03-20In this interview, Kneedler talks about his unique perspective on the 1970 student demonstrations at UVA as a recent Law graduate and as Assistant Dean for the Law School. Following the events in May, Dean Monrad Paulsen tasked Kneedler with interviewing the students and administrators involved to determine if any disciplinary action by President Edgar Shannon needed to be taken. The "Kneedler Investigation" now resides in the Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library and was a crucial resource.
Scope and Contents
Due to the novel COVID-19 virus, Randall Flaherty, Addison Patrick, and Meggan Cashwell connected with H. Lane Kneedler via Zoom. Kneedler was Assistant Dean of the Law School in May 1970, having graduated from UVA Law himself in 1969. Through documentary research and previous oral history interviews, Kneedler was identified as being actively involved in the legal marshal program. In late May, 1970, he was charged by Dean Monrad Paulsen to investigate the key players and events of the student demontrations at the University to determine if any disciplinary action needed to be taken. This final report of the investigation was deemed unnecessary by President Edgar Shannon. The investigation is stored in the Albert and Shirley Small Special Collections Library and was a crucial source for the May Days Oral History Project ("Papers of the Ad-Hoc Committee on Student Affairs Pertaining to the Student Strike of 1970," RG-19/3/10.781).
Oral history interview with Jim Carpenter, former photographer for the Charlottesville Daily Progress
2020-05-07In 1970, Carpenter was working for the Charlottesville Daily Progress where he covered various events including the May Days protests. Carpenter offers a unique perspective as an outsider and as someone assigned to chronicle the eventEnglish.
Scope and Contents
Due to the novel COVID-19 virus, Randall Flaherty, Addison Patrick, and Meggan Cashwell connected with Jim Carpenter via Zoom. Technical difficulties prevented the ability to screen record, so Cashwell recorded the interview on her phone. Carpenter was identified as an interviewee for the May Days Oral History Project because he photographed many of the events of May 1970 at the University of Virginia for the Charlottesville Daily Progress. The interview was conversational.

University of Virginia School of Law oral history collectionRG.32.405

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