Claire Bowman oral history interview, October 11, 2016

Item — othertype: Oral History

Identifier: BowmanC_L2016-30

Staff Only

Claire Bowman oral history

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Scope and Contents

Interviewed by Traci Drummond: Claire Bowman begins the interview with a little bit of her family background as well as schooling and education. She then discusses moving to Atlanta and her time working at the Bird. She talks about her experience living in the South and the Bird's presence. She later talks about leaving the Bird and joining the Georgia Communist League and her marriage. She moves back to Los Angeles and talks about working in factories and union organizing until her divorce with her husband. She then discusses her time working with the Foundation for the Emotionally Disturbed as well as retirement and the ranch she purchased. She finishes the interview talking more about her work in the factories and why it was important to her.

Dates

Creation: October 11, 2016

Creator

Bowman, Claire, 1947- (Interviewee, Person)

Restrictions on Access

Oral history available for research.

Biographical Note:

Claire Bowman was born on May 20, 1947 in Cincinnati, Ohio. She moved to Sherman Oaks, San Fernando Valley, California when she was six weeks old and was raised there. Her father partnered with her mom’s sister’s husband and opened a paint and hardware store while her mother stayed at home and cared for the kids. Bowman spent a short period of time in college and nursing school before dropping out completely and moving to Atlanta. She worked for VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) for a short period before holding a brief position at the Atlanta Municipal Theatre. She met the people at the Great Speckled Bird and became involved with the paper around this time. Bowman married and became pregnant with her first child during her time working at the Bird as well. In 1972 or 1973 , she left the Bird and joined the Georgia Communist League. She became an outspoken communist and adopted the Marxist-Leninist school of socialism. She took on other jobs during this time as well including factory work and working as a nurse at Grady Hospital. She later moved to Los Angeles, California and worked in many factories there such as General Motors, one of the many that she tried to organize. Bowman went through a divorce later on and became involved with the Foundation for the Emotionally Disturbed before her retirement.