Bob Goodman oral history interview, July 25, 2016

Bob Goodman was born on August 10, 1940 in Kennett, Missouri. His father worked as a postal clerk and his mother worked at a shirt factory and a JCPenney department store. He is the oldest of four siblings. Goodman worked various odd jobs in his youth including: selling vegetable seeds, Christmas cards, etc., picking cotton, gardening, working as a paper boy, and working as a janitor at a local newspaper company. Goodman was the first in his family to become involved with religion. He went to a religious college because of his faith, but later transferred to a non-religious institution. He obtained a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in history at the University of Missouri and later attends the doctoral program at Harvard University. He describes himself as someone who has always had an inclination to social activism and that seeing the sit-ins at Greensboro, N.C. made him realize he wanted to become involved. He moved to Atlanta in 1966 and became involved with the Bird by chance. After leaving the Bird, he became joined the October League and worked in various factories.