Collections : [Oral History Archives at Columbia]

Taylor narrates his early life in the US Navy and subsequently the advertising business in Chicago, which put him in contact with many celebrities and moguls in the music industry, and eventually brought him to New York City. Taylor details his pathway to the Phoenix House board, his role in fundraising, and the board culture at Phoenix House.

In the first session, Hoving discusses her professional relationships with therapeutic community pioneer Efrén Ramirez and with Mayor John V. Lindsay, both of which were instrumental in Phoenix House's evolution. She speaks on drug rehabilitation policy in New York and nationwide during Phoenix House's inception and the cultural stigma surrounding addicts. She waxes on her impressions of the self-help method. She also talks about Phoenix House's expansion into California. In the second session, she discusses the transition at Phoenix House, which resulted in Howard Meitiner's departure, and segues into a broader discussion about leadership at the organization, especially the roles of Mitchell Rosenthal, Alfred "Tony" Endre, Andrew Kolodny, and the board. She identifies issues of succession. Hoving speaks to the intersection of social services, medical services, and business.

After detailing his early life in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, Lawrence Lederman narrates his process of becoming a lawyer. He tells of his experience clerking for Chief Justice Roger Traynor of the California Supreme Court, and then entering as an associate lawyer at Cravath, Swaine and Moore, LLP. He describes the origins of Phoenix House's relationship with Cravath, moving on to the extrication of Phoenix House from New York City's Addiction Services Agency. He discusses his own move to Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen and Katz, LLP, in the context of the merger wave in corporate America. He explains the establishment of the Phoenix House Development Corporation, which handled private donations so that they would be separate from budgets submitted to the City. He discusses the nature and stature of the board among New York's elite, and the role of public service in the upper reaches of the law profession.

Childhood, family's position in business, early influence of missionaries, experiences in politics, the Boxer Rebellion; education in China and United States, return to China; early association with Kuomintang and rise within Nationalist government; trip to Europe 1937 and meetings with Franklin D. Roosevelt, Neville Chamberlain, Eduard Benes, Hitler, and Mussolini; view of many government policies, role in currency stabilization, information about the Sian Incident and increasing Japanese pressure; friendship with various Chinese and foreign leaders.

Early days in China; student in United States, 1904-1909; Kiangsu provincial government and bank, 1910-1915; Shanghai Commercial and Savings Bank, 1915-1937; China Travel Service, interest in insurance business; National Revolution of 1925-1927; travel before the war; currency reform and 1936 Silver Mission; views on general situation to 1937; contributions to War of Resistance; War of Resistance, 1937-1945; postwar years, 1946-1949; transition and revival, 1949-1961. Audio does not represent full interview content. Most audio associated with interview was not retained. Content on reel was retained as sample of source material for edited transcript

In the interview, Rokatar discusses his birth, his involvement in the Red Beret guerrillas as a teenager and his time in military service. Then, Rokatar discusses the relationship between boys and girls when he was a child. He recalls his participation in the 1970 harvest in Matanzas. Rokatar also recalls his participation in Angola and Ethiopia and his role as an anti-aircraft scout. Rokatar discusses business dealings related to religion. Finally, he discusses racism

Lorenzo begins the first session by discussing the fights between the different factions of communism (26 July Movement, 13 March Revolutionary Directorate, the Second Front, and the Popular Socialist Party) in the pre-revolutionary period. He then recalls his childhood and obtaining the scholarship that allowed him to study in the United States. Lorenzo discusses the process of U.S. colonization that had taken place in Varadero before the Revolution. He recalls his time at the University of North Carolina and the jobs he had to do to support himself. Lorenzo also remembers his first jobs in the hotel business. He comments having provided information to the revolutionaries about the hotels where he had worked. Lorenzo recalls the early days of the Revolution, his first job at the National Association of Public Beaches and Tourist Attractions (ANPAT), the founding of the Jagua Hotel, and his time at the National Institute of the Tourism Industry (INIT). Finally, he describes the aristocracy of Cienfuegos in the pre-Revolutionary period.

Nena begins the interview by talking about her birth and life in her grandmother's house. She discusses the episode in which his father tried to kill his mother. Nena talks about her relationship with a man who is in prison and about life in prison. She discusses her housing and work situation. Then, she remembers what her relationship with her grandparents and siblings was like. Nena talks about the happiness she felt during her childhood, which was interrupted by the death of her grandfather. Then, she tells how her father was arrested for being a counterrevolutionary, a gusano. Nena discusses racism on the island, her mother's relationship with a black man, and her first love, also with a black man. She recounts her bond with Catholicism and recalls her Catholic upbringing. She also remembers the lack of sexual education that existed in her adolescence. Nena recounts what it was like to have an abortion and discuss contraception. Nena discusses homosexuality on the island and discrimination. She comments that her brother has been imprisoned on several occasions as a product of homophobia. Lastly, Nena discusses gender violence and the fear of loneliness as a middle-aged woman