Dr. H. Jack Geiger Oral History Interview: Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

The oral history consists of ten digital files: 2011.174.76.1a, 2011.174.76.1b, 2011.174.76.1c, 2011.174.76.1d, 2011.174.76.1e, 2011.174.76.1f, 2011.174.76.1g, and 2011.174.76.1h, 2011.174.76.1i, and 2011.174.76.1j.

Dr. Jack Geiger, (MD, MSciHyg) discusses his early life experiences and how he came to be a leading figure in the Medical Committee for Human Rights. He describes his childhood in New York City, where he found a mentor in actor Canada Lee, his college experience at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and his time as a U.S. Merchant Marine. He discusses his involvement in the Congress of Racial Equality and the American Veterans Committee in Chicago during the late 1940s. While attending medical school at Case Western Reserve University, Geiger's interest in community-centered health grew, especially after a trip to South Africa. He eventually volunteered as a medical professional in Mississippi, where he helped to establish the Tufts-Delta Health Center in 1965.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: March 16, 2013
• Created by: Civil Rights History Project, American, founded 2009
• Interview of: Dr. H. Jack Geiger, American, born 1926
• Interviewed by: John Dittmer Ph. D., American, born 1939
• Subject of: Medical Committee for Human Rights, American, founded 1964
• Subject of: Canada Lee, American, 1907 - 1952
• Subject of: University of Wisconsin-Madison, American, founded 1848
• Subject of: United States Merchant Marine, American, founded 1775
• Subject of: Congress of Racial Equality, American, founded 1942
• Type: video recordings
• Type: oral histories
• Type: digital media - born digital
• Medium: digital
• Dimensions: Duration: 3 hr., 31 min., 47 sec.
• Dimensions: Total: 339.65 GB
• Place collected: New York City, New York, United States, North and Central America
• Place depicted: Madison, Dane County, Wisconsin, United States, North and Central America
• Place depicted: Chicago, Cook County, Illinois, United States, North and Central America
• Place depicted: South Africa, Africa
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Activism
• Topic: American South
• Topic: Associations and institutions
• Topic: Civil Rights
• Topic: Education
• Topic: Entertainers
• Topic: Medicine
• Object number: 2011.174.76.1a-j
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture in partnership with the American Folklife Center, Library of Congress
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: © Smithsonian National Museum of African American History & Culture and The American Folklife Center, Library of Congress Permission required for use. Proper usage is the responsibility of the user.