O'CONNORMAUREENTRANS

Interview with Maureen O'Connor, transcript, 1973

 

1973-04-27

 

Interviewer: Glass, Richard H.

O'Connor was the youngest city council member ever elected in San Diego. After being treated rudely at City Hall, she ran for city council as a longshot candidate, and won the District 2 seat in an upset in November 1971, at the age of only 25. She continued to serve on the council until 1979, then served as port commissioner for the next 6 years. In 1985, O'Connor became San Diego's first female mayor, a post she held until 1992. She is also an "Aztec," having graduated from San Diego State College in 1970 with a bachelor's degree in psychology.
At the time of this interview, Maureen O'Connor had been serving as a councilmember for just over 1 year, and had not yet begun to campaign for mayor. In this interview, O'Connor discusses the following topics: her background and inspiration for entering politics; how she announced her candidacy; the significant role of young women in her campaign; the attitude of the other council members towards her as a woman; her responsibility to be an example to other women; the city's affirmative action program; eschewing labels of "liberal" or "conservative"; her ambivalent feelings towards the women's liberation movement; and her belief in the power of the individual. This interview was an assignment in Professor Carlotta Mellon's History 198 course at California State University, San Diego, and took place in Councilwoman O'Connor's office.

Women in politics; Maureen O'Connor; Mayors; Women mayors; San Diego City Council; City councils; Affirmative action; Women's liberation movement; City Hall; Election campaigns; Mavourneen O'Connor; Campaign managers; Women's affirmative action; Political labels; Eleanor Roosevelt

202 C Street

San Diego City Administration Building, Councilwoman O'Connor's office

© San Diego State University. All rights reserved.

 

 

English

 

Text

18 pages

Yes

O'CONNORMAUREEN; bu-gc-026; P097.034M

 

 

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26.80 MB