Joan Dresner Bernstein Oral History

After reviewing this oral history, Ms. Bernstein submitted several corrections and additions for the record. The following information was provided by Ms. Bernstein via e-mail on November 7, 2022:

Corrections: I conflated the participation of Temple Emanuel students with Hillcrest High School students on three occasions, when in fact the Jewish children at Hillcrest also came from Shearith Israel and an orthodox synagogue in the neighborhood. I conflated T-shirts the Jewish children wore that stated, "We never lost it" in response to T-shirts Christian children wore that stated "I found it."; a newspaper article and the confirmation of one of my children that Hillcrest H. S. students raised the money lacking to complete the Kennedy Memorial; and the drive of Hillcrest students to raise money for Thanksgiving Square.

I conflated my participation in two NOW (National Organization of Women) groups. One was a regional chapter out of Austin, Texas and another was the Rainbow Chapter out of Dallas.

I neglected to give part of the impetus for my activism to my father’s mother, Jennie Goldberg Dresner, who was a poet and lecturer on tour in Europe during the lead-up to WW1 and was assassinated on stage in Vienna. As a child, whenever I didn’t know what to do with myself, my mother said, "Be like your father’s mother."

Additions: To add to my conversation about what was on everybody’s mind late 60’s and early 70’s, conversion attempts to Christianity, during the boom of Dallas’ growth, were unavoidable. My and my children’s Philadelphia accents were immediately construed as New York Jewish, and we were targeted continually. Proselytization was preached from the pulpit (and still is.) I have a close friend who is regularly shamed publicly by her minister for not bringing me into the fold. When my mother was in hospice, not long ago, and she asked that I be called, she was told "not until you accept Jesus."

Lastly, the peace movement, 1960s in Philadelphia, early 70's in Dallas. In Philadelphia, it was a real movement. In Philadelphia, I regularly took my babies to public spaces. They gave out flowers, raisins, etc. Not so in Dallas, in the early 70's, except for the Unitarian Church on Normandy. I registered my sons there (although children) as Pacifists for evidence in the event of drafts down the line. Those of us in attendance knew the men in suits and brown shoes taking notes were Nixon representatives. In the 80's, I was nominated to a national think tank and rejected. The member who put me up was told I was on a Nixon watch list from the peace movement.