Oral History Interview with Joan Beal and Richard Beal

Partial Transcript: "It is Wednesday, August 17, 2016. My name is Kathy Kramer. I am a member of First Unitarian Church and I'm here today with Richard and Joan Beal conducting an oral history in Scarborough, Maine."

Segment Synopsis: J. Beal describes her childhood, meeting her husband, R. Beal, their education, their work in child counseling, and life course until they moved to Louisville, Ky, and their son Barney's education and involvement in the church.

Keywords: Childhood; Immigration; Maine; Massachusetts; Youth

Partial Transcript: "First memory of the church. Of course, that's not a 'way back' memory because I was 38 when we moved to Louisville."

Segment Synopsis: J. Beal describes her earliest memories of First Unitarian, which had burned just before her first visit. R. Beal describes how he was more interested in coming to First Unitarian after the fire because there would be more work to do. J. Beal recalls that she and R. were not interested in fundraising and that the steeple had not fallen during the fire but that it later fell on Easter Sunday about a year later.

Keywords: Architecture; Fire; Fire damage; Fundraising; Marian Hall; Spalding College

Partial Transcript: "So, what would you say, what was the candidating like?"

Segment Synopsis: R. Beal describes the process of candidating, or interviewing, to become minister at First Unitarian including preaching and writing a sermon. J. Beal recalls arrangements church members made for herself and her son Barney in preparation to move to Louisville, the process of purchasing a house and interviewing for a teaching job.

Keywords: Sermons; Teaching

Partial Transcript: "What was it like being at the West End church?"

Segment Synopsis: R. Beal describes how First Unitarian came to be housed temporarily at a building in the West End offered to him by the minister at the African American church Plymouth Congregational; the objections of First Unitarian members; how the location helped build his relationship with African American churches in the West End; and moving temporary offices from Heywood House to the West End.

Keywords: Social justice

Partial Transcript: "Do you think the fire sort of reshaped your perspective?"

Segment Synopsis: R. Beal describes his experience as a minister in Maine before coming to First Unitarian.

Partial Transcript: "Joan we had talked a little bit about the women at First U. What do you recall about the women that you met there when you first moved there?"

Segment Synopsis: J. Beal describes her relationships with women at First Unitarian, and tells a story about fishing with Beverly Moore. R. Beal describes his prejudices about the South and his experiences hitch hiking through the South and across the country. J. Beal recalls the activities of the Women's Alliance and tensions between two women's groups focused on social activities and social activism.

Partial Transcript: "Speaking of social justice issues, can you recall any of the controversial events in Louisville when you all were living there?"

Segment Synopsis: R. Beal describes Ku Klux Klan activities in Louisville; participating in the Fairness Campaign supporting gay rights; partnering with Jan Phillips (president of the American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky); joining African American activist minister Louis Coleman in an eat-in protest at the exclusive Pendennis Club; and firing music director Terry Borney for his treatment of an African American couple at the church.

Partial Transcript: The issue with the polyamory controversy grew out of a desire to allow the group to be visible in its printe"d publications and the general public."

Segment Synopsis: R. Beal describes efforts by members of the polyamory movement to achieve visibility in the church and objections from other members; the lack of training in managing conflict and administration in his own education and how this has increased over time; and his work as a sort of arbitrator in conflicts.

Keywords: Divinity school; Education; Training

Subjects: Non-monogamous relationships

Partial Transcript: "Another controversy or social justice issue that you took up was gay rights."

Segment Synopsis: R. Beal describes his activities in the gay rights movement and the Fairness Campaign; performing gay and lesbian union ceremonies before gay marriage was legal, in particular for black lesbians; the liberal and social justice leanings of First Unitarian members; First Unitarian hosting a meeting of the Rainbow Coalition; meeting Jesse Jackson; becoming the first white member of the Interdenominational Ministerial Coalition; and serving as secretary of the local NAACP.

Subjects: Civil rights movements; Gay rights movement

Partial Transcript: "Okay, so here you are, these two novices from Maine, moving to the city of Louisville in the South."

Segment Synopsis: R. Beal and J. Beal describe what they did after R. Beal's term as minister at First Unitarian. R. Beal recalls difficulties with a general lack of funds at First Unitarian; some large bequests from church members; shifting membership numbers at the church; and challenges of being a liberal church in a conservative state. J. Beal describes the commitment and openness to new ideas of First Unitarian members. R. Beal remembers the success of fundraisers and communal events including the food fair, a Casa Blanca-themed cabaret, and courtyard cafes. Kremer recalls holding NOW meetings at the church.

Keywords: National Organization for Women; Pledging; Social gatherings

Partial Transcript: "It wasn't only NOW, but another important social action was the support for Planned Parenthood."

Segment Synopsis: R. Beal and J. Beal describe members serving as escorts to abortion clinics in Louisville and hosting Roe Vs. Wade awards dinners at the church.

Keywords: Feminism

Partial Transcript: "I always thought that the Christmas Eve services were set up so well."

Segment Synopsis: R. Beal describes the beauty of the church on Christmas Eve including a silver tea service that had belonged to the family of President William Howard Taft

Keywords: Decorations; Holidays

Partial Transcript: "Do you all have anything you'd like to add?

Segment Synopsis: R. Beal describes the Partner Church Council, First Unitarian's partnership with a church in Transylvania, Romania. J. Beal describes how the partnership helped to increase awareness of Unitarian Universalism outside the United States. J. Beal and R. Beal briefly discuss religious education.

Keywords: Charlotte General Assembly; International

Partial Transcript: "Anything else you wanted to stress?"