Oral History Interview with Beverly Moore

Partial Transcript: "Before we started talking, you told me a little bit about yourself and also a little bit about your experience with interviewing other people... I'd like to record a little bit about that. But, first why don't we begin by you telling me a little bit about your background?"

Segment Synopsis: Beverly Moore describes her early life, education, and teaching career.

Keywords: depression; doctoral dissertation

Subjects: Biology; childhood; education; Emory University; family; Fort Myers (Fla.); Kannapel, Patricia J., 1956-; Kentucky. Education Reform Act (1990; Korea; Miami (Fla.); pregnancy; School board members; teaching; University of Louisville

Partial Transcript: "When did you become involved with First Unitarian?"

Segment Synopsis: Beverly came to the church in 1963, before moving to Korea with her husband. She returned when her first son was two-years-old. She began going to a Unitarian church in college, because she felt estranged from her Baptist faith and belief. She returned to Louisville in the fall of 1971. Her husband Gerald, does not attend.

Keywords: Brown, David

Subjects: Atlanta (Ga.)

Partial Transcript: "You Remember the Forum?"

Segment Synopsis: Beverly describes the Forums in detail. The hour before church - in the 60s, 70s, and 80s - the congregation would hold forums on topics and current events. Beverly was married at Thomas Jefferson Unitarian Church, because it was smaller. The old church was a large auditorium-sized space. She regrets that Rev. Brown felt slighted by that choice. She describes Reverend David Brown as "lovely," and she enjoyed his preaching. Moore relates gossip about David Brown's unconventional marriage, which the church accepted. She describes other activities in the church like play readings and then the decline of the forums in the 1990s when the church was rebuilt.

Keywords: Brown, David; forums; play reading

Subjects: Homosexuality; Marriage; Mazzoli, Romano L.; religious education; Tachau, Eric; Tachau, Mary K. Bonsteel, 1926-; Thomas Jefferson Unitarian Church (Louisville, Ky.)

Partial Transcript: "Can you tell me a little bit about Nell?"

Segment Synopsis: Beverly remembers the memorial service of a good friend, Nell McGlothin. She says that Nell was good southern women who tried to coach her. Beverly describes herself as part of the "kitchen congregation," an informal but established group that came to socialize, but did not attend the service. Beverly taught Sunday school while Anne Miller was the director. She often taught middle-grade children, due to their unique educational needs and her expertise. Beverly describes teaching third and fourth grade "Man the Meaning-Maker" curriculum, and applying teaching to her real-life labor in childbirth. She shares second-hand memories of the previous director, who was eccentric. Beverly mentions the church visiting Otter Creek Park. She shares memories of hosting crowded religious education classes at Heywood House.

Keywords: Crum, Richard; Dolan, Bill; Heywood House; kitchen congregation; League of Women Voters; McGlothin, Nell; Miller, Anne; otter creek park; Reed, Bob; Renovation (Architecture); Silverman, Irv

Subjects: Childbirth; Pregnancy; religious education

Partial Transcript: "You've been involved with a lot of organizations outside of the church. You mentioned the League."

Segment Synopsis: Beverly Moore describes becoming involved with the League of Women Voters as a young, educated woman. She credits the organization for teaching her how to write through letters and op-eds. Beverly describes how she worked in the League, the School Board, and other organizations to influence the desegregation of Jefferson County Public Schools. Beverly describes how Louisville Schools operated before strict neighborhood-based boundaries, and the "white flight" from the West End. Beverly details the plans for fair busing that she created, which promoted integration without unduly burdening white or black students with long bus rides. Beverly describes school desegregation/integration as being at the core of her values and Unitarian values of equality. Beverly states why she ran for school board, and shares memories Georgia Davis Powers.

Keywords: Hayes, Betsy; Henson, Gail; League of Women Voters; Quality Education Begins Today; Supreme Court Decisions; white flight

Subjects: Busing for school integration--Kentucky--Jefferson County; Busing for school integration--Kentucky--Louisville--History; civil rights; Jefferson County Public Schools; Magnet schools; Mazzoli, Romano L.; NAACP; Op-ed pages; Post, Suzy, 1933-; Powers, Georgia Davis, 1923-; School board members; University of Louisville; Urban renewal; Writing

Partial Transcript: "Let's get back to the church, where in 1985 the church burned - December the 13th."

Segment Synopsis: Beverly remembers getting the call about the church burning, and she went to the evening service at Spalding University. Although not involved in the rebuilding process, she says she gave money and went to "cottage meetings." She was active at the west end church where services were held from 1986-1989 while the new church was built. Beverly confesses to not particularly liking church services, even though she enjoyed teaching and adult religious education. She credits the west Louisville location and Rev. Richard Beal with her increasing enjoyment and involvement. Beverly rarely served on committees, but was heavily involved with the canvas dinners. The church used one canvas dinner to debut the new sanctuary in 1989.

Keywords: Beal, Richard; canvas dinners; fundraising; Runge, Claudia; Runge, Jeff; stewardship; West Louisville Evangelical Church Building

Subjects: Canvassing; fire; Spalding University

Partial Transcript: "We missed talking about Bob Reed."

Segment Synopsis: Although she was not initially aware that he was involved in civil rights, women's rights, and peace movements, Beverly is proud of Bob Reeds activities. Beverly states that she rarely went to church activities and meetings beyond Sunday, so she missed the discussions about the Metropolitan Community Church and any annual meetings; however, she did go to the Sanctuary Movement meeting and was very influenced by it. She arrived in favor of welcoming the refugees into the church space, but voted against it because the Millers made arguments about how it might affect their employment due to the illegality of harboring refugees. She regrets her vote in retrospect. They did agree to provide some type of support.

Subjects: Civil rights; Conscientious objectors; Pro-choice movement; Sanctuary Movement

Partial Transcript: "So when Richard came in...he was being interviewed to become the settled minister right when the church burned. And he was enthusiastic about coming even more so."

Segment Synopsis: Beverly describes the social justice work of Rev. Richard Beal including serving as the NAACP secretary, hosting interfaith testimonies and gatherings, and initiating the "welcoming congregation" designation by the Unitarian Universalist Association. Beverly discusses the polyamory debate, and asserts that it became such a controversy because of the lack of ministerial stability when Richard Beal decided to leave. She described the church as "ministerially-oriented" under Richard. There was uncertainty in the interim between his leaving and another minister's arrival. Beverly also feels that the board mishandled the issue.

Keywords: LGBTQ

Subjects: Homosexual rights movement; homosexuality; Interfaith worship; National Association for the Advancement of Colored People; Non-monogamous relationships

Partial Transcript: "You mentioned the partner church. Can you tell me about the partner church?"

Segment Synopsis: Richard Beal came back from Unitarian Universalist General Assembly in 1989 with concerns about the humanitarian violations of Nicolae Ceaușescu in Romania. First Unitarian Church partnered with a church in Romania for protection and support. First Unitarian has a legacy of having a Romanian sister church going back to the 1920s. Beverly discusses the issues of changing the distinction from "sister" to "partner" in the Romanian language, which does not have gendered terms for siblings. Beverly went with a contingency from First Unitarian to Romania in 1993, and there is a book about the trip in the church's library. They stayed with families and learned new things about their Unitarian faith, heritage, and practice and justice and tolerance in other parts of the world.

Keywords: Johnson, Kim; Justice, Joanne; Potter, Abby

Subjects: Ceaușescu, Nicolae; Romania; Transylvania (Romania)

Partial Transcript: "Is there anything else you would like to talk about?"

Segment Synopsis: A tracker-action organ was added to the former church after some architecture modification by architect Jasper Ward. Organist B.T. Kimbrough was featured in live recording broadcast through the public library radio station. Beverly goes on to discuss several different organists, singers, music directors, and choir directors. Beverly also mentions vespers.

Keywords: Byers, Tom; Kimbrough, B.T.; Mitchell, Charlie; Reed, Jean; Richmond, Frank; Steiner-Reck Organ Company; Sturtevant, Elwood R.; tracker organ; Ward, Jasper

Subjects: Choirs (Music); Church architecture; organ (musical instrument); Organists; Piano; Ragtime music; Singers; Thomas Jefferson Unitarian Church (Louisville, Ky.); Vespers

Partial Transcript: "My last questions is...what about First Unitarian makes you proudest of it and its ministers?"

Segment Synopsis: Beverly says that a minister is just one extremely important part of church, and each has to be welcoming open to different thoughts and ideas. She recounts the issues with the polyamory debate. Beverly thinks all of their settled ministers have been wonderful, active and involved in trying to make the world a better place in their own ways.

Subjects: clergy; Reproductive rights