Oral Histories

Interview of Norris Poulson

Mayor of Los Angeles, 56th district California State Assembly member from 1939 to 1943, and member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Subtitle:
Who Would Have Ever Dreamed?
Series:
Z: Orphan Interviews pre 1999
Topic:
Politics and Government
Biographical Note:
Mayor of Los Angeles, 56th district California State Assembly member from 1939 to 1943, and member of the U.S. House of Representatives.
Interviewer:
Nunis, Doyce B. Jr
Interviewee:
Poulson, Norris
Supporting Documents:
Records relating to the interview are located in the office of the UCLA Library's Center for Oral History Research.
Processing of Interview:
The original manuscript was written at Mr. Poulson's home in La Jolla. It was edited by Elizabeth Dixon and indexed by Adelaide Tusler.
Language:
English
Copyright:
Regents of the University of California, UCLA Library.
Abstract:
Family background; childhood in Oregon; move to California, 1923; involvement in Republican Party politics; election to California Assembly, 1938; investigation of Athletic Commission; Harry Martin and Louella Parsons; Jack B. Tenney's minority report; General John L. DeWitt and Japanese-American internment; election to Congress, 1942; wartime concerns; service on public lands committee; opposition to Central Arizona Project; postwar problems; communist threat; Korean War; Douglas MacArthur's speech to Congress; elected mayor of Los Angeles, 1953; two terms as mayor, 1953-61; public housing in Los Angeles; Bunker Hill redevelopment; advent of major league baseball and controversy over Chávez Ravine development; Nikita Khrushchev's visit to Los Angeles, 1959; statewide water resources; defeated for third term by Samuel W. Yorty, 1961; work with California Water Commission after retirement.