Descriptive Summary
Rapoport, Bernard, 1917-
Rapoport, Bernard, Oral History
Collection
1993
Materials are written in English.
1993
28 audiocassette tapes
Dolph Briscoe Center for American History, The
University of Texas at Austin
Comprising 28 audiocassette tapes,
the Bernard Rapoport Oral History Collection, 1993, documents the experiences and
opinions of Bernard Rapoport as well as his family, friends, and colleagues
concerning labor unions, the Democratic Party, Rapoport's philanthropic endeavors
and foundation, the Bernard and Audre Rapoport Foundation, and his company, American
Income Life Insurance Company.
Biographical Note
Bernard Rapoport was born in 1917 in San Antonio, Texas. The son of Russian-Jewish
immigrants, he graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in 1939 with a
degree in economics. In 1951 he founded the American Income Life Insurance Company
in Waco, serving as chair and CEO of the company. This success in business led him
to receive the 1999 Horatio Alger Award of Distinguished Americans, given to those
who succeed despite adversity.
A former University of Texas System regent, 1993-1997, and major contributor to the
university, Rapoport is widely known for his philanthropy and dedication to social
justice, education, the Democratic Party, and the State of Israel. Rapoport has been
active in numerous organizations such as the Central Texas Sickle Cell Anemia
Association, the National Council on Crime and Delinquency, the National Hispanic
Center for Advanced Studies and Policy Analysis, the Center for the Study of
Democratic Institutions, the Texas Observer, the United Negro College Fund, and the
Jerusalem Foundation. Furthermore, he and his wife Audre founded the Bernard and
Audre Rapoport Foundation in 1987 with their personal contribution of $47 million.
The foundation supports education, the arts, Jewish causes, participation in
democracy, and health and human services organizations.
In 2002, Rapoport and Don Carleton published the memoir Being
Rapoport: Capitalist with a Conscience (Austin: University of Texas
Press).
Scope and Contents
Comprising 28 audiocassette tapes, the Bernard Rapoport Oral History Collection,
1993, documents the experiences and opinions of Bernard Rapoport as well as his
family, friends, and colleagues. The audiotapes, July-October 1993, consist of
eleven interviews conducted by Barbara Griffith and Don E. Carleton of the
University of Texas at Austin’s Center for American History with Rapoport, Idel B.
McLanathan, Hank Brown, Ray Marshall, and Fred Schmidt, among others. The interviews
discuss Rapoport’s involvement in labor unions, the Democratic Party, his
philanthropic endeavors and foundation, the Bernard and Audre Rapoport Foundation,
and his company, American Income Life Insurance Company.
Arrangement
The collection is divided into two series:
- I. Copies
- II. Masters [Restricted]
Access Restrictions
This collection is open for research use.
For preservation purposes, the audiocassette masters are restricted. Copies are
provided for patron use.
Index Terms
Subjects (Persons)
Rapoport, Bernard, 1917- -- Archives.
Rapoport family.
McLanathan, Idel Rapoport Bruckman,
1920-2011
Brown, H. S. (Hank)
Marshall, F. Ray
Schmidt, Fred H.
Schmidt, Sonia
Hill, Forest G. (Forest Garrett), 1919-
Sale, Jim
Friedsam, H. J.
Friedsam, Reva
Mullinax, Otto B., 1912-2000
Hay, Jess
Terrell, Charles, 1938-
Subjects (Organizations)
American Income Life Insurance Company.
Bernard & Audre Rapoport Foundation.
University of Texas System. Board of
Regents.
University of Texas at Austin.
Democratic Party (Tex.)
Subjects
Philanthropists -- Texas.
Insurance -- United States.
Insurance -- Texas.
Labor unions -- United States.
Politics -- United States.
Places
Waco (Tex.) -- History -- 20th
century.
Texas -- History -- 20th
century.
United States -- Relations --
Israel.
Preferred Citation
Bernard Rapoport Oral History Collection, 1993, Dolph Briscoe Center for American
History, The University of Texas at Austin.
Related Material
See also the Bernard
Rapoport Papers.
Processing Information
This collection is currently undergoing processing by Laurel Rozema, Rapoport Project
Archivist.
Detailed Description of the Papers
2x69b
Audiocassettes:
2x69b
Copies:
2x69b
Bernard Rapoport, Waco, TX, interviewed by Don E. Carleton
and Barbara Griffith, July 13, 1993
2x69b
Fred and Sonia Schmidt, Fredericksburg, TX,
September 9, 1993
[two tapes]
2x69b
Dr. Forest Hill, Austin, TX, interviewed by Barbara
Griffith, September 13, 1993
2x69b
Jim Sale, Dallas, TX, interviewed by Barbara Griffith,
October 6, 1993
2x69b
Ray Marshall, Austin, TX, interviewed by Barbara Griffith,
October 8, 1993
2x69b
Hank Brown, San Antonio, TX, interviewed by Barbara
Griffith, October 12, 1993
[two tapes]
2x69b
Hiram and Vera [Reva] Friedsam, Denton, TX,
October 18, 1993
2x69b
Otto Mullinax, Dallas, TX, interviewed by Barbara Griffith,
October 18, 1993
[two tapes]
2x69b
Dr. Idel B. McLanathan, San Antonio, TX, interviewed by
Barbara Griffith, October 21, 1993
2x69b
Jess Hay, Dallas, TX, interviewed by Barbara Griffith,
October 27, 1993
2x69b
Charles Terrell, Dallas, TX, interviewed by Barbara
Griffith, includes business card as Chairman of the Board for
Unimark Insurance Agencies, October 27,
1993
2x69c
Masters: [Restricted]
2x69c
Bernard Rapoport, Waco, TX, interviewed by Don E. Carleton
and Barbara Griffith, July 13, 1993
2x69c
Fred and Sonia Schmidt, Fredericksburg, TX,
September 9, 1993
[two tapes]
2x69c
Dr. Forest Hill, Austin, TX, interviewed by Barbara
Griffith, September 13, 1993
2x69c
Jim Sale, Dallas, TX, interviewed by Barbara Griffith,
October 6, 1993
2x69c
Ray Marshall, Austin, TX, interviewed by Barbara Griffith,
October 8, 1993
2x69c
Hank Brown, San Antonio, TX, interviewed by Barbara
Griffith, October 12, 1993
[two tapes]
2x69c
Hiram and Vera [Reva] Friedsam, Denton, TX,
October 18, 1993
2x69c
Otto Mullinax, Dallas, TX, interviewed by Barbara Griffith,
October 18, 1993
[two tapes]
2x69c
Dr. Idel B. McLanathan, San Antonio, TX, interviewed by
Barbara Griffith, October 21, 1993
2x69c
Jess Hay, Dallas, TX, interviewed by Barbara Griffith,
October 27, 1993
2x69c
Charles Terrell, Dallas, TX, interviewed by Barbara
Griffith, includes business card as Chairman of the Board for
Unimark Insurance Agencies, October 27,
1993