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Object Description
| Rating | |
| Title | Oral history interview with Billie Jean Floyd |
| Interviewee | Floyd, Billie Jean |
| Interviewer | Finchum, Tanya |
| Interview Date | 10/3/2007 |
| Abstract | Billie Jean Floyd is among the few women who have served in the Oklahoma state legislature; elected to the Senate in 1984, served through 1988; born and reared in Ada, Oklahoma; wonderful childhood; born Christmas Eve, 1929 at the beginning of the Depression; her dad worked with Railway Express and her mother was a homemaker; graduated high school in 1947; went to college; veterans of World War II with the GI Bill will on campus; high school years were World War II years; buying savings bonds and defense stamps in junior high; graduate school; when growing up no difference was made between a womans work or a mans work; taught third grade in Duncan for one year; signed contract to teach at East Central University; interest in physical education; married Ben Floyd, a Korean War veteran, in 1952 or 3 and started a family; deciding to run for state senate seat 13; growing up politics and religion were always discussed at meals; grandfather told political stories; grandparents homesteaded in New Mexico; as a child helped aunt campaign for a candidate; fascinated by politics; Franklin Delano Roosevelt and his New Deal; John F. Kennedy; running for office with Billie as first name; the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA); a flaming liberal; gathering signatures for petition to send to the Oklahoma State Senate and House in support of ratifying the ERA; frustrated by the politics when it was not ratified; campaign slogan, Your vote means a mint to mevote Billie Floyd; winning a run-off with the incumbent; swearing-in day; describing a typical day at the Capitol; reading bills; Helen Cole; Bernice Shedrick; maneuvering to get your bill heard; chairman of Tourism; bill to allow the videoing of a childs testimony so the child would not have to keep re-telling it passed but later declared unconstitutional; bill to make stealing fish a crime; background behind the bill making the Indian Blanket the Oklahoma state flower; carrying a 1/10 of one percent sales tax that went to tourism bill may have helped get her defeated for re-election; at the end of the day; social interactions with legislators; approach to being in a mans world; Dick Wilkerson as opponent; gender aspects serving in the 1980s; funny campaign stories; election night; life after the legislature; thoughts on serving; advice for women considering running for election. |
| Subject | Floyd, Billie Jean, 1929- ; Legislators --Oklahoma ; Oklahoma --Politics and government ; Oklahoma. Legislature ; Oklahoma. Legislature. Senate ; Women in politics --Oklahoma |
| Description | Billie Jean Floyd was interviewed October 3, 2007 as part of the Women of the Oklahoma Legislature Oral History Project. Mrs. Floyd was elected to the Oklahoma Senate in 1984 and served through 1988. She held the Senate District 13 seat and was a member of the Democratic Party. Mrs. Floyd shares her memories of the 1940s and of people in her life who played roles in developing her interest in politics. She also discusses campaigning for the Equal Rights Amendment, sponsoring various legislation including authoring the bill making the Indian Blanket the Oklahoma state flower. |
| Digital Publisher | OOHRP-Oklahoma State University Library |
| Collection | Women of the Oklahoma Legislature |
| Interview Number | WOL_018 |
| Rights | This material may not be copied or reproduced without permission. For more information, contact the Oklahoma Oral History Research Program at liboh@okstate.edu or call 405-744-7685. |
| Identifier | oralhistwol |
Description
| Title | Full Transcript |
| Interviewee | Floyd, Billie Jean |
| Interviewer | Finchum, Tanya |
| Interview Date | 10/3/2007 |
| Abstract | Billie Jean Floyd is among the few women who have served in the Oklahoma state legislature; elected to the Senate in 1984, served through 1988; born and reared in Ada, Oklahoma; wonderful childhood; born Christmas Eve, 1929 at the beginning of the Depression; her dad worked with Railway Express and her mother was a homemaker; graduated high school in 1947; went to college; veterans of World War II with the GI Bill will on campus; high school years were World War II years; buying savings bonds and defense stamps in junior high; graduate school; when growing up no difference was made between a womans work or a mans work; taught third grade in Duncan for one year; signed contract to teach at East Central University; interest in physical education; married Ben Floyd, a Korean War veteran, in 1952 or 3 and started a family; deciding to run for state senate seat 13; growing up politics and religion were always discussed at meals; grandfather told political stories; grandparents homesteaded in New Mexico; as a child helped aunt campaign for a candidate; fascinated by politics; Franklin Delano Roosevelt and his New Deal; John F. Kennedy; running for office with Billie as first name; the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA); a flaming liberal; gathering signatures for petition to send to the Oklahoma State Senate and House in support of ratifying the ERA; frustrated by the politics when it was not ratified; campaign slogan, Your vote means a mint to mevote Billie Floyd; winning a run-off with the incumbent; swearing-in day; describing a typical day at the Capitol; reading bills; Helen Cole; Bernice Shedrick; maneuvering to get your bill heard; chairman of Tourism; bill to allow the videoing of a childs testimony so the child would not have to keep re-telling it passed but later declared unconstitutional; bill to make stealing fish a crime; background behind the bill making the Indian Blanket the Oklahoma state flower; carrying a 1/10 of one percent sales tax that went to tourism bill may have helped get her defeated for re-election; at the end of the day; social interactions with legislators; approach to being in a mans world; Dick Wilkerson as opponent; gender aspects serving in the 1980s; funny campaign stories; election night; life after the legislature; thoughts on serving; advice for women considering running for election. |
| Subject | Floyd, Billie Jean, 1929- ; Legislators --Oklahoma ; Oklahoma --Politics and government ; Oklahoma. Legislature ; Oklahoma. Legislature. Senate ; Women in politics --Oklahoma |
| Description | 33 pages |
| Format | application/.pdf |
| Digital Publisher | OOHRP-Oklahoma State University Library |
| Collection | Women of the Oklahoma Legislature |
| Interview Number | WOL_018 |
| Rights | This material may not be copied or reproduced without permission. For more information, contact the Oklahoma Oral History Research Program at liboh@okstate.edu or call 405-744-7685. |
| Identifier | oralhistwol |
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