Oral history with Susan Silber, 1948-

Susan Silber (1948-) discusses moving from Buffalo, NY to the D.C. area [00:29], her involvement in gay organizing through Antioch Law School, the National Lawyers' Guild, and the 1979 National March on Washington [03:22], practicing family law as a lesbian lawyer [08:52], efforts to educate
D.C. judges in LGBT issues [16:40], the formation of Gay Law and efforts to establish domestic partnership in D.C. [20:54], her efforts to educate clients and groups about legal issues [26:08], the Solomon Act [27:44], her role in organizing the conference Law and the Fight for Lesbian and Gay Rights [28:53], her legal work in response to the HIV crisis [31:23], her work advocating for non-discrimination law in Maryland [34:26], her efforts to create equality as Takoma Park's city attorney [40:04], her involvement in small LGBT organizations and Bet Mishpachah [41:26], her coming out
experience [43:53], raising her children [46:40], the atmosphere of the 1979 National March on Washington [48:52], the changes she has witnessed in the status of gays and lesbians [50:46], and the roles of history and collaboration in building a better world [53:38].

Susan, originally from New Jersey and currently living in Takoma Park, is an active lawyer and mother of two children who has lived in the DC area since 1977. In the decade of 1980’s she was co-chair of the Gay and Lesbian Section of the D.C. Bar. Through her work she has treated Lesbian and Gay parenting issues and has experienced some shocking situations. Susan testimony is an overview of the lesbian and gay life in university, bar association and activist groups from the times of the First National March in the capital of the United States (1979).

Takoma Park

Yes, transcript available

Yes, recording available.