Interview with Danny Rochman

Authors

Arturo Carillo, Columbia College Chicago

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

Spring 2009

Keywords

Sharpeville Massacre, London (England), Oberlin College, Nelson Mandela, B. J. Vorster, Jews, South Africa, African National Congress, Mozambique, Robben Island (South Africa), Rivonia Trial, Angola, Indiana University, Sullivan Principles, Albie Sax

Disciplines

Political Science | Political Theory | Race and Ethnicity | Race, Ethnicity and Post-Colonial Studies | Work, Economy and Organizations

Abstract

Length: 159 minutes

Oral history interview of Danny Rochman by Arturo Carillo

Mr. Rochman begins by recounting the events of his first few years, he was born in Johannesburg in 1960 shortly after the Sharpeville Massacre, his family was forced to flee to England due to their involvement in the anti-Apartheid movement and aiding Mandela, eventually immigrating to Chicago. He then explains how he became involved in the anti-Apartheid movement himself as a student at Oberlin College, trying to push the school to divest from South African companies. He recalls his family’s deeper history, their immigration to South Africa, his grandfather’s service in World War II, before explaining what initiated his parents’ need to leave South Africa. He tells of his early years in England, what it meant to be stateless, and his high school years in the U.S. He talks about life at Oberlin and Indiana University, his activism work at the time. He segues to describing the Jewish community within Johannesburg, a minority or a minority, and how their community fell on both sides of the Apartheid issue. He then recalls the details of his anti-Apartheid involvement, fighting for Chicago companies to divest from South Africa, particularly in the steel mills, and lobbying at the capitol for bill supporting divestment. He concludes by describing his impressions of post-Apartheid South Africa and the struggles that continued.

Biography and Comments

Danny Rochman was born in 1960 in Johannesburg, South Africa and spent his childhood in Leeds, London, and Chicago. He is a graduate of Oberlin College and Indiana University. Mr. Rochman’s parents were actively involved in the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa, and he continued that legacy in as an adult.

The interviewer conducted this oral history as part of his/her coursework for the Spring 2009 class, Oral History: The Art of the Interview. This interview supports the scope and content of the Chicago Anti-Apartheid Movement Collection at the College Archives & Special Collections department of Columbia College Chicago. Contact archives@colum.edu for more information and to view the collection.

Recommended Citation

Carillo, Arturo. "Interview with Danny Rochman" (Spring 2009). Oral Histories, Chicago Anti-Apartheid Collection, College Archives & Special Collections, Columbia College Chicago. http://digitalcommons.colum.edu/cadc_caam_oralhistories/13

Creative Commons License

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