Leonard Linquest

Born: 11/5/1912 Of Swedish parents. Leonard: I began to practice law in 1939. Judge Larsen and I started a firm in 1946. It was dedicated to providing a base to move out into public service and community work. And we did so. My partner who was the first president of the Civil Liberties Union in 1952 was chair of the Human Rights Commission from 1955 to 1957 and went on to become a federal judge. But that was the beginning of our law firm and many great public servants have come out of our law firm. Del: What is your definition of the Civil Rights Movement? Leonard: It's a recognition that the individual rights that have become part of our institutional life, in this country, should be protected and we shouldn't let there be any eroding of the rights of the individual as we see it and as its been developed in the law. Where it stands to protect those rights that we have gained through all these years of revolution and work. Del: How did you participate in activism during the Movement? Leonard: Mostly by the attorneys that came into our firm. We had a law firm going and our dedication was to have a firm where people could join and use our law firm as a base for moving out into public life and community service. During that time Freemen had become governor. Don Fraser became a Congressman and legislator. They ask me to head the Rails Roads and Warehouse Commission, which controlled the streetcar movement, and truck movements, and telephones, and so forth which was a great public service. Not much money for it but I moved into that. And Larice LaRue became a lawyer she was the first woman to become a partner in a large law firm in the Twin Cities and this was followed by Diana Murphy. Judge Lee Benenger became the head of the antitrust division. Mondale was with us for a couple of years. Harry McLaughlin was with us, he moved on to become a federal judge. We supported the Movement any way we could and many of our lawyers, I assume were down there marching at different times, but my job was to try to keep the law firm going. Del: In your opinion would the public's boycotting and protesting of the past be effective an way to make the change today? Leonard: Yes, I absolutely believe the public should rise up and make their demands and their desires and their dreams known. So I'm all for it. Del: Would you consider yourself active today? Leonard: Yes, I am very active. I've been involved in the Civil Rights Counsel for years I've been active in Fair Housing I've been active in taking kids out of the Red Wing correction centers and teaching them there's a better way of life then selling or dealing in drugs or becoming part of a gang, we do that with retired football players. I'm very active in community voluntary mediations center. I'm part of the mediation center that provides volunteer mediation service to all kinds of community needs, kids in trouble, or landlord and tenant. What ever the need we provide a voluntary service to bring about a resolution. Del: What do you think is the most important issue African Americans have to address today? Leonard: First to determine leadership. To have responsible leadership to find out who the leadership is and have some law and order to the presentation of their demands. And have goals they're willing to work for and fight for and I think they need organization to bring this matter of exercising their right and to reach their goals. Del: Are you familiar with the Black Arts Movement? Leonard: No I'm not. Del: What do you think of the Civil Rights Movement today? Leonard: I think in most areas they are doing a great job. If there's ever a time where they are needed it is now. Every time that the U. S. attorney speaks on what he's going to do next there is a tremendous surge of interest in the Civil Rights Movement. That's encouraging. I'm very pleased with the struggle they are undertaking and how they are trying to come out. I know there's probably going to be a time to become more aggressive in what we want, by expressions that we are forming that we did talk about. But we'll see. Del: Control Leonard: I feel that that African nations are in great need of having control. Leadership that knows where they're going with the benefit of the group thinking. That knows what they want and have missions to accomplish their goals and have a policy. And controls the land according to that policy. And fight with everything you've got to obtain those goals. You have to have an understanding about those goals and how they're gonna get there and that's when the word control comes in there for controlling the mission. Del: Dehumanize Leonard: I don't understand what's happening in different areas where it appears that human life is not worth two cents. Where there's evidence of complete disregard for the human being. I have nothing but contempt for that. And I would think the first thing to clear up is how they are going to retain their goals and procedures that they will to follow to get there. Part of that is to take care of that question of dehumanization. Del: Stigma Leonard: I ignore whatever stigma might be attached if you are going on the right track to correct things. If you have a goal in mind and you feel that it is a fair way of getting there you will reach there if you follow some kind of controls and law and order. Forget about stigma go ahead and follow your dreams. Del: Traumatize Leonard: Traumatize is to forget the course you're following and you can not move on course. Back in the Navy we used to say "steady as she goes, keep the course" and I believe that that traumatization is not the way to get there. Del: Loss Leonard: Don't worry about loss just go in there and fight them and do your best. There may be some hard knocks along the way or sometimes you are completely shattered on where you want to go, but don't admit a loss. Overcome. And be willing to, as they say in football, "whatever there be and in troubles way we overcome". And that's the best way to do it. Del Identity Leonard: Keep your identity. It is very important. If you don't have identity with your soul, with what's inside of you, while reaching out to your goal you are not going to be able to stand the rigors of defeat and loss, and all those things that can could happen. Keep your identity, keep your individuality to know your inner self, to know that you are on the right track and that is your strength. Del: Survival Leonard: Well, when you got off to war as we did in World War II, we had to forget about survival. Many of our soldiers over there, I suppose you think the war is over, but is not over, and there always has to be the question of survival. It is just part of life. You know what you are undertaking is not the safest in the world. It may be a dangerous course, but if you feel, after taking everything into scale, you want to take the course, survival then loses its importance. Del: How long were you in the service? Leonard: 3 1/2 years I served in North Africa and the U.S. Navy Air Corps as part of an ordnance group that sought to make sure that our planes were fit to be equipped to take on the German submarines in Atlantic warfare and our planes went out and bombed the submarines and kept the flow of traffic going. That's where I was first, in North Africa. I lived with the Arabs for the most part and they were my friends and we loved each other. I enjoyed many Sunday afternoon with them playing games and eating lamb that they would barbecue. From Africa when the Germans surrendered and their submarines surfaced they sent me out to the Pacific. And I was out in the Pacific when the war ended. Del: Inspire Leonard: You always have to be inspired. If you are a leader you have to inspire others. Your conduct has to be such that it inspires. And you will be inspired. You have to be inspired yourself in order to pass that inspiration or move it on to others who may be working with you. So it is important that you are inspired by your mission and it is important that you pass that on to others that they may also gain strength and the knowledge as the basics for your inspiration. Del: Hope Leonard: Hope always has to be there. Without life there is no hope. With life there has to be hope. Hope is something that is based on faith. It is based on your belief in yourself or your belief in a higher being. Hope carries with it the message that all is going to be well and without hope I don't think we could have made it through many of the troubles as we have. Through war and rumors of war, and I don't know where we are now, but I don't want to give up hope. Del: Closure Leonard: It is very important that one has a sense of closure. What is the timing of closure? When is it time to bring things to an end? Time to try to wrap up and put down in writing what you've agreed to. What is it when you are telling the troops that you are going to be carrying out this mission make sure you keep people advised of when that closure is going to take place. Or keep everyone informed of reasons for delays. Closure is important to any mission that we have and because we all have to see that there's an end to whatever the controversy may be and that there is a resolution that we've all fought for.

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