Frank Wilkinson Tribute: January 2006

This blog is dedicated to Frank Wilkinson. Frank's family wanted to have a place where the people who knew Frank would have a place to share their thoughts, remembrances, and feelings about Frank. Please post text, photos, drawings, or anything else you'd like to express yourself.


Tuesday, January 31, 2006

A Note From Jo Wilkinson

Edited slightly...Here's a note from Jo...

I think it would be a great idea to put up the link for folks to hear "Ocean of Love," referred to by Tony, as well as in the LA Times article in the Sunday paper. By the way, is there a way to get that link up --- the Henry Weinstein article on Frank's memorial, dated January 29th? (Yup. Done. See the next post below...)

Anyway, "Ocean of Love" came about when I was asked to participate with other women singer/songwriters from Tucson in a fundraising cd of lullabies --- for a non-profit group called New Beginnings. New Beginnings is an organization and place for homeless women and children in Tucson. A cd was released recently called "Lullabies For New Beginnings" and is available over their internet website,
http://www.lullabiesfornewbeginnings.com/

Robert Miranda and I co-wrote the song --- and I sang it to my dad when he was in the emergency room one night --- and we played the cd for him the night before he passed away. It's a beautiful song, and if people want to hear it, it's a great way to support a wonderful cause --- carrying on in the Frank Wilkinson tradition ---.


Jo

L.A. Times Article on Frank's Memorial

Rich Life on Behalf of Poor
1st Amendment activist Frank Wilkinson, once imprisoned for his views, is memorialized.

Click here to view the article on the LA Times web site


By Henry Weinstein, Times Staff Writer

National civil liberties leader Frank Wilkinson, who died Jan. 2, was remembered Saturday as "the Johnny Appleseed of the 1st Amendment" at a packed memorial service at Holman United Methodist Church.

Wilkinson "sowed seeds of liberty in every city of the country," said Kit Gage, director of the First Amendment Foundation, one of several groups her former colleague launched in his 91 years. Well into his 80s, Wilkinson gave nearly 200 speeches a year on 1st Amendment issues, fair housing and civil rights.

The son of a physician, he was born in Michigan and came to Los Angeles when he was 11. He graduated from Beverly Hills High School and UCLA and considered becoming a Methodist minister. But after seeing extreme poverty during a trip around the world, Wilkinson became an advocate of affordable, high-quality public housing.

A member of the Communist Party for more than 30 years, Wilkinson lost his job at the Los Angeles Housing Authority in the McCarthy era after refusing to answer questions about his political affiliations during a city hearing concerning housing in Chavez Ravine. But he continued his anti-poverty work and was summoned before the House Un-American Activities Committee in 1958.

Rather than assert his 5th Amendment right against self-incrimination, as others did, he refused to answer questions citing the 1st Amendment. His case went to the Supreme Court, where he lost, 5-4. He spent nine months in prison for contempt of Congress.

After his release in 1962, he dedicated himself to abolishing the House committee, which he considered un-American. The campaign succeeded — in 1975.

Wilkinson played a key role in other civil liberties battles over the next 30 years.

Assemblywoman Jackie Goldberg (D-Los Angeles), a leader of the Free Speech Movement at UC Berkeley, praised Wilkinson as man "who inspired people because he was courageous."

"It's important to remember his life, but it's also important to pick up the torch," she said. "We should have a Frank Wilkinson Memorial Brigade. No meetings. Just a large e-mail list to do outrageous actions."

Although he achieved a great deal, including successfully suing the FBI for its 132,000-page file on him, "Frank had one unachieved goal at the end of his life — to chisel J. Edgar Hoover's name off the FBI building," said Ramona Ripston, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Southern California, referring to the late FBI director.

Wilkinson loved music, a gift he passed to his children. At the service Saturday, his daughter, Jo, sang "Amazing Grace" and his son, Jeffrey, sang "Softer Than a Song," a tune by Wilkinson's grandson Joshua.

Several speakers emphasized that Wilkinson loved to interact with young people.

Andrea McEvoy, a high school history teacher from Culver City said that when she first brought Wilkinson to one of her classes a few years ago to discuss his experiences, she was concerned about how a man in his 80s would do with a group of "16-year-olds with the attention span of a music video." Within moments, though, Wilkinson had her students "on the edge of their seats," McEvoy said.

"He taught them what fear can do to a country. They really listened. Frank took over the semester. We never made it to Reaganomics," the teacher said, drawing laughter.

Wilkinson's family — including his stepchildren from his marriage to his second wife, Donna, who arranged Saturday's program — presented the personal side of a man they clearly loved and admired. They recounted that he gave them back rubs, sang lullabies — some with a distinctly political tilt — and typed their school papers.

Perhaps the most poignant remarks were offered by Wilkinson's 60-year-old son, Tony, who recalled when the family was trailed by federal agents and their house was firebombed.

But his father, "with thousands of others, helped to create this ocean of love that sustained us and carried us all, up and over our fears."

Monday, January 23, 2006

Frank's 90th Birthday Video

Take a look at a video from Jason Wilkinson of Frank's 90th Birthday Celebration. Here's the link to view it. If you have any difficulties, let me know.

Click here to view the video.

Wednesday, January 18, 2006

Another photo of Frank

Here's a more recent photo of Frank. If you have any others and can't figure out how to get them posted or if you have other artwork, feel free to send it to me and I'll make sure they get posted.

Michael
megmtb@gmail.com

Welcome to the Frank Wilkinson
Tribute Page

Hello all,

This blog is dedicated to Frank Wilkinson. Frank's family asked to have it created so that the people who knew Frank would have a place where they could share their thoughts, remembrances, and feelings about Frank. Feel free to post text, photos, drawings, or anything else you'd like to express yourself.

Michael