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Oral History Interview with Shirleyann Dramer, April 1, 2009, inclusive

Scope and Contents

In the interview with Shirleyann Mansdorf Dramer (1925- ), she remembers stories about living and working in Brooklyn, with many additions from her two daughters, Kim and Brooke Dramer. Dramer remembers riding horses in Brooklyn on Ocean Parkway and taking hikes in the country after crossing the George Washington Bridge. She was on the bridge when she first heard about the attack on Pearl Harbor. Dramer recalls writing letters and sending food to soldiers overseas, as well as helping her mother drive an ambulance to pick up wounded soldiers at the Brooklyn Navy Yard and bring them to New York Methodist Hospital in Park Slope, Brooklyn. She remembers the security she encountered at the Brooklyn Navy Yard and interacting with injured soldiers at the Hospital. Dramer also reflects on the significant changes that took place in Brooklyn in the 1960s. Interview conducted by Sady Sullivan.

Biographical / Historical

Shirleyann Mansdorf Dramer (1925- ) grew up in Brooklyn, New York, where she attended James Madison High School. After high school, Dramer attended Cooper Union where she studied science and later became a science teacher. At the time of the interview, Dramer was living in Merrick, Long Island.

Conditions Governing Access

This interview can be accessed onsite at Brooklyn Historical Society's Othmer Library and online at the Oral History Portal.

Center for Brooklyn History
128 Pierrepont Street
Brooklyn, NY 11201