Biernacki, Joe and Priscilla oral history interview, 1999

File

Identifier: MOH 065

Staff Only

Biernacki, Joe and Priscilla oral history interview

Scope and Contents

Interview includes discussions of: meeting Ed Muskie in the cafeteria at Bates College; the honeymoon story of the Biernackis’ and the Muskies’; Muskie’s marriage in Waterville, Maine; fishing and golfing with Ed Muskie; Muskie’s sleeping habits in college; Ed Muskie playing a joke on his brother, Gene during college; Ed Muskie debating in Chase Hall; Muskie’s temper; Ed Muskie’s father in the tailoring business; playing cribbage with Ed Muskie; lack of laundry facilities at Bates College; tea dances at Bates; Muskie introducing him to President Jimmy Carter; Carter’s perceptions of Ed Muskie; the Muskie Archives dedication ceremony; Muskie attended Joe Biernacki’s wedding; good characteristics of Muskie, such as, honesty, dependability, popularity at Bates; Bates College political leniency toward Republican party (along with the rest of Maine); and his shared Polish ancestry with Muskie.

Dates

1999

Access Restrictions

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Biographical / Historical

Joseph Biernacki attended Bates College where he met Ed Muskie and they later became college roommates and lifelong friends, enjoying fishing and golfing. Their two families knew each other well over the years. Joe majored in economics and sociology and played baseball and football in college, graduating in 1936. He was active in democratic politics and was president of the Naugatuck, Connecticut Young Democrats Club from 1937 to 1939. He worked for the Uniroyal Chemical Company for most of his career. He was locally involved with the national Muskie campaigns of vice-president and president in 1968 and 1972 respectively.