Grady E. Poulard (Finding Aid)

Grady E. Poulard

1936 -

Favorite Color: Blue

Favorite Time of Year: Spring

Interview Length: 118 minutes

Interview Date(s): May 4, 2005

Interview Location(s): Washington, D.C.

Abstract

Motivational speaker and consulting firm owner Grady Poulard describes his family's background and his childhood in Crowley, Louisiana. Poulard talks about the careers and personalities of his mother and father, and describes his childhood interests and activities. He then discusses his schooling from elementary school through prep school. Motivational speaker and consulting firm owner Grady Poulard details his experience in higher education. Poulard discusses his undergraduate years at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and graduate years at Yale Divinity School. Poulard names some of the theologians who influenced him, and explains how his divinity degree led him to three years of international missionary work. Poulard details his time abroad in Europe and India, and then explains his decision to return to the United States and participate in civil rights activism in Mississippi. Motivational speaker and consulting firm founder Grady Poulard details his civil rights efforts in Mississippi with the Council of Federated Organizations (COFO). Poulard shares some of his religious and philosophical beliefs in regard to organized religion, and explains why he left the church to take a job as a civil rights advisor in the Lyndon B. Johnson administration. Poulard also tells of other community organization posts he held and briefly describes his role at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Motivational speaker and consulting group founder Grady Poulard discusses his employment with the United States General Accounting Office, explaining how he increased diversity and raised awareness of civil rights for twenty years. Poulard then discusses his activities after his retirement, including the founding of his own consulting firm and his counseling and motivational speaking. Poulard shares some of his philosophy that he uses in these ventures, discussing marriage, race and class, and his own spiritual outlook. Poulard also reflects on his life's course and his family. Motivational speaker and consulting group founder Grady Poulard discusses the intsitution of marriage in the black community and describes how he would like to be remembered.

38 Stories (See Ordered Story Set)