An Oral History Interview with Dr. John Buckner '62
Dr. John Buckner '62 Oral History Transcript (Elders '23)
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Interview Transcript
In this oral history interview with Dr. John Buckner ‘62, we overview Dr. Buckner’s family life and upbringing in Jamaica, New York amidst the Civil Rights Movement and pushes to desegregate schools that were segregated in fact, if not by law. Dr. Buckner narrates his transition from New York’s foster care system to an undergraduate and graduate degree at Dartmouth College. We discuss his experience of loss in his early life as well as the people and opportunities that brought him to Hanover, NH.
Dr. Buckner entered college shortly after the Little Rock Nine and the federalization of the National Guard in 1957. Despite a country and campus in turmoil, Dr. Buckner remained steadfast in his commitment to academic excellence, often enrolling in extra courses to swiftly earn his degree. Balancing his dedication to studies with a strong inclination toward social connections, he joined the crew team in his freshman year, and later founded his own fraternity. Additionally, he actively participated in the DCU (Dartmouth Christian Union) and AAm (Afro-American Society). Dr. Buckner’s dedication to success in the classroom and his ease in social connectivity placed him at the cusp of student movements as they formalized in the years to come.
Dr. Buckner joined the Army before finishing his undergraduate degree, where he would actively serve for 3 years and spend 3 years in reserve. He ultimately came back to Hanover to finish his undergraduate degree and obtain a medical degree through the Geisel School of Medicine. After graduating from Geisel in 1967, he went on to graduate from Columbia’s Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons in 1969 with another medical degree.