An oral history interview with Leonard Zubrensky

              WISCONSIN
HISTORICAL
SOCIETY
An Oral History Interview with
LEONARD ZUBRENSKY
Interviewer: .Anita Hecht, Life History Services
Recording Date: December 4, 2008
Place: Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Length: 2.0 hours
Leonard Zubrensky was raised in Chicago and Milwaukee. He attended Milwaukee public
schools and in 1949, after serving in World War Two, he earned his J.D. degree from the
University of Wisconsin Law School.
.After graduation, Zubrensky became active in Democratic politics. He worked for the American
Civil Liberties Union in Milwaukee for five years. In 1950, he ran unsuccessfully for the state
assembly. In 1951, Wisconsin Rep. William Proxmire asked Zubrensky to be his campaign
manager for the 1952 gubernatorial election. According to Zubrensky, he was only campaign
manager in Milwaukee, since Proxmire managed his own campaign throughout the rest of
Wisconsin.
Zubrensky and Sen. Proxmire shared similar liberal views on social issues but differed on
economics, as Sen. Proxmire was fiscally conservative and Zubrensky more liberal. The two
remained good friends for the rest of the Senator's life.
Leonard Zubrensky Interview Transcript 1 Proxmire Oral History Project