In this interview Zell Miller discusses his early life and political career. Miller served as lieutenant governor of Georgia from 1975 to 1991, was elected governor of Georgia in 1990, and served as a United States senator. As governor he founded the…
Zandra Bell-McRoy is a band director at Cedar Shoals High School in Athens, Georgia. Dr. Bell-McRoy discusses the demographics of the school, the school’s band program, and her path to teaching music. She also talks about her teacher training, why…
William Wyche Fowler was elected to the Atlanta city council in 1975, and eventually became president of the council. Upon Andrew Young’s resignation, Fowler won a special election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1977. He served on the Ways…
Willie Green Cutts talks about being raised by his grandmother and helping his grandfather with farming rather than finishing school. He discusses working as an entertainer, his experience as a farmer, and how he acquired his land. Cutts also shares…
Willie Bolden was born in Sumter, South Carolina on December 7, 1938. and was raised in Savannah, Georgia. He is best known for his work as a civil rights activist. In this interview, Bolden discusses his activity with the Southern Christian…
William L. Lanier interviewed by Hal Henderson. Topics include meeting Vandiver in 1948, Vandiver's opponents in the 1954 lieutenant governor race, the Griffin administration’s integrity, the 1958 governor’s race, Vandiver's “No, not one” speech, the…
William L. Lanier interviewed by Hal Henderson. Topics include the failures of Vandiver’s administration, Vandiver as governor, and Vandiver as aspeaker, steward, and politician.
William Kilgore is a band director at West Jackson Middle School in Jefferson, Georgia. Kilgore discusses his path to teaching, administration obligations, and the rewards and challenges of teaching. He describes his teaching style, how he motivates…
William D. Ballard interviewed by Hal Henderson. Topics include Ballard's impressions of members of Gov. Marvin Griffin's administration (including T.V. "Red" Williams and Roy Chalker), the relationship between Griffin and Vandiver, the rural roads…
William D. Ballard interviewed by Hal Henderson. Topics include the county unit system, the accomplishments of Vandiver’s administration, Vandiver as a politician and speaker, Vandiver's personality, Vandiver's withdrawal from the 1966 gubernatorial…
William Bowdoin interviewed by Hal Henderson. Bowdoin was president of the Trust Company of Georgia Associates, supervisor of the Purchases Department in the Vandiver administration, and chairman of the state Ports Authority. In this interview,…
William Bonner interviewed by Hal Henderson. Topics include Growing up in Lavonia with Ernest Vandiver, Vandiver as a student, and Vandiver’s upbringing and childhood.
Wayne Garner served in the Georgia State Senate from 1980 until 1993. Garner chaired the Senate Committee on Corrections for approximately ten years. He was later named majority leader of the Senate and, ultimately, President Pro Tempore. In April of…
Virginia Gunn was a prominent television personality in Atlanta before she moved to St. Simons, Georgia where she worked to protect sea turtles. Gunn started the nonprofit Save the Beach and successfully ran for County Commissioner in order to…
Vashaun Jones was born in Portsmouth, Virginia. He describes being blind or visually impaired throughout his life. He talks about his career, emphasizing the importance of failure to achieving success.
Tyrone L. Brooks was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives as a Democrat in 1980. He has sat on numerous committees, including Economic Development and Tourism, Governmental Affairs and Retirement, and Appropriations. Brooks has served as…
Tommy Irvin discusses his long career as Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture, a position he held from 1969 to 2011. Leading up to his service with the Department of Agriculture, Irvin served on the Habersham County School Board, directed the Georgia…
William R. "Bill" Shipp interviews Tom Watson Brown. Topics include Tom Watson (Brown's great-grandfather and national Populist leader), the Leo Frank case, Walter J. Brown, James F. Byrnes, Strom Thurmond, MARTA, the Watson-Brown Foundation, and the…
Born on October 8, 1954 in Lansing, Michigan, Tom Price grew up in Dearborn, Michigan, and graduated from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. An orthopedic surgeon, Price moved to Atlanta in 1979 when he began a surgical internship and residency…
Thomas Houck dropped out of high school at age 15 and joined the Southern Christian Leadership Conference to work under Hosea Williams. In 1965, he met Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., at a meeting of the SCLC, and in 1966 he came to Atlanta and became…
Tom Graf reflects on his life work in providing change for those who suffer from mental disabilities. Graf describes his early life as a blue-collar worker, before his eventual change of path into providing care for the mentally disabled. Graf…
Tom Crawford was born in Atlanta, Georgia and graduated from Clarkston High School in DeKalb County, Georgia in 1968. As a journalism student at the University of Georgia, Crawford worked at the student-led newspaper, The Red & Black, rising to rank…
Thomas Bryant Buck, III, was first elected to the Georgia General Assembly in 1966. He served for thirty-eight years in the Georgia House of Representatives, one of the longest tenures of any lawmaker in the state's history. He became a committee…
Tom Baxter was a reporter, editor of the Sunday Perspective section, national editor, and chief political correspondent for the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He has written about politics in the South since 1987, joining InsiderAdvantage in 2007 to…
Timothy Adams, Sr. is a retired music teacher who began working in Georgia schools in 1959. He discusses his career influences, his passion for teaching, and his mentorship of students.
Tim Cairl was born and raised in rural, central Michigan. He relocated to Georgia with his family as a child and attended high school in Douglasville, Georgia. He earned a bachelor’s degree in health sciences from Liberty University in 1997 and an…
Tiffany English is a music teacher at Sugar Hill Elementary School in Sugar Hill, Georgia. English discusses why she became a teacher, what keeps her in the profession, and what factors lead some teachers to leave. She describes funny moments, how…
Thurbert Baker worked in Fulton County in the public defender’s office. He then worked as a lawyer for the Environmental Protection Agency. In 1989, he ran his first campaign for the Georgia House of Representatives, where he subsequently served five…
Thomas Bornemann discusses his reaction to the series of articles published by The Atlanta-Journal Constitution. The interviewer, Lei Ellingson, and Bornemann discuss meetings held with advocates from the Georgia mental healthcare system with the…
Tharon Johnson was born in Atlanta and grew up in Athens. He attended Clark Atlanta University where played football and graduated in 2001. Johnson began his political career working in Atlanta Mayor Bill Campbell’s Office for Community Affairs…
Terry Coleman was born in Dodge County, Georgia, and his legislative career began when he was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives in 1972, where he served on the Appropriations Commitee. In this interview Coleman discusses his political…
Teresa Tomlinson was born in Atlanta and graduated from Chamblee High School. She is a graduate of Sweet Briar College and earned her J.D. from Emory University School of Law. Tomlinson practiced law at Pope, McGlamry, Kilpatrick, Morrison and…
Teresa Granger is a music teacher at Rocky Branch Elementary School in Bogart, Georgia. Granger discusses her path to teaching, her early teaching experiences, and the rewards and challenges of teaching. She describes hopeful and funny moments, her…
Tatiana Anthony was born in Decatur, Georgia and attends the University of Georgia as a full time student. Tatiana Anthony discusses living with her younger brother, Jacob, who was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. She gives insight into how…
Talley Wells talks about his work in the Disability Integration Project as part of Atlanta Legal Aid. Wells talks about the U.S. Department of Health and Human Service's mandate for Georgia to develop an Olmstead Plan in order to adhere to the…
T. Rogers Wade served as chief of staff to Senator Herman Talmadge from 1973 to 1980. He returned to Georgia to practice law and was active on many boards and foundations. In this interview, T. Rogers Wade discusses the career of Herman Talmadge.
T. Rogers Wade was chairman of Herman E. Talmadge's 1980 re-election campaign, as well as a former administrative assistant and chief political fundraiser for the senator in Washington, D.C. Upon returning to Georgia, he was named vice president of…
Sue Smith, Sue Jamieson, and the interviewer, Cynthia Wainscott discuss their experience working together prior to the Georgia vs. Department of Justice hearing. Smith and Jamieson discuss the shortcomings of the settlement agreement that was reached…
Stuart Levenson was born and educated in Savannah, Georgia. He attended Armstrong College before working for the Social Security Administration for 36 years. Levenson talks about growing up visually impaired, emphasizing the changing role of…
Steve Thompson served in the Alabama Army National Guard from 2010 - 2019. He describes his occupation as a Religious Affairs Specialist and about his deployment to Afghanistan. He discusses his experiences as a student veteran at the University of…
Steve W. Wrigley worked as a senior policy analyst for the Georgia State Senate in 1987 and advised Senator Zell Miller on the Mountain Protection Act. When Miller was elected lieutenant governor, Wrigley served as his executive assistant. From 1993…
Steve Anthony was raised in a political family in Bremen, Georgia and attended the University of West Georgia. He worked as an aide for several state legislators and their committees, and later was the Chief of Staff for Speaker of the House, Tom…
Stephen Fowler is a politics reporter for Georgia Public Broadcasting (GPB) in Atlanta. He first worked for GPB's All Things Considered as the afternoon news producer, reporter, and fill-in host. His reports can be heard on programs such as On Second…
Stephanie Stuckey Benfield was born in Eastman, Georgia, on December 25, 1965. The daughter of Congressman Bill Stuckey, Benfield grew up in Washington, D.C. While building her own practice, Stuckey and Manheimer, she worked as legislative aide and…
Stacey Abrams served as State Representative for Georgia’s 89th House District and was selected to the role of House Minority Leader for the Georgia General Assembly. In this interview, she discusses issues facing Georgia, including the public…
Stacey Abrams served as State Representative for Georgia’s 89th House District and was selected to the role of House Minority Leader for the Georgia General Assembly. In this interview, she discusses her early life, education, and career, including…
Shirley Carver Miller is the wife of former Georgia Governor and U.S. Senator Zell Miller. Her platform as first lady was adult literacy, and she campaigned to increase the number of people passing General Education Development tests. Miller…
Scott Smith is a music teacher at Central Middle School in Carrollton, Georgia. Smith discusses his teacher training, why he stayed in the profession, and why some teachers have left teaching. He talks about his successes and challenges and ways he…
Clarence Saxby Chambliss was born in Warrenton, North Carolina on November 10, 1943. He attended Louisiana Tech University and the University of Georgia, earning a bachelor's degree in business administration in 1966. He received his law degree from…
Saxby Chambliss moved around the southeast growing up, due to his father being an Episcopal priest. He attended the University of Georgia in the mid-1960s, obtained his J.D. from the University of Tennessee, and moved back to south Georgia after…
Sarah Ross is the Executive Director of the University of Georgia Center for Research and Education at Wormsloe in Savannah, Georgia. She is also the President of The Wormsloe Foundation and Executive Director of the Wormsloe Institute for…
Sarah Ross is the Executive Director of the University of Georgia Center for Research and Education at Wormsloe in Savannah, Georgia. She is also the President of The Wormsloe Foundation and Executive Director of the Wormsloe Institute for…
Sarah Black is an orchestra teacher at North Gwinnett Middle School in Sugar Hill, Georgia. Black discusses her path to teaching, her music education, and the challenges and rewards of teaching. She also talks about how she motivates students and how…
Sam Olens was born on July 8, 1957 in Miami, Florida, and grew up in South New Jersey. He graduated with bachelor’s and master’s degrees in international politics from American University in Washington D.C. and earned a J.D. from Emory University…
Samuel Ernest Vandiver, Jr., interviewed by Hal Henderson. Ernest Vandiver served as governor of Georgia from 1959 to 1963. Vandiver talks about the 1966 Georgia gubernatorial election, including his decision to run and his subsequent decision to…
In 1969, Sam Massell was elected as a Democrat to be the Atlanta's first Jewish mayor. He discusses his early political career and his time as mayor, including the development of MARTA, his support for the advancement of minorities, and the role of…
Samuel Marvin Griffin, Jr. was the publisher of the Bainbridge Post-Searchlight from 1972 until 2008 and son of Georgia Governor Marvin Griffin, who held office from 1955 to 1959. In this interview he discusses the life and career of his father. Ben…
Sam Doss was elected to the Georgia State Senate as a Democrat in 1968. In the legislature, he served on the Higher Education and Appropriations Committees. He was responsible for advocating for the legislation that led to the establishment of the…
Sadie Fields is best known for her work for the Christian Coalition in Georgia. In this interview, Fields discusses her early years growing up in south Georgia and the formation of her interest in politics. She describes her experience working for…
In this interview, Levison discusses his early life in Georgia and his decision to enlist in the military. He talks about going to college and law school at Emory University and his legal career in tax law. Levison then describes his early…
Rusty Paul grew up in the Birmingham, Alabama area during the 1950s and 60s. He has worked in journalism as a newspaper and radio reporter, chaired the Republican Party in Georgia, and served as a state senator in the Georgia General Assembly. In…
Rusty Paul discusses his early exposure to politics while growing up in civil rights-era Alabama and his involvement in Republican politics after moving to Georgia, including creating a statewide Republican Party newspaper. Paul recalls the political…
Ruby Moore talks about her experience investigating the death of 14–year old Sarah Crider, who was under the care of a Georgia state hospital when she died. Moore talks about the settlement agreement reached between the State of Georgia and the…
Roy D. Moultrie was born in Hamilton, Georgia, on April 2, 1932. He attended West Georgia College and obtained his J.D. from Mercer University. Moultrie served as a probate judge in Harris County, Georgia, before running for state representative for…
Barnes and Irvin begin by talking about their early involvement in politics and why they chose to seek elected office. They then discuss their time in the legislature, the focus on national politics during that time, and the history of the Republican…
Roy Barnes was elected to the Georgia State Senate in 1974, serving for eight years. In 1990 he made his first run for governor, but lost to Zell Miller. From 1992 to 1998 he served in the Georgia House of Representatives, followed by a successful…
Roy Barnes grew up in rural Cobb County, Georgia in the 1950s-1960s. Barnes grew up in a Republican family but became affiliated with the Democratic Party. He graduated from the University of Georgia Law School in 1972, after which he moved back to…
Rosie Riquelme is a Director of Orchestras at Collins Hill High School in Suwanee, Georgia. Riquelme discusses the diversity of the school, her approach to teaching, and the challenges she experienced. She also talks about her favorite moments and…
Ron Fennel has served in various political positions over his 33-year career, including two terms as a member of the Georgia House of Representatives, representing his hometown of Brunswick (1988-1992). While a member of the Legislature, he…
Roland Ventura is a band instructor at Pinckneyville Middle School in Peachtree Corners, Georgia. Ventura discusses his path to teaching, the work environment, and his passion for teaching. He also recalls challenges and proud moments he’s…
Professor Robin Morris was born in Columbia, South Carolina, and grew up in Tucker, Georgia. A graduate of Tucker High School, she earned her bachelor’s degree at Queens University in Charlotte, North Carolina. After participating in the Teach for…
Robert Woodward grew up in Decatur County, Georgia. He worked in a variety of jobs, including as an ambulance inspector, food services inspector, and as an employee of Georgia Industries for the Blind (GIB). After retirement, Woordward opened his own…
Robert Lawrence has worked as a music teacher at Clarke Central High School for many years. Despite originally majoring in marine biology at Troy University, Lawrence has found joy in the teaching profession throughout his years. In this interview,…
Robert H. Hall interviewed by Hal Henderson. Topics include Hall's introduction to Vandiver, the relationship between Marvin Griffin and Vandiver, Vandiver's “No, not one” speech, Vandiver’s administration, corruption in Griffin administration, the…
Robert G. Stephens interviewed by Hal Henderson. Topics include Stephens' experiences in law school with Vandiver, Vandiver’s political rise, members of Griffin’s administration, Vandiver as a politician, Vandiver’s political philosophy, and…
Bill Shipp interviews journalist and writer Robert Coram. Robert Coram recalls working on Cumberland Island first as a caretaker and then a park ranger. He comments on the preservation of Georgia's barrier islands and shark fishing. Coram discusses…
Robert C. Norman interviewed by Hal Henderson. Topics include Norman's first meeting Vandiver, attending UGA and law school with Vandiver, supporting Vandiver in 1954, the relationship between Marvin Griffin and Ernest Vandiver, the Sibley Commission…
Russell Library Director Sheryl Vogt interviews Bobby Rowan about his tenure in the Georgia Senate (1963-1974) and as a Public Service Commissioner (1989-1994). Rowan discusses his early life, including schooling, family, church attendance, and…
Robert A. "Cheney" Griffin interviewed by Hal Henderson. Griffin was the executive aide to his brother, Gov. Marvin Griffin and also served as the mayor of Bainbridge, Ga. In this interview, topics include Griffin's role as aide to his brother…
Rita Harris was born in Good Hope, Georgia. She worked in the school system assisting children with disabilities before she became visually impaired due to retinitis pigmentosa. Harris describes adjusting to life as a visually impaired person. A…
Richard McKee is an Adjunct Instructor of Music Education at Kennesaw State University and teaches Music For Early And Middle Grades. McKee discusses teaching music in various school districts, including those in Rome and Acworth, Georgia. He also…
Reid Walker Harris was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives in 1964 and served for six years. During this time he worked on achieving the independence of the legislature, and was the principal author of several laws concerning conservation…
John Reginald "Reg" Murphy attended Mercer University in Macon, and worked for the Macon Telegraph. In 1955 he opened the Atlanta bureau of the Macon Telegraph. He was chosen to be a Neiman Fellow at Harvard in 1959, and in 1961 went to work for the…
Ray Moore (b. 1922) was an Atlanta TV newsman for twenty-three years. In 1951, he joined WSB Radio and then WSB-TV the following year. Moore resigned as news director of WSB, in 1969, and joined WAGA-TV (Channel 5) until he retired from broadcasting…
Ray Holland is an attorney who served in the Georgia House from 1989-2003. In this interview Holland discusses his education at the University of Georgia and his introduction to politics through the YMCA Youth Assembly. He discusses his early…
Reed discusses his childhood and describes how he became involved in politics. Reed discusses meeting Pat Robertson in 1989 and being coaxed into writing a memo explaining how to organize evangelical voters. Reed explains that the memo earned him the…
Ralph Reed is founder and chairman of the Faith & Freedom Coalition. He was senior advisor to the Bush-Cheney campaigns in both 2000 and 2004, and chairman of the Southeast Region for BC04. As chairman of the Georgia Republican Party he led the GOP…
Powell A. Moore began his career in politics in 1966, when Senator Richard B. Russell appointed him as his press secretary. After Russell’s death, Moore went to work in the Justice Department as deputy director of Public Information under President…
Pierre Howard was elected to the Georgia Senate as a Democrat in 1972. He continued to be reelected until 1988. In 1974, Governor George Busbee appointed him assistant floor leader of the senate, a position he held for eight years. Howard proposed…
Philip Young Choi was born in Los Angeles, California but grew up in Costa Rica. He is a Captain of the United States Army, and enrolled at the University of Georgia. In his interview, Choi explains how and why he joined the Army, as well as his…
Phil Wise served as a member of the White House staff of President Jimmy Carter. In this interview, he briefly talks about his childhood, his early relationship with Carter, and his increased involvement in Carter’s administrations, first in managing…
Phil Kent was born and raised in Auburn, New York. He relocated to Georgia to attend the Grady School of Journalism at the University of Georgia. Following graduation, Kent began a long career as an editorialist and writer at the Augusta Chronicle.…
Peter Zack Geer interviewed by Hal Henderson. Geer was Gov. Vandiver's executive secretary (1959-1962) and served as lieutenant governor of Georgia from 1962 to 1966. Topics in this interview include Geer's relationship with Vandiver before becoming…
Peter Zack Geer interviewed by Hal Henderson. Geer was Gov. Vandiver's executive secretary (1959-1962) and served as lieutenant governor of Georgia from 1962 to 1966. Topics in this interview include Vandiver as politician and his place in Georgia’s…
Peter Louis Banks worked as a congressional intern for U.S. Representative John James Flynt, Jr., from Georgia during law school. After graduating from law school, he worked as an attorney for the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. He was elected to the…
In this interview Pete Wheeler discusses his career as Commissioner of Veterans Services. Wheeler began this career during the Herman Talmadge administration in 1949.
A Conversation with Pete Wheeler is a discussion, with Dr. William Stueck and Dr. James Cobb, of Wheeler's long career as Georgia's Commissioner of Veterans Services. Wheeler discusses his early life, attending Emory at Oxford and the University of…
Oscar Persons talks about his first interests in Republican politics in the 1960s, recalling in particular Barry Goldwater’s presidential run in 1964 and Bo Callaway’s 1966 gubernatorial run. Persons then describes how the Republican Party grew in…
Nseabasi (Nse) Ufot was born in Nigeria and immigrated to the United States as a child. She is a graduate of Atlanta Public Schools, Georgia Tech, and the University of Dayton School of Law. Ufot practiced corporate law before joining the American…
Norman Underwood discusses the political careers of Georgia Governors Carl Sanders, Jimmy Carter, and George Busbee, as well as the major campaigns and issues that characterize the political atmosphere of late twentieth century Georgia. Some topics…
Ned Young discusses his activity with the Jaycees, a civic organization, in Georgia and nationally, as well as his career of campaign management. Young worked for Ellis Arnall’s 1966 gubernatorial campaign, Lester Maddox’s campaign for governor,…
Pastor Nawanna Lewis Miller is Founding Chair and Leading Director of the Institute for Christian Discipleship, Inc. in Marietta, Georgia. She is a graduate of H.M. Turner High School in Atlanta, Georgia and one of the early African American…
Nathan Deal worked as a lawyer, assistant district attorney and judge, before being elected to the Georgia State Senate in 1981. He served until 1993, and was president pro tempore in his last term. Deal was elected in 1992 as a Democrat to the U.S.…
In an addendum to an earlier interview, Thomason discusses the work of Virginia Gunn to prevent beach renourishment at St. Simons Island. She describes Gunns’ work as County Commissioner and as president of Save the Beaches.
Nancy Schaefer served as a Republican senator for Georgia's 50th district from 2004 to 2008. She presided over Family Concerns, Inc., a conservative religious group. In this interview, Schaefer discusses her early years in Clayton, Georgia, and her…
Senator Nan Orrock was elected by Atlanta voters to the Georgia Senate in 2006, after serving ten terms in the House of Representatives, where she was the first woman elected as House majority whip. She also served as the Governor’s Floor Leader, a…
Molly Dye Franklin was raised between Waynesboro and Augusta. She earned her bachelor’s degree in fashion merchandizing from the University of Georgia in 1980 before earning a certification in executive secretarial protocol from Katherine Gibbs…
Milton Jones served in the United States Army Reserves from 1954-1962, retiring as a Sergeant 1st class. A Democrat, he was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives in 1963 and served until 1970. In 1974, Governor Jimmy Carter appointed him to…
Millard Grimes worked as an editor for The Red and Black, and graduated from UGA with a degree in journalism in 1951. He returned to the Columbus Ledger as associate news editor, and in 1955 the newspaper won a Pulitzer Prize for documenting…
Mike Bowers formerly served as Georgia's Attorney General (1981-1997) and made an unsuccessful run for governor in 1998. In this interview Bowers discusses his relationships with former Attorney General Arthur Bolton and George Busbee. He addresses…
McCracken Poston gained his first political experience as a law student campaigning for Buddy Darden’s run for Congress. In 1988 he ran a successful campaign for the Georgia House of Representatives, where he stayed until 1996. He then made a bid for…
Maynard Eaton was born in Newark, New Jersey, and grew up in neighboring Orange. He graduated from Hampton Institute (now Hampton University) with a bachelor’s degree in mass media arts and Columbia University with a master’s degree in broadcast…
Maxine Shapiro Goldstein was born on August 25, 1926 in Augusta, Georgia. She attended the Junior College of Augusta (now Augusta University) in 1945 and the University of Georgia in 1946. She married Jacob Louis Goldstein in 1947. Goldstein began…
Joseph Maxwell Cleland first became interested in politics during his Washington Semester Program. In 1965, he was asked by Senator Richard B. Russell to become a congressional intern. Cleland then joined the U.S. Army and served in Vietnam. He was…
Max Blau was born in Evanston, Illinois, and grew up on Chicago’s North Side. He is a graduate of Loyola Academy (Wilmette, Illinois), Emory University, and the University of Georgia’s Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication. Blau began…
Matthew Allen (Matt) Towery was born in Atlanta on December 6, 1959. He attended the University of Georgia and graduated from Cambridge University and Stetson University College of Law. Towery ran unsuccessfully as a Republican for Lieutenant…
Matthew Towery was an unofficial page for Governor Lester Maddox, and continued in an official capacity during Maddox’s term as lieutenant governor. He became a speech writer in Mattingly’s successful run for senate in 1980. In 1989 with the…
Mary Margaret Oliver served in the Georgia House of Representatives from 1987-1992, and the Georgia Senate from 1993-1998. When Oliver was elected to the senate, she was appointed to chair the Judiciary Committee during her freshman term, and was the…
Mary Land is a Professor of Music at Young Harris College in Young Harris, Georgia. Land discusses why she became a teacher, why she moved from teaching middle school to teaching music education in college, and what factors lead some teachers to…
Mary Frances Early is a music teacher in Georgia and was the first African American to graduate from the University of Georgia. Early discusses her path to teaching, her early teaching experiences, why she stayed in the profession for so long, and…
Mary W. Beazley was bonh on November 8, 1929 in Athens, Georgia. She attended the Georgia State College for Women and the University of Georgia. Beazley worked as a staffer for Gov. Vandiver, Lt. Gov. Geer, Gov. Maddox, Gov. Carter, Lt. Gov Miller,…
In this interview Mary Anne Summers discusses her experiences working with a variety of Georgia politicians and public figures throughout the 1950s, 60s, and 70s. Summers became a secretary for Richard Ashford during the Vandiver administration.…
Martha (Marti) Plemmons Fullerton was born on January 13, 1942, in Murphy, N.C. She attending Young Harris College and Florida State University. Fullerton held various positions in the Bowdoin Commission from 1963 to 1999. She also served on the…
Martha Zoller discusses her early life, including her father's life and family history. She discusses her mother's opinion of integration, her family's attitude toward African Americans, and a walkout staged by the black students of Columbia High…
Zoller discusses her childhood in Columbus, Georgia. She recalls the desegregation of Columbus High School. Zoller reflects on attending the University of Georgia and subsequently working for Rich's (an Atlanta-based department store that later…
Burkhalter talks about his early life and how he became politically active. Burkhalter then discusses returning to north Fulton County to work in the real estate business and explains why he ran for the Georgia House of Representatives in 1992 and…
Henry "Dink" NeSmith interviews his mother, Marjorie NeSmith, about her early life, living in Putney, Georgia, and later in Baker County. Marjorie talks about being in college at Georgia Southwestern State University when the US entered World War II,…
Marie Dobbs Barnes married Roy Barnes in 1970. In 1974, Roy ran a successful campaign for the Georgia State Senate; Marie was active in this and subsequent campaigns, while also raising their three children. Marie became an active advocate for early…
Maria Munoz was a Senior Airman in the United States Air Force from 2009 - 2013. In this interview she describes her MOS (military occupational specialty), her deployments to Afghanistan and South Korea. She discusses her transition to civilian life…
UGA Political Science Professor Dr. Ieda Siqueira Wiarda interviews Margaret Bennett about her life in the diplomatic corps and as the wife of Foreign Service Officer and U. S. Ambassador William Tapley Bennett, Jr. Bennett discusses her experiences…
Margaret Holliman is a conservative Georgian who has been active in many political campaigns and organizations. She worked on the campaigns of Barry Goldwater and Ronald Reagan. Holliman has also attended several Republican National Conventions and…
Marcus Garrison served in the United States Navy from 2010-2016. He discusses his occupation as an intelligence analyst and the job training that he underwent. Garrison describes his deployments to Syria and Germany, noting the work he did with…
Mandy Gunter is a music specialist at Burnette Elementary School in Suwanee, Georgia. Gunter discusses the diversity of the school, why she became a teacher, and what keeps teachers in the profession as well as what factors lead some teachers to…
Mattingly begins by discussing his early life in Indiana during the Great Depression and World War II. He then talks about his service in the United States Air Force and why he decided to move permanently to Georgia afterward. Mattingly then covers…
Mack Mattingly was born in Anderson, Indiana on January 7, 1931 and had a career in both business and politics in Georgia for many decades. In 1980 he became the first Republican from Georgia to serve in the U.S. Senate since Reconstruction. In this…
M.V. (Trey) Hood III was raised in Waco, Texas. A political scientist, Hood earned a bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University, master’s degree from Baylor University, and a doctorate from Texas Tech University. He was a visiting professor of…
Luther Harris is a music teacher at Buford Middle School in Buford, Georgia. Harris discusses the demographics of the school, his workload, and his path to teaching. He also talks about rewards and challenges of teaching and recalls proud and…
Luis Narimatsu was born in the Panama Canal Zone. He began losing his vision in college as a symptom of glaucoma. After his diagnosis, Narimatsu eventually found work in the 94th Signal Company as a telephone operator. Afterward, Naritmatsu moved to…
Louise McBee was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives from Athens-Clarke County in 1991. McBee served on and chaired several committees, including the Appropriations Committee, the Retirement Committee, the World Congress Center Overview…
Lorie J. Smith was born in Atlanta. She attended the University of Georgia and Georgia State University before entering Democratic politics. Smith has worked, campaigned, and consulted for prominent Georgia Democrats such as former U.S.…
UGA History Professor Dr. Kathleen Clark interviews Lorena Weeks about her life and her discrimination case against Southern Bell in the 1960s. Lorena Weeks recalls how she started working at Southern Bell Telephone Company. She discusses her early…
Lonnie King was born in Arlington, Georgia. He was raised in Atlanta and served in the U.S. Navy. He left the Navy in 1957, returned to Atlanta, and earned his degree from Morehouse College. In 1960 he was present at the founding of the Student…
Lizette Busquets served as a intelligence analyst in the United States Army during the Cold War. She discusses her identity as a Puerto Rican woman in the military, her early training, and a deployment to West Germany. Busquets addresses public…
Robert Lindsay Thomas is a U.S. Representative from Georgia. He was elected as a Democrat to the Ninety-eighth and to the four succeeding Congresses (1983-1993). Thomas discusses his involvement with agriculture, his experience in Washington, D.C.…
Lewis Massey helped Joe Frank Harris campaign for governor. In 1990, he went to work with Pierre Howard’s campaign for lieutenant governor. Howard was elected, and Massey was appointed Chief of Staff. In 1994, he successfully managed Howard's…
Lester G. Maddox interviewed by Hal Henderson. Maddox served as governor of Georgia from 1967 to 1971. Maddox discusses the 1966 Georgia gubernatorial election, including his decision to run for governor, his opinions on politics and politicians in…
Leroy H. (Roy) Simkins, Jr. was born in Augusta, Georgia, and grew up in Beech Island, South Carolina. He is a graduate of Richmond Academy in Augusta and Washington and Lee University in Lexington, Virginia. After serving two years in the U.S. Army,…
Leroy Reginald Johnson was born in Atlanta, Georgia on July 28, 1928. He attended Morehouse College, worked in the Fulton County Solicitor-General’s office, and served as a Georgia senator from 1963-1975, becoming the first black legislator in the…
Lea Agnew was born in Atlanta and grew up in southwest Atlanta. She earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia’s Grady School of Journalism. Agnew became active in politics during the 1968 presidential elections, and she eventually…
Lauren "Bubba" McDonald grew up in Commerce, Georgia, and served as a commissioner in Jackson County before being elected to the state House in 1971, where he worked on the Industry Committee and the Appropriations Committee. He was later appointed…
Laura Stanley is a band director at Brookwood High School in Snellville, Georgia. Stanley discusses why she became a teacher, the rewards and challenges of teaching, and hopeful moments. She also talks about motivating her students and mentorship.
Laughlin McDonald has been director of the Atlanta-based Voting Rights Project of the American Civil Liberties Union since 1972. Prior to that he was in private practice and taught at the University of North Carolina Law School. He has represented…
Walker discusses his background and childhood, and talks about running for the Georgia House at Sam Nunn’s behest in 1972, winning as a Democrat. He tells of his first few terms in the legislature and his leadership role in the House. Walker…
Larry Walker discusses his long career in the Georgia House of Representatives, which began in 1972, including his role as house majority leader and as a member of Speaker Tom Murphy’s inner circle. Walker served in the house for 32 years and was…
Krissi Davis is an orchestra director at Grady High School in Atlanta, Georgia. Davis discusses the demographics of the school, why she became a teacher, and why some teachers quit. She also describes her motivations and pride in seeing students…
Richard B. Russell Library Director Sheryl Vogt interviews Kil Townsend about his life as a lawyer, businessman, author, and maverick Republican legislator in the Georgia House of Representatives from 1965 to 1992. Townsend discusses his early work…
Kevin Hays is a music teacher at South Hart Elementary School in Hartwell, Georgia. Hays discusses why he became a music teacher, why some teachers quit, and proud moments. He also describes his influences and how he motivates his students with pop…
Kenneth Dious was born in Athens, Georgia and attended Athens-Clarke County public schools. After graduating from high school, he attended Savannah State College and later transferred to the University of Georgia. At UGA he earned a degree in…
Keith W. Mason was born in Snellville, Georgia, on September 20, 1960. He is a graduate of the University of Georgia and University of Georgia School of Law. Mason, a Democrat, began his career in politics working for Lieutenant Governor Zell Miller…
Keith Mason volunteered for Jimmy Carter and worked for Zell Miller in Miller’s 1974 run for lieutenant governor. He continued to work for Miller, establishing himself as an advisor during Miller’s gubernatorial race in 1990, and becoming Governor…
Katie Williams is a choral director at Oconee County High School in Watkinsville, Georgia. Williams discusses her path to teaching, her music education, and the rewards and challenges of teaching. She also describes her teaching style, learning from…
Kathy Blee Ashe was first elected to the Georgia General Assembly House of Representatives in June of 1991. As a member of the Georgia House of Representatives for House District 56, Ashe served on the Education, Children and Youth, Higher Education,…
Kate Dahlstrand is from Tennessee. She is a PhD student at UGA and served in the Army and the National Guard from October 1998 to October 2008 as a field medic. In this interview, Dahlstrand explains why she joined the Army and tells her experiences…
