Interview with Charles Hayslett, January 10, 2020Collection: Two-Party Georgia Oral History Project |
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Description
Charles Hayslett was born and raised in Columbus, Mississippi. He relocated to Atlanta with his family in 1965. Hayslett is a graduate Briarcliff High School and the University of Georgia’s Grady School of Journalism. Upon graduation, he joined the staff of the Atlanta Journal where he reported on local, state, and national politics in Atlanta and Washington D.C. He left the Atlanta Journal in 1980 and began working as a marketing and public relations professional. He co-founded the public relations firm Hayslett Sorrel (now the Hayslett Group) in 1994. He is currently a freelance public relations and communications consultant and author of the “Trouble in God’s Country” blog, which explores the issues confronting rural Georgia. He resides in Decatur.
Hayslett discusses his upbringing in Mississippi and Georgia as well as his education the University of Georgia. He recalls his early career covering local news for the Atlanta Journal. Hayslett turns to his time at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Washington Bureau, including coverage of the 1980 U.S. Senate campaign between Senator Herman Talmadge and Mack Mattingly. He reflects on leaving journalism to work in advertising and public relations, including founding his own firm in the 1990s. The interview turns to Hayslett’s analysis of Georgia political history and the Democrats’ and Republicans’ changing fortunes in the state. He assesses the impact of Donald Trump’s 2016 victory and the 2018 midterms. Hayslett offers his thoughts on the upcoming 2020 election before discussing his “Trouble in God’s Country” blog, which explores the current state of and challenges facing rural Georgia.
Hayslett discusses his upbringing in Mississippi and Georgia as well as his education the University of Georgia. He recalls his early career covering local news for the Atlanta Journal. Hayslett turns to his time at the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s Washington Bureau, including coverage of the 1980 U.S. Senate campaign between Senator Herman Talmadge and Mack Mattingly. He reflects on leaving journalism to work in advertising and public relations, including founding his own firm in the 1990s. The interview turns to Hayslett’s analysis of Georgia political history and the Democrats’ and Republicans’ changing fortunes in the state. He assesses the impact of Donald Trump’s 2016 victory and the 2018 midterms. Hayslett offers his thoughts on the upcoming 2020 election before discussing his “Trouble in God’s Country” blog, which explores the current state of and challenges facing rural Georgia.
Date
2020-01-10
Identifier
RBRL425TPGA-088
Coverage
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Location
Duration
116 minutes
URL
Files
Collection
Citation
Charles Hayslett and Ashton Ellett, “Interview with Charles Hayslett, January 10, 2020,” UGA Special Collections Libraries Oral Histories, accessed April 18, 2024, https://georgiaoralhistory.libs.uga.edu/RBRL425TPGA/RBRL425TPGA-088.