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…
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…
Donald Stewart discusses his education, his work with the Soil Conservation Service and the idea for Sandy Creek Park. He comments on watershed programs in Athens including dams and flood control. Stewart also discusses Athens-Clarke County's…
George Chandler discusses his early life and career and how he became involved and Sandy Creek Park. He discusses the phases the park has gone through, from original planning to landscaping and natural area conservation. He comments on budgeting,…
Nancy Smith discusses her experience as director of Sandy Creek Park. She weighs in on recreational parks versus resource-based parks, and reflects on Sandy Creek Park's spillway and maintenance. She also comments on issues regarding the park such as…
Rick Kelly discusses Sandy Creek Park’s role in the Athens community, its budget and maintenance, and many aspects of the lake including security, lifeguards, and concern for patron safety. He comments on the merger of the city and county governments…
Rick Main discusses his previous work for the U.S. Forest Service and the Soil Conservation Service. He reflects on the budgeting and construction of Sandy Creek Park and discusses using inmate labor in the construction of the park. Main comments on…
Robert Farmer discusses his work with the Soil Conservation Service, priorities for the design of Sandy Creek Park, and the importance of setting, maintenance, and meeting citizens' desired uses for a park. He comments on the involvement of county…
Content Warning: This interview discusses details of sexual violence and murder.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.…
Frank Barron was born in Rome, Georgia and graduated from Darlington School in 1948. Barron worked at Coca Cola 1956 before retiring from his executive position. Barron supervised many projects throughout his career and in this interview, he talks…
Interview with Carl Thomas Curtis, U.S. Senator (R-Nebraska). Topics include agriculture; Republican Party; Russell's influence on Senate; Russell's patriotism and character.
Interview with Harold Harrison, owner of Harrison Feed and Poultry Company in Georgia, and friend of Senator Russell. Topics include Hubert Humphrey; Lyndon B. Johnson; Poultry industry; Russell family.
Bert Lance was Georgia’s highway director during Jimmy Carter’s term as governor. He ran an unsuccessful campaign to succeed Carter as governor in 1974. In 1976, Lance began his term as president of the National Bank of Georgia and became director of…
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…
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…
Joel Cowan discusses the planning and development of Peachtree City, urban development in Atlanta, and broader infrastructure issues in Georgia, such as transportation, housing, watershed management, and the roles that the public and private sectors…
Richard Guthman discusses his work on the Atlanta City Council and the major developments in the city since the 1970s. Guthman was elected to the council in 1973, representing District 8. Prior to this he chaired the Police Commission and the Fulton…
Elliot Levitas was elected as a Democrat to the Georgia House of Representatives in 1964 and later served as a U.S. Representative from Georgia's 4th congressional district. In this interview he talks about his long career in politics, including the…
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…
George J. Berry went to work in the finance department of the city of Atlanta in 1962. Berry was chosen to be the deputy chief administrative officer in Atlanta Mayor Ivan Allen's administration. Mayor Sam Massell promoted him to chief administrative…
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…
Abit Massey was born on November 14, 1927, in Hall County, Georgia. Abit Massey is a past Chairman of the Board of the American Society of Association Executives and the Center for Association Leadership and past President of the Georgia Society of…
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.…
Bill Hardman discusses his career as the director of tourism for the state of Georgia from 1959 to the early 1970s, including his office's attempts to improve Georgia's reputation among out-of-state travelers and to lure vacationers headed to Florida…
Johnny Isakson was born in Atlanta, Georgia, and has served in politics since his election to the Georgia House of Representatives in 1976. Since then, he has served in the Georgia Senate and both houses of Congress, and has run a successful real…
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…
Raleigh Saperstein talks about her involvement with the farming and local food scene in Athens, including her work with the Athens Farmers Market and Wholesome Wave outreach. This interview is part of the Georgia Narratives series.
Frank McGill talks about growing up on a family farm in Tifton, Georgia. He also talks about his career with the UGA Extension Service, becoming a specialist in peanut production. He talks about the effect of the peanut economy on small towns in…
Shirley Sherrod was born and raised in Baker County, Georgia. She was formerly the Georgia State Director of Rural Development for the United States Department of Agriculture. Sherrod married Charles Sherrod and built New Communities, Inc. alongside…
Bob Irvin grew up in rural North Fulton County in the 1950s and 1960s. He was elected as a Republican to the Georgia House of Representatives in 1972. He attended Harvard Business School, after which he came back to Georgia politics and was reelected…
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…
