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…
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…
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…
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…
Doug Barnard discusses his early life and his career in banking and in Georgia and national politics. Barnard worked for the Georgia Railroad Bank and chaired the Democratic Executive Committee before becoming Governor Carl Sanders’ executive…
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,…
James Tysinger discusses his early life and political career. He became interested in politics during Barry Goldwater’s campaign and became active with the Dekalb Republican Party. He was later elected to the Georgia Senate, where he served from 1968…
Buddy Darden served as a U.S Representative from Georgia’s 7th district from 1983 to 1995, and previously served as a Georgia Representative and Cobb County district attorney. In this interview he discusses his early life and his political career,…
Carter discusses his life as the son of President Jimmy Carter, from campaigning for his father to establishing free elections in Liberia. Throughout his life, he was active in many of his father’s affairs, from the peanut business to political…
Democratic Congressman Ed Jenkins discusses his 16 years of service, from attempts at preserving the textile industry in his district to serving on the Ethics committee during the Page scandal and Iran Contra affair. Jenkins discusses his fiscal,…
John Blackmon discusses attending law school at Emory University, working in the state law department and in the Georgia Revenue Department. He mentions his experiences working under Governor Lester Maddox as state revenue commissioner and explains…
Having served as a Representative in Georgia State House, the director of DFACS, chairman of the Georgia Legislative Black Caucus, and Georgia Commissioner, Michael "Mike" Thurmond discusses his early life in Athens, his education, his experience…
James Lester “Jim L.” Gillis, Jr. is the grandson of Treutlen County founder and state representative Neil Gillis, the son of State Senator and Highway Commissioner Jim L. Gillis, and brother of Hugh Gillis. He discusses his time working as an…
Hugh Gillis was elected twice to the Georgia Senate, the first time in 1957, and the second in 1962. He would hold that seat for the next forty-two years, making him the longest-serving member of the Georgia General Assembly. In the senate, he was…
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…
Elected as a Democrat to the United States House of Representatives from the Eighth and later the Ninth District, Bill Stuckey served in Congress from 1967 until 1977. While in Congress, Stuckey served on the Agriculture committee, the District of…
In 1962, Rowan ran a successful campaign for the Georgia Senate. He was the youngest senator at the time. In 1974, he made an unsuccessful bid for governor. In 1989, he ran successfully for public service commissioner, and retired in 1994. Rowan…
Marvin Dawson Mathis served as the news director of WALB-TV in Albany, Georgia, before running a successful campaign for Congress in 1971. He served on several committees, including Agriculture, House Administration, and Steering and Policy. Mathis…
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…
John Charles Foster was elected to the Georgia Senate as a Democrat in 1974. He served as chairman of the Education Committee during his entire tenure in the senate. Under Governor Joe Frank Harris, Foster sponsored the Quality Basic Education Act…
Betty Bird Foy Sanders met Carl Sanders at the University of Georgia, and they married in 1947. When he entered politics, Betty campaigned with him, and they moved to Atlanta when Carl was elected governor in 1962. Sanders discusses raising two…
Helen Lewis was born in Cumming, Georgia, in 1924 and spent most of her career as an educator and activist for civil rights and social justice. Lewis discusses her student activism at Georgia State College for Women in the 1940s. In particular, she…
Eunice Lastinger Mixon taught eighth grade science and high school biology, chemistry and physics for thirty years in the Tift County School System, and was an instructor at the Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. In 1974, gubernatorial candidate…
Betty Vandiver helped her husband Ernest Vandiver run a successful campaign for lieutenant governor in 1954 and in 1958, when Ernest Vandiver was elected governor of Georgia. As first lady, Betty Vandiver was instrumental in setting up…
James G. “Jim” Minter worked as a sportswriter for UGA’s The Red and Black newspaper, and then went on to the Atlanta Journal and the Atlanta Constitution, where he worked with Lewis Grizzard, Bill Shipp, and Reg Murphy. He was appointed executive…
Erwin Mitchell practiced law in Dalton, Georgia, before serving as a solicitor general for the Cherokee Judicial Circuit and subsequently as a Superior Court judge on the same circuit. In 1958 Mitchell was elected as a Democrat to the 85th Congress,…
Ben Blackburn was elected as a Republican to the US Congress from Georgia's fourth district and served from 1967 to 1975. While in Congress, Blackburn served on several committees, including Banking and Currency, the Housing Subcommittee, the Joint…
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…
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.…
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…
David Poythress began his career in the U.S. Air Force as a judge advocate general and became assistant attorney general in 1971. Since then, Poythress has served in a variety of elected and appointed positions, including as secretary of state, state…
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…
Harold Lloyd Murphy was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives in 1950 and served until 1961. He also served as an assistant state solicitor general of the Tallapoosa Judicial Circuit in 1956. From 1971 to 1977, he served as a superior court…
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…
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…
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…
Carlton Colwell he ran a successful campaign for the Georgia House of Representatives in 1964. He represented several North Georgia mountain counties for thirty years. Colwell served on various committees, including Appropriations, Ways and Means,…
Eric J. Tanenblatt graduated from Emory University with a degree in economics. He immediately started as a campaign worker for George H.W. Bush, organizing college campuses. There, he met and worked with Senator Paul Coverdell. When Bush was elected…
George Hooks was elected as a Democrat to the Georgia House of Representatives in 1980. Under Governor Joe Frank Harris, he served as the assistant administration floor leader. He served five terms in the house, and was elected to the Georgia State…
Glenn Anthony reported for the United Press International, covering various civil rights groups in Alabama and Tennessee. He entered politics when he went to work for the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, lobbying for business interests. He was involved…
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…
Harold G. Clarke was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives as a Democrat in 1960. In the legislature, he authored several bills and plans, including Abolish Atlanta and the Clarke Plan. In 1966, he participated in the legislative initiative…
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…
Edward H. Johnson went to work for Zell Miller’s campaign for lieutenant governor in 1974. Upon Miller’s election, Johnson was appointed as counsel to the Senate Judiciary Committee. In 1977, Johnson was elected as a Democrat to the Georgia State…
DuBose Porter ran a successful campaign as a Democrat for the Georgia House of Representatives, in 1982. In 1987, Porter and Griffin Lovett bought Dublin’s daily newspaper, The Courier Herald. Porter oversees the business and publishing aspect of the…
George T. Smith joined the U.S. Navy in 1940 and after two years was placed on the Naval Land Force Equipment Depot. He left the military in 1945 and returned home. In 1948, he graduated from the University of Georgia Law School and went into private…
Fletcher Thompson was elected as a Republican to the Georgia General Assembly as a state senator in 1964. In 1966, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. He served in the two succeeding congresses, but was unsuccessful in a bid for…
Aubrey R. Morris was born in 1922 in Roswell, Georgia, and grew up writing for the local newspaper. In this interview, Morris discusses his long journalism career, including his days as a journalism student at the University of Georgia, his work at…
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…
Charles Campbell met Senator Richard B. Russell when he introduced him for a Blue Key speech at UGA. He went to work as Russell’s legislative assistant in Washington, D.C., and eventually became his executive secretary. Upon Senator Russell’s death…
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…
Robert A. “Bob” Holmes was invited to teach as a professor in the political science department of Clark Atlanta University in 1971. Holmes became active in a variety of political issues and campaigns. In 1974, he was elected to the Georgia House 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…
William J. “Bill” Lee was elected as a Democrat to the Georgia House of Representatives in 1956. He continued to serve for forty-two years, making his the longest uninterrupted tenure in the house by any representative until tying with Tom Murphy in…
James Roy Rowland attended South Georgia College and earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Georgia. In 1952, he received his medical degree from the Medical College of Georgia. He practiced medicine in Dublin, Georgia, from 1952 to…
Bobby Kahn, a Democratic political activist from Savannah, Georgia, is the former chairman of the Democratic Party of Georgia. Kahn was elected chairman in 2004; his term expired in 2007. He previously served as chief of staff under former Governor…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Charles C. “Chuck” Clay worked as assistant solicitor in Marietta. He went on to become district attorney, and then, in 1986, commissioner, for Cobb County. In 1988, Clay was elected to the Georgia State Senate as a Republican. After his election,…
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…
Harry Donival Dixon entered U.S. Maritime Service and served in World War II in 1943. In 1963, he was elected as a Democrat to the Georgia House of Representatives. He served as chairman of the Regulated Beverages committee for 27 years, and rewrote…
Ford B. Spinks was born in Tifton, Georgia on April 5, 1927. In 1962, he ran a successful campaign twice – due to reapportionment – for Georgia State Senate. He continued in the Georgia Senate, and served in many committees until leaving the senate…
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…
Henry M. “Hank” Huckaby worked as an assistant dean of admissions at Georgia State for four years. In 1973, he went to work under Governor Jimmy Carter’s administration in the Office of Planning and Budget, serving in subsequent years as director of…
Charles C. “Chuck” Clay worked as assistant solicitor in Marietta. He went on to become district attorney, and then, in 1986, commissioner, for Cobb County. In 1988, Clay was elected to the Georgia State Senate as a Republican. After his election,…
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…
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…
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…
W. Daniel Ebersole moved to Atlanta in 1974 to work as a volunteer aide to Atlanta city council member Charles Helms. He worked on Zell Miller’s campaigns for lieutenant governor and U.S. Senate against Senator Herman Talmadge in 1980. From 1980-1990…
Richard Pettys attended the University of Georgia, where he worked on the student newspaper the Red and Black. In 1965 he began working for three newspapers in Gwinnett County that would soon become the Gwinnett Daily News. In 1969 he joined the…
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…
Cynthia Diane Wright served as a research associate with the University of Georgia Carl Vinson Institute of Government. She also served as corporate counsel to the Georgia Housing and Finance Authority and was assistant legal counsel to Governor…
Cathey Weiss Steinberg served in the Georgia General Assembly for sixteen years in both the Georgia House of Representatives (1977-1989) and in the Georgia Senate (1991-1993). She is recognized as a strong advocate for women’s rights. She was the…
Betty Vandiver helped her husband Ernest Vandiver run a successful campaign for lieutenant governor in 1954 and in 1958, when Ernest Vandiver was elected governor of Georgia. As first lady, Betty Vandiver was instrumental in setting up…
Jane Brevard Vandiver Kidd was involved in politics early, serving as chair of Youth for Herman Talmadge in Talmadge’s 1968 Senate campaign, and campaigning for her father during his 1972 U.S. Senate campaign. She graduated from the University of…
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…
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…
Senator Carol Jackson, a Democrat from Cleveland, was elected to the state Senate from Georgia's 50th District in 1998. Lieutenant Governor Taylor has appointed Senator Jackson to serve as vice chair of the Corrections, Correctional Institutions, and…
Bill Burson served as an aide to Senator Herman Talmadge and later to Governor Carl Sanders. In 1967, the newly elected governor, Lester Maddox, appointed Burson Director of the Georgia Department of Family and Children Services. Over the next three…
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…
Jack Etheridge served as a law clerk for a State Superior Court Judge and Federal District Court Judge. He became an associate with Smith, Kilpatrick, Cody, Rogers & McClatchy (now Kilpatrick & Stockton) and later spent ten years as partner with…
Bob Cohn began his career as a news writer and photojournalist after graduating from the University of Alabama. He has worked on Olympic and event marketing for many years and has served as a chairman of the National Parade and March Oversight…
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,…
Geisinger's political involvement has included membership on the National Legislative Conference on Campaigning Financing and Ethics. He was the first advisor to the National Legislative Leaders Conference and was honored as an outstanding leader…
Robert J. Shaw was born on August 21, 1929, in Bronwood, Georgia. He attended Georgia Tech and Georgia State before enlisting in the Air Force in 1950. Shaw has served as the Chariman of the Development Authority of Fulton County as well as being an…
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,…
James L. Paulk, known as Jimmy, was born March 26, 1949, in Fitzgerald, Georgia. He received a Bachelor's of Business Administration in Management from the University of Georgia in 1972. At the age of 26, Paulk defeated Senator Martin Young, then the…
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…
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…
Don Johnson was elected to the State Senate from the 47th District in 1987 to fill the unexpired term of the late Senator Parks Brown. Johnson, a Democrat, served on the Judiciary, Reapportionment, Agriculture, Transportation, Finance, Public…
William H. Jordan, Jr., served as executive secretary on the staff of Senator Richard B. Russell, Jr. from 1955 to 1968. In April 1968, he resigned to work for the Senate Appropriations Committee and was a member of the committee staff until circa…
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…
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…
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…
Karen Handel served as Secretary of State of Georgia from 2007 to 2010, when she resigned to run for governor of Georgia, a bid which was ultimately unsuccessful. In this interview she discusses her upbringing, public service career, and political…
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…
David Morrison is a political journalist that covered Georgia politics for the Atlanta Constitution during the 1970s. He discusses his work in journalism, his experiences with prominent politicians, and the state of party politics in Georgia.
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…
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…
Julian Bond was a civil rights activist who held leadership roles in several organizations, including the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC), the Southern Poverty Law Center, and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored…
Senator Bill Stephens, a Republican from Canton, was elected to the State Senate in 1998 to represent the 51st Senate District. He discusses his work with Gov. Zell Miller, his time in the State Senate, and the state of party politics in Georgia.
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…
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.…
Douglas Clark Teper attended Georgia State University both for his bachelor's degree and law school. He was elected to the Georgia State House of Representatives in 1988 and served through 2005. He served on the Industry, Judiciary, and Rules…
John Lewis is best known for his civil rights activism in the 1960s and, since 1986, his work as a U.S. Representative. In this interview John Lewis discusses his early years in rural Alabama and his work as a civil rights leader and U.S.…
Eva Galambos has served as mayor of Sandy Springs since 2005. She is a retired economist specializing in urban finance and labor economics. She has also served as an arbitrator resolving disputes between labor and management. Galambos has been deeply…
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…
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…
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…
A former member of Congress, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations, and two-term Mayor of Atlanta, Andrew Young began his political career as a minister and civil rights activist. Young discusses his upbringing in New Orleans, education, early career…
Billy Lovett is a former Laurens County Comissioner, member of the State Public Service Commission, candidate for Governor, and businessmen in Atlanta. Lovett discusses his work in the Public Service Commissioner, his campaign for Governor, and the…
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…
William “Bill” Shipp worked as a journalist in Georgia for fifty years. In this interview at his home in Acworth, Georgia, Shipp discusses the range of modern Georgia politics, with a particular emphasis on Georgia governors since 1946. Topics…
George Berry discusses the political career of James Carmichael, including his early life, his involvement with Rickenbacker Field and the Bell Aircraft Corporation in Marietta, his work with Governor Ellis Arnall, and the 1946 governor's race…
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…
For the past 15 years, Dick Yarbrough has gained a large following with his syndicated newspaper column which reaches some 600,000 households and more than 1.3 million readers each week throughout Georgia. In March, 2013, Gov. Nathan Deal named Dick…
Casey Cagle was elected to the Georgia State Senate in 1994 at the age of twenty-eight. He served in the Senate for 12 years before being elected Lieutenant Governor of Georgia in 2006. In this election, Cagle defeated Ralph Reed, a prominent…
Frank Albert was elected to the Georgia Senate in 1964. He served as a Republican Senator for eight years, working closely with such politicians as Governor Zell B. Miller, Senator Culver Kidd, and Speaker of the Georgia House of Representatives Tom…
Andrew Young is a politician, businessman, and activist. Over his career, he has worked as a pastor, was involved in the Civil Rights Movement, served as a U.S. Representative and UN Ambassador, and as mayor of Atlanta. In this interview, he…
Garland Pinholster grew up in Clyatville, Georgia in a farming family. He earned his bachelor’s degree from the University of Georgia, served at Fort Benning during the Korean War, coached college sports at Oglethorpe University, and was elected to…
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…
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…
Jay Beck was born in Albany, Georgia, and was a close friend of Hamilton Jordan. Beck served on Carter’s staff during his presidency, and later worked as financial consultant for the Carter Center. Beck discusses Hamilton’s Jordan’s role as campaign…
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…
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…
Charles Graves worked in the news industry, as a local reporter and then as the press secretary for U.S. Congressman George Davis. He also served as a Georgia State Representative and then Executive Director of the Georgia Democratic Party. In this…
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…
Frank Moore worked in Jimmy Carter’s gubernatorial and presidential administrations. In this interview he discusses his specific roles as Deputy Chief of Staff to Hamilton Jordan, national finance chairman of Carter’s campaign, and congressional…
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…
Hull was born in Athens, Georgia where he was first introduced to music through the Hill Chapel Baptist Church. Hull has worked with music his whole life, though his degree is in Education and Family Development. He currently works as the Clarke…
Cucchiaro was born in New York and grew up playing various horn and percussion instruments for his school’s Drum and Bugle Corp. After graduating high school, Cucchiaro moved to Athens, Georgia after fellow musician Julian Koster, where they both…
Robbie Cucchiaro was born in New York and grew up playing various horn and percussion instruments for his school’s Drum and Bugle Corp. After graduating high school, Cucchiaro moved to Athens, Georgia after fellow musician Julian Koster, where they…
Jason Griffin grew up in Columbus, Georgia during the 1980’s. As a child, Griffin played the drums and skateboarded with other kids in his community. In high school, Griffin played for many bands including Beluga and Straight Youth. Later Griffin…
Alan Flurry grew up in Savannah, Georgia. In high school, he moved to Athens, Georgia and has played as the drummer for many Athens bands since, including Mr. Right Now, SNAIL, and for the David Marr Album. In addition to drumming, Flurry is a writer…
In 1985, Curtiss Pernice moved to Athens, Georgia from New York. There, Pernice lived with Ted Hafer, and eventually came to start the band Porn Orchard with Hafer and Sam Mixon, which lasted from 1985-1992. In this interview, Pernice talks about the…
Mark Cooper Smith came to Athens, Georgia to attend graduate school in 1982 from Cartersville, Georgia. Smith performed with the Squalls as the band’s drummer shortly upon his arrival. After leaving the Squalls, Smith played with the band 28 Days,…
Bill David grew up in Comer, Georgia during the 1960-70’s and as a child he played the guitar and occasionally visited Athens, Georgia. Eventually, David came to live in Athens where he performed with the Squalls as the band’s guitarist. David has…
Barry Marler came to Athens in 1983 from South Carolina. Shortly upon his arrival, Marler joined Buzz of Delight with Matthew Sweet and David Pierce. After leaving the band, Marler played in Dreams So Real, a band which gained national recognition.…
Julie House came to Athens, Georgia after she left Auburn University. During the 1990s, House attended many concerts including R.E.M, Flat Duo Jets, and Oh-OK. In this interview, House talks about her experience at concerts, fashion in Athens,…
Arthur Johnson arrived in Athens in 1982 to attend the University of Georgia. While in Athens, Johnson attended many concerts from bands including Pylon, R.E.M, and the Kilkenny Cats. Johnson later formed the band Bar-B-Que Killers with Laura Carter,…
David Hannon Pierce arrived in Athens, Georgia in 1976 after he left the Air Force. Five years into his stay in Athens, Pierce joined the band Oh-OK as the drummer. He later left the band in 1982 to perform with fellow musician Matthew Sweet. Later,…
Jeff Walls was a guitarist from Marietta, Georgia and was a member of numerous bands including Guadalcanal Diary, Hillbilly Frankenstien, and the Woggles. In this interview, Walls discusses his involvement in the Athens music scene and his experience…
Bob Hay arrived in Athens, Georgia in the late 1970’s, where he worked at the club El Dorado shortly after graduating from college in Michigan. Hay has played as the guitarist in The Squalls and The Jolly Beggars and has written many songs throughout…
Fancher came to Athens in 1978 as a University of Georgia student majoring in journalism. Fancher has worked as an artist and has hosted art shows around Athens. Fancher was also the guitarist for the band, El Caminos. In this interview, Fancher…
Vanessa Briscoe Hay, born in Atlanta, Ga, was the singer for the Athens band Pylon. In this interview, Hay discusses her experience of Athens during the 1970s and performing and recording with Pylon, before and after their break up.
Terry Allen moved to the University of Georgia in 1973 as a music enthusiast. While in Athens, he watched and photographed many bands including R.E.M. and the B-52s. Allen later went to New York for a year before he came back to Athens to work as…
Bryan Cook came to Athens to attend the University of Georgia as a film major. After leaving the institution due to financial constraints, Cook played in many bands including Is/Ought Gap, Club Gaga, Time Toy, Hindu Love Gods and Oh-Ok. In this…
Dana Downs is a bassist in Athens, Georgia. She has played in many bands over the years including the Tone-tones, Go Van Go, and Vietnam. In her interview, Downs discusses her experiences in several of her bands and her opinions and experiences of…
April Chapman moved to Athens in 1965 as a student at the University of Georgia. During the 1980s, Chapman was involved in the art scene and interacted with the members of bands such as R.E.M, the B-52’s, and Pylon. In this interview, Chapman talks…
Kelly Noonan came to Athens, Georgia during the early 1980’s, where she performed as a guitarist in the band, A Few Good Men. Noonan has performed in many other bands including Billy James and Jackpot City. Noonan currently works as a dog groomer at…
Deonna Mann moved to Athens, GA as a young adult and got involved in art and music. She is best known for her 1990s experimental performances with local bands. In her interview, she discusses her puppet shows, art exhibitions, and performing with…
Arthur Johnson attended the University of Georgia and played drums in numerous bands including the Bar-B-Q Killers and Come. He appeared with the Bar-B-Q Killers in the 1987 music documentary, “Athens, GA: Inside/Out”. In this interview, he talks…
Rodger Brown came to Athens, Georgia in 1979 as a University of Georgia student. Brown worked as an editor of the magazine Line of Sight while in school and also published the book Party out of Bounds, which retold stories about the music scene of…
Bielle grew up in Roswell, Georgia. He learned how to play the guitar and bass as an adolescent and came to Athens in 1979 where he later played bass and sang with the heavy-metal band Hayride. After the breakup of Hayride in the mid-1990s, Bielle…
Pat Shields grew up in Athens, Georgia, as his father was the recreational director of the city. Shields, as a teenager, grew up playing folk music and has worked at many cultural institutions in areas including Keyser, Virginia and Australia.…
Claire Horne moved to Athens, GA from Atlanta as a freshman at the University of Georgia. During her time in Athens, she played guitar in alternative band the BBQ Killers. In this interview, Horne discusses performing with the BBQ Killers and working…
Roland McElroy was born in Quitman, Georgia in 1945. He began working as a disc jockey for the local radio station when he was fourteen. He continued working in radio when he was a student at the University of Georgia and later became a freelance…
Dan Nettles grew up in Athens, Georgia and attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston. Nettles worked at the Banff Center and Nuci’s Space, located in Athens, Georgia. Nettles has also performed in several instrumental bands including Kenosha…
Michael Lachowski, born in Norfolk, Virginia, moved to Athens, Georgia after enrolling at the University of Georgia as an art major. He was the bass player for the Athens band Pylon. In his interview, Lachowski discusses his time at UGA, forming…
Peter Fancher grew up in New Jersey and moved to Athens, Georgia in 1975, where he attended the University of Georgia. Fancher performed as the guitarist in Club Gaga, and has additionally worked as the audio engineer at Elixer Recording and Intense…
Rick Stanziale grew up in Athens, Georgia during the 1980s, during which he was an avid skateboarder. Stanziale later joined his first band, The Problem Children during the late 1980s. James Greer was also involved in the skating scene and punk rock…
Vic Varney was born in Georgia but grew up in Chattanooga, TN. He moved to Athens in 1975 and earned two degrees from the University of Georgia. In this interview, Varney discusses his experiences in The Tone-Tones, The Method Actors, and Go Van Go.…
Patrick Ferguson grew up in Columbus, Georgia, where he was exposed to a number of punk rock bands. When Ferguson moved to Athens, Georgia to attend UGA, he played in a variety of bands including Five-Eight, Southern Bitch, and Teenage Math Lab. In…
Bernard Anderson aka Pharaoh Gottie grew up in Athens. He became involved with hip hop at a young age, and he helped manage various artists. Anderson has owned numerous businesses in Athens including a record store, beauty store, and restaurant. In…
Edwards was born in Florida, where her first introduction to music was her father’s love of jazz. In high school, Edwards played the guitar and occasionally sang in a small band. Edwards eventually moved to Athens in the early 1980’s where she played…
In this interview Bob Short discusses Lester Maddox. Short coordinated the campaign of Jimmy Carter when Carter ran for governor of Georgia in 1966, and then worked as press secretary for Carter's opponent in that race, Governor Lester Maddox, in…
George Berry discusses the political career of James Carmichael, including the 1946 governor's race against Eugene Talmadge and three governors controversy. Berry served as deputy chief administrative officer in Mayor Ivan Allen's administration and…
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…
Bob Short worked in various capacities in the administrations of Georgia governors Marvin Griffin, Ernest Vandiver, and Carl Sanders, served as the coordinator for President Jimmy Carter’s 1966 campaign for governor of Georgia, and was press…
Bob Short worked in various capacities in the administrations of Georgia governors Marvin Griffin, Ernest Vandiver, and Carl Sanders, served as the coordinator for President Jimmy Carter’s 1966 campaign for governor of Georgia, and was press…
In this interview Pete Wheeler discusses his career as Commissioner of Veterans Services. Wheeler began this career during the Herman Talmadge administration in 1949.
In this interview Bob Short discusses the Three Governors Controversy. Short worked in various capacities in the administrations of Georgia governors Marvin Griffin, Ernest Vandiver, and Carl Sanders, served as the coordinator for President Jimmy…
Bob Short worked in various capacities in the administrations of Georgia governors Marvin Griffin, Ernest Vandiver, and Carl Sanders, served as the coordinator for President Jimmy Carter’s 1966 campaign for governor of Georgia, and was press…
