Kentucky Legislature Oral History Project

Project Summary

This project focuses on the development of the modern Kentucky legislature. Former and current legislators, governors, and staff members discuss the development of the Legislative Research Commission (LRC), Richard P. Moloney and legislative reform, Wilson W. Wyatt Sr. and the 1960 Kentucky State Senate, Wendell Ford as lieutenant governor and governor, Harry Lee Waterfield's influence on legislative reform, turnover in the legislature, Rules Committee reform, the implementation of the interim committee system, the decline of the power of the governor's office, Bert T. Combs, Julian Carroll as lieutenant governor and governor, John Y. Brown Jr. as governor, A. B. "Happy" Chandler as governor, Arthur Lloyd, Edward T. "Ned" Breathitt Jr., state constitution amendment proposals, Vic Hellard as LRC director, Louie B. Nunn as governor, James Fleming's role in legislative reform, Martha Layne Collins as governor, the shift from part-time legislators to professional politicians, Earle C. Clements as governor, special interest lobbying, the Democratic Caucus, Republican legislators and the media, the change of election years for the governor and legislators, the sales tax increase in 1968, redistricting and gerrymandering, Louie B. Nunn's relationship with other Republicans in the legislature, education reform, Judge Ray Corns's court decision declaring Kentucky's educational system unconstitutional, Thelma Stovall's call for a special session of the legislature in 1978, John Berry and the "Black Sheep Squadron," and the legislature's independence.

Project Code

leg

Project Keyword

Kentucky. General Assembly--Caucuses

Project LC Subject

Berry, John Marshall, 1935- --Interviews Breathitt, Edward T., 1924- Brown, John Young, 1933- Carroll, Julian Morton, 1931- Chandler, Happy, 1898-1991 Collins, Martha Layne Corns, Ray Democratic Party (Ky.) Education Election districts Election law Fleming, James T. Gerrymandering Governors Hellard, Vic Kentucky. Governor (1947-1950 : Clements) Kentucky. Governor (1955-1959 : Chandler) Kentucky. Governor (1967-1971 : Nunn) Kentucky. Governor (1971-1974 : Ford) Kentucky. Governor (1974-1979 : Carroll) Kentucky. Governor (1979-1983 : Brown) Kentucky. Governor (1983-1987 : Collins) Legislative bodies Legislative bodies--Reform Legislators Lieutenant governors Lloyd, Arthur Y. Lobbying Moloney, Richard Patrick, 1902-1963 Nunn, Louie B., 1924-2004 Political campaigns Politicians Politics, Practical Republican Party (Ky.) Sales tax--Law and legislation Stovall, Thelma L., 1919-1994 Television and politics United States--Politics and government United States. Marine Fighter Squadron, 214th Waterfield, Harry Lee, 1911-1988 Wyatt, Wilson W. (Wilson Watkins), 1905-1996

Kentucky Legislature Oral History Project

Project Summary

Project Code

Project Keyword

Project LC Subject

Interviews in this Project (166 Total):