Political Heritage Program
Georgia's Political Heritage Program is a video/ audio tape collection that is designed to capture valuable, but disappearing historical resources. The collection began in 1985 and captures the memory of Georgia's political leaders as they relate their roles in the state's political history.
West Georgia history faculty interviews on video and audio, record key political figures such as former Governors, Lieutenant Governors, U.S. Senators and Congressmen and House Speakers. The collection also includes audio tape of supporting interviews, speeches and presentations.
The archive section of the Ingram Library at West Georgia also serves as the repository for the political papers of Newt Gingrich and Pat Swindall as well as those of political figures of regional interest such as Senators J. Ebb Duncan and Wayne Garner and Representatives Carolyn Lee, John Simpson and Charles Thomas. The archive is in the process of continually broadening its collection.
Interviews with all the former governors of Georgia since World War II are included with the exceptions of M.E. Thompson and Marvin Griffin, both of whom were deceased prior to the inception of the program.
The materials collected for the program are housed in the archive section of the Ingram Library and cataloged with the OCLC system, providing ready access to students, historians, scholars and the public. Donations for the public use of this collection are greatly appreciated.
Program collections include video tape interviews with the following:
Subject # of Tapes Gov. Ellis Arnall 8 Rep. Doug Barnard 2 Gov. Roy Barnes 1 Rep. Bob Barr 3 Att. Gen. Griffin Bell 2 Rep. Ben Blackurn 2 Catoonist David Boyd 2 Gov. George Busbee 2 Lt. Gov. Garland Byrd 2 Rep. Howard "Bo" Callaway 3 Pres. Jimmy Carter 1 Rep. George "Buddy" Darden 6 State Rep. Dock Davis 2 Rep. John "Jack" Flynt 4 Sen. David Gambrell 3 State Sen. Wayne Garner 1 GOP National Committeeman Carl Gillis 2 State Rep. Denmark Groover 2 Gov. Joe Frank Harris 4 Rep. Charles Hatcher 3 Lt. Gov. Pierre Howard 2 Rep. Ed Jenkins 3 Rep. Ben Jones 2 State Sen. Culver Kidd 2 Rep. Phil Landrum 8 Rep. Elliott Levitas 6 Rep. Jamie Mackay 2 Gov. Mack Mattingly 6 Gov. Zell Miller 7 Speaker Tom Murphy 3 Rep. Richard Ray 6 Rep. Roy Rowland 2 Gov. Carl Sanders 6 Lt. Gov. George T. Smith 6 State Rep. Tracy Stallings 3 Rep. Robert G. Stephens 2 Rep. Pat Swindall 6 Ex. Sec. Tom Perdue 2 Sen. Herman Talmadge 36 Rep. Lindsay Thomas 6 Rep. Fletcher Thompson 2 Gov. Ernest S. Vandiver 4 State Sen. Charles Walker 1 Rep. Charles Weltner 6 State Rep. Hosea Williams 2 Rep. Andy Young 2
In addition, the Gingrich papers are supported by over 30 video tapes and over 300 audio tapes. The Swindall papers by 6 video tapes and 60 audio tapes, and the Talmadge interview by over a dozen interviews of staff and supports.
Tax deductible donations may be made to the program through the University of West Georgia Foundation. For further information about the program please contact:
Dr. Mel Steely, Director
Georgia's Political Heritage Program
History Department
University of West Georgia
Carrollton GA 30118
msteely@westga.edu