- Collection:
- Georgia Political Papers and Oral History Program
- Title:
- Oral history interview with Judge Griffin Bell, 1997 September 24
- Creator:
- Bell, Griffin B., 1918-2009
- Contributor to Resource:
- Steely, Mel
University of West Georgia. Georgia Political Papers and Oral History Program - Publisher:
- Carrollton, Ga. : University of West Georgia Special Collections in association with the Digital Library of Georgia
- Date of Original:
- 1997-09-24
- Subject:
- Georgia--Politics and government--1865-1950
Georgia--Politics and government--1951-
Judges--Georgia
Attorneys general--Georgia
Mercer University--Alumni and alumnae
Firestone Tire and Rubber Company
King & Spalding
University of Georgia
Americus (Ga.)
Political candidates
White House (Washington, D.C.)
Pearl Harbor (Hawaii), Attack on, 1941 - People:
- Bell, Griffin B., 1918-2009
Busbee, George, 1927-2004
Byrd, Garland T. (Garland Turk), 1924-1997
Carter, Jimmy, 1924-
Connelly, Don
Galvin, Charlie
Gambrell, David Henry, 1929-
Gillis, Jim L., 1892-1975
Gingrich, Newt
Griffin, Marvin, 1907-1982
Kennedy, John F. (John Fitzgerald), 1917-1963
Maddox, Lester, 1915-2003
Marshall, Thurgood, 1908-1993
Miller, Zell, 1932-2018
Plunkett, Lamar Rich, 1911-1995
Russell, Richard B. (Richard Brevard), 1897-1971
Sibley, John A. (John Adams), 1888-1986
Talmadge, Herman E. (Herman Eugene), 1913-2002
Tyson, Bob
Vandiver, S. Ernest (Samuel Ernest), 1918-2005 - Location:
- United States, Georgia, 32.75042, -83.50018
- Medium:
- oral histories (literary works)
moving images - Type:
- Moving Image
- Format:
- video/mp4
- Description:
- Griffin Boyette Bell was born on a rural Georgia cotton farm in Sumpter County on October 31, 1918. After serving in the U.S. Army during World War II he attended Mercer University's law school in Macon, graduating with high honors. After working for several prestigious law firms, Bell, a Democrat, was appointed chief of staff to Governor Ernest Vandiver in 1958, and helped oversee Georgia's desegregation of the public schools. Bell served as a chair of John F. Kennedy's 1960 presidential campaign and was rewarded with an appointment to the Fifth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans.In 1976 he was nominated as attorney general of the United States by President Carter. Bell helped restore confidence in and morale at the Justice Department after the damage done by the Nixon Administration and Watergate. In 1979, Bell returned to private practice where he is in senior management and remains active in local and national affairs.; Interviewed by Mel Steely on September 24, 1997 at Judge Bell's Atlanta home.; Dr. Steely begins the interview by asking Judge Bell about his childhood and growing up in Americus, Georgia, during the 1920s. Bell discusses his jobs before entering the military and where he was when he heard about Pearl Harbor. Bell then describes his entrance into law school and his first job offer from an Atlanta law firm. He then discusses his time in politics, from his relationship with Ernest Vandiver and the governorship, and the influence of military on Georgia's governors. The conversation stays in the realm of politics and Bell talks about his participation and endorsements of different candidates over the years.
- External Identifiers:
- Metadata URL:
- https://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/id:uwg_phc_bell19970924
- Digital Object URL:
- https://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/uwg/phc/do:bell19970924
- Language:
- eng
- Bibliographic Citation (Cite As):
- Cite as: [interview title], Georgia Political Papers and Oral History Program oral history interviews. Annie Belle Weaver Special Collections, Irvine Sullivan Ingram Library, University of West Georgia
- Extent:
- 3 interviews (circa 64 mins.; circa 56 mins.; circa 63 mins.)
- Original Collection:
- Georgia Political Papers and Oral History Program oral history interviews. Annie Belle Weaver Special Collections, Irvine Sullivan Ingram Library, State University of West Georgia
- Holding Institution:
- University of West Georgia. Special Collections
- Rights:
-
