- Collection:
- Georgia Political Papers and Oral History Program
- Title:
- Oral history interview with Speaker Tom Murphy, 1987 June 30
- Creator:
- Murphy, Thomas Bailey, 1924-2007
- Contributor to Resource:
- Steely, Mel
Fitz-Simons, Ted
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:
- 1987-06-30
- Subject:
- Georgia--Politics and government--1865-1950
Georgia--Politics and government--1951-
Legislators--Georgia--Interviews
North Georgia College--Alumni and alumnae
Georgia. General Assembly. House of Representatives--Speakers--Interviews
American Thread Company
Boys High School (Atlanta, Ga.)
Bremen High School (Bremen, Ga.)
Columbus High School (Columbus, Ga.)
Lanier High School for Boys (Macon, Ga.)
Tallapoosa Mill (Tallapoosa, Ga.)
Technological High School (Atlanta, Ga.)
New Hope Church, Battle of, Ga., 1864
United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865
World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Marshall Islands--Personal narratives, American
World War, 1939-1945--Campaigns--Guam--Personal narratives, American
Pearl Harbor (Hawaii), Attack on, 1941
Douglasville, (Ga.)
Order of Railroad Telegraphers (U.S.)
Bremen (Ga.). Board of Education
Civilian Conservation Corps (U.S.)
Central of Georgia Railway
Naval Base Charleston (S.C.)
Atlanta Crackers (Baseball team)
Democratic Party (Ga.)
North Georgia College--Faculty
Georgia. General Assembly. House
Jacksonville Naval Aviation Depot (U.S.)
Republican Party (Ga.)
United States. Navy. Seabees
T & W Manufacturing
Yale University
Atomic bomb
B-29 bomber
Baptists--Georgia
Depressions--1929
Military discharge
Draft--United States
Genealogy
United States. Montgomery G.I. Bill
School integration
College integration
Labor unions--Georgia
Purple Heart
Reconstruction (1939-1951)
World War, 1939-1945--Veterans--Interviews
Sharecropping--Georgia
Taxation--Georgia
Carroll County (Ga.)
Carrollton (Ga.)
Cedartown (Ga.)
Douglas County (Ga.)
Gwinnett County (Ga.)
Haralson County (Ga.)
Paulding County (Ga.)
Polk County (Ga.)
Tallapoosa (Ga.)
Charleston (S.C.)
Sandusky (OH)
New York Times - People:
- Maddox, Lester, 1915-2003
Allen, Ivan, 1911-2003
Talmadge, Herman E. (Herman Eugene), 1913-2002
Arnall, Ellis Gibbs, 1907-1992
King, Martin Luther, Jr., 1929-1968
Young, Andrew, 1932-
Carter, Jimmy, 1924-
Murphy, Thomas Bailey, 1924-2007--Interviews
Murphy, Thomas Bailey, 1924-2007--Family
Murphy, Thomas Bailey, 1924-2007--Childhood and youth
Bentley, Jerry
Bolton, Arthur K. (Arthur Key), 1922-
Bond, Julian, 1940-2015
Busbee, George, 1927-2004
Dardy, J.C.
Dent, Richard
Dent, Will
Floyd, James H., 1920-
Clary, Ellis, 1916-2000
Gillis, Carl
Hamilton, Grace Towns, 1907-1992
Harris, Joe Frank
Hutchins, Fred
Johnson, Leroy, 1928-
Jones, Dorothy
Jones, Fanny
Jones, Thomas Jefferson
Lambert, Emmett
Lane, Joan
McCalmon, Hardy
Miller, Zell, 1932-2018
Moreland, Thomas D., 1933-
Nolan, Ross
Rivers, Eurith Dickinson, 1895-1967
Russell, Richard B. (Richard Brevard), 1897-1971
Samprage, Frank
Sanders, Carl, 1925-2014
Simonson, Don
Smalley, Robert H., 1929-
Smith, George Leon, 1912-1973
Smith, George T. (George Thornewell), 1916-
Thompson, M. E. (Melvin Ernest), 1903-1980
Trippi, Charles Louis, 1922-
Twitty, Frank Starling, 1907-1981
Vandiver, S. Ernest (Samuel Ernest), 1918-2005
White, Lucious
Williams, Hosea, 1926-2000 - Location:
- United States, Georgia, 32.75042, -83.50018
- Medium:
- oral histories (literary works)
moving images - Type:
- Moving Image
- Format:
- video/mp4
- Description:
- Thomas Bailey "Tom" Murphy (1924-2007) was born in Bremen, Georgia on March 10, 1924, and lived there for most of his life. After graduating from North Georgia College in Dahlonega he joined the U.S. Navy, serving in the south Pacific during World War II. After returning home he earned a law degree from the University of Georgia in 1949, and returned home to practice law with his older brother James. In 1960, Murphy was elected to represent his hometown and the surrounding area as a Democrat in the state legislature, where he remained until defeated in 2002. In the state House of Representatives, Murphy served as Governor Lester Maddox's floor leader from 1967-1970, and as Speaker pro tem from 1970-1973. He was elected Speaker in 1973 and became the longest serving House Speaker of any U.S. state legislature. Murphy held power using hardball politics, closely controlling the state's finances and redistricting every ten years. He was instrumental to the growth of Atlanta, and Georgia, having a hand in transportation, economic, and building issues. He was defeated by Bill Heath in 2002, unable to hold back a Republican tide any longer. Murphy suffered a stroke in 2004, and died in December 2007.; The interview took place in an unmentioned location on June 30, 1987 with Dr. Mel Steely and Ted Fitz-Simons.; This interview begins with a discussion about Thomas Murphy's early years, including his family, church, and school experiences. The topic of his childhood in Bremen also leads to discussion about the influence of the Sewell family in his hometown of Bremen, as well as the rise of labor unions there. He talks about his time at the military college and reminisces about where he was when he heard about Pearl Harbor. He then follows that by discussing his service in World War II and how it affected his life overall. Murphy continues the interview by talking about his entrance into law school and politics. After answering questions about his campaigning techniques, he begins to open up on his involvement with African Americans in the legislature and his views on integration. Dr. Steely asks about his relationship with governors, politicians, and whom he supported in elections (such as the gubernatorial election of 1966). He was a strong supporter of Jimmy Carter. He concludes the interview by talking about how he works within the office of Speaker in comparison to "the two Smiths."
- External Identifiers:
- Metadata URL:
- https://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/id:uwg_phc_murphyt1
- Digital Object URL:
- https://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/uwg/phc/do:murphyt1
- 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:
- 1 videocassette (circa 110 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:
-
