Howard H. (Bo) Callaway Papers, 1947-2006

Summary

Creator:
Callaway, Howard H. (Howard Hollis), 1927-
Date:
1947-2006
Extent:
112 box(es) (67 linear feet, 571 photographs, 12 scrapbooks, 13 audiovisual items)
Language:
English
Preferred citation:

Howard H. (Bo) Callaway Papers, Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies, University of Georgia Libraries, Athens, Georgia, 30602-1641.

Background

Scope and content:

The collection consists of personal and political papers of Howard H. (Bo) Callaway from 1965-1975. There are congressional files containing press releases, subject files, and correspondence; political files containing campaign material from his 1966 bid for Governor of Georgia, state and national Republican Committee material, and 1968 Nixon campaign material; personal files reflecting Callaway's involvement in private organizations; and scrapbooks recording his activities as Secretary of the Army. Also included are photographs, artifacts, and audiovisual materials.

Biographical / historical:

Howard Hollis (Bo) Callaway was born in LaGrange, Georgia, on April 2, 1927. He attended Georgia Tech for one year and graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1949. That same year he married Elizabeth Walton, and they had five children.

Following his release from the service and from active duty in Korea in 1952, Callaway assumed the administration of Callaway Gardens at Pine Mountain, Georgia. From that time forward, Callaway established a long list of accomplishments in service, including membership on the National 4-H Service Committee, the Georgia State 4-H Advisory Committee, and the National Council of Boy Scouts, and trusteeships on the Ida Cason Callaway Foundation, the National Safety Council, the National Recreation Association, and the Freedom Foundation at Valley Forge. At one time, he held the position of President for two millionaire businessmen's groups: the World President's Organization and the Young President's Organization. Callaway's interest in educational excellence was reflected in his service for twelve years as the youngest member of the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia, and as Chairman of its Education Committee.

Callaway was the first Republican elected to Congress from Georgia since Reconstruction. He represented the Third District of Georgia from 1965 to 1966. In 1966, he ran for Governor of Georgia and was a strong contender in the race. Due to a Democratic write-in effort following the primaries, the November election was three-way, and ended in a choice by the legislature of the leading Democratic candidate, Lester Maddox.

In 1967, Callaway was elected Republican National Committeeman for Georgia and was selected by Richard Nixon in 1968 to head his presidential campaign in the South. Following Nixon's election as President, Callaway had an influential voice in political appointments, both state and national. From 1973 to 1975 he was U.S. Secretary of the Army under President Gerald Ford's administration, and he was campaign manager for the President Ford Committee, 1975-1976.

Upon leaving Washington, D.C. in 1975, Callaway turned his sights westward and became CEO of Crested Butte (Colorado) Mountain Resort, a position he held until 2003. In 1980 Callaway was a candidate for the Republican primary for U.S. Senate from Colorado and he chaired the Colorado Republican Committee from 1981 to 1987. He was chairman of GOPAC from 1987 to 1993. In September 1993, he returned to Callaway Gardens as President and Chief Executive Officer as well as Chairman of the Board. In January 1995, he stepped down as President but continued to serve as Chairman until 2003, when his son Edward was named to that position.

Callaway died Saturday, March 15, 2014, in Columbus, Georgia, at the age of 86.

Processing information:

Photographs, audiovisual materials, and artifacts are separated for preservation. The artifacts are assigned identification numbers; however, the numbers are not consecutive.

Arrangement:

The papers are organized into eight series: I. Congressional, II. Political, III. Personal, IV. Secretary of the Army, V. Virginia Hollis Callaway, VI. Photographs, VII. Artifacts, VIII. Audiovisual Materials.

Access and use restrictions

Terms of access:

Library acts as "fair use" reproduction agent.

Before material from collections at the Richard B. Russell Library may be quoted in print, or otherwise reproduced, in whole or in part, in any publication, permission must be obtained from (1) the owner of the physical property, and (2) the holder of the copyright. It is the particular responsibility of the researcher to obtain both sets of permission. Persons wishing to quote from materials in the Russell Library collection should consult the Director. Reproduction of any item must contain a complete citation to the original.

Preferred citation:

Howard H. (Bo) Callaway Papers, Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies, University of Georgia Libraries, Athens, Georgia, 30602-1641.