 Ronnie Fields Collection of Herman E. Talmadge Letters to Moses Leff
Collection DescriptionBiographical NoteHerman E. Talmadge was born on August 9, 1913, on a farm near McRae, Georgia, to Eugene and Mattie Talmadge. Herman's first involvement in politics was as his father's campaign manager in 1946. Running for an unprecedented fourth term as governor of Georgia, Eugene Talmadge was elected in November 1946, but was in failing health. As a precaution, a small group of Talmadge supporters started a write-in campaign for Herman Talmadge during the general election. When the elder Talmadge died in December 1946, before being sworn in as governor, the Georgia General Assembly elected his son governor by a vote of 161 to 87. The ensuing activities became known as the "three governors controversy" whereby the Georgia Supreme Court ruled that M. E. Thompson would serve as governor until a special election in September 1948. Herman won the special election and after serving his term as governor was re-elected in 1950, serving until January 1955. In November 1956, Talmadge was elected to the U.S. Senate where he immediately joined the other Southern Democrats in their fight against civil rights legislation. In 1957, he won a seat on the Agriculture Committee and by 1971, he had become chairman of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Nutrition and Forestry. Some of his major accomplishments in this area included guiding passage of a series of acts, which established price support programs for peanuts, cotton, wheat, and other commodities. Serving twenty-four years in the United States Senate, Talmadge ranked fifth in seniority among Senate Democrats and seventh overall by the time he left office. He died on March 21, 2002. Further Reading: Herman Talmadge, New Georgia Encyclopedia. James F. Cook, The Governors of Georgia, 1754-2004, 3d ed. (Macon, Ga.: Mercer University Press, 2005). Harold P. Henderson and Gary L. Roberts, eds., Georgia Governors in an Age of Change: From Ellis Arnall to George Busbee (Athens: University of Georgia Press, 1988). Scope and ContentThe collection includes a series of eighteen personal letters from Herman Talmadge to the Honorable Moses Leff, ranging from January 8, 1964 to October 15, 1980. The letters consist of thank you notes for Leff's attendance at Talmadge's birthdays, as well as an announcement of a marriage in the Leff family. One letter from 1969 discusses H.R. 10567, which proposed inscribing "Justice," "Mercy," and "Humility" on the one dollar bill. Organization and ArrangementThe letters are organized chronologically. Administrative InformationPreferred CitationRonnie Fields Collection of Herman E. Talmadge Letters to Moses Leff, Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies, University of Georgia Libraries, Athens, Georgia, 30602-1641. User RestrictionsLibrary acts as "fair use" reproduction agent. Copyright InformationBefore 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 permissions. 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. Finding Aid PublicationFinding aid prepared on: 2010. Related Materials and SubjectsSubject TermsRelated Collections in this Repository
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