Repository:
Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies
Abstract: Cleland represented Georgia in the U.S. Senate (1997-2002), with previous service as a Georgia state senator, head of the Veterans Administration, and Georgia Secretary of State. Series IX. Artifacts contains materials from throughout Cleland's life and political career, including his military service, political campaigns, and awards.
Max Cleland was born in 1942 in Atlanta, Georgia. He earned a B.A. from Stetson University and a M.A. in history from Emory University in 1968. After one year at Emory, he joined the Army to fight in the Vietnam War, reaching the rank of captain. He served from 1965 to 1968, when he was injured by a grenade and lost both legs and his right arm.
Cleland began a life-long career in politics when he was elected to the Georgia state senate in 1970, the youngest member ever elected. He served as a consultant to Senate Committee on Veterans Affairs (1975-1977) and was appointed head of the Veterans Administration in 1977 by President Carter. He was the first Vietnam veteran to hold that post.
Following the end of Carter's presidential term, Cleland returned to Georgia and was elected as Georgia Secretary of State in 1982. In this position, he was responsible for enforcing regulations related to commerce, industry and licensing in the state, maintaining the state's records, and overseeing elections. He was re-elected for three more terms. He resigned during the fourth term to run for U.S. Senate to replace retiring senator Sam Nunn.
Cleland, a Democrat, was elected to the Senate in 1996. Among his contributions were working on campaign finance reform, military policy (including advocating caution with U.S. peacekeeping efforts in the Balkans), taxes, commerce, improved conditions for armed services personnel, maintaining a competitive air travel industry, and voting reform. He was also part of a bipartisan panel that investigated the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the U.S. Cleland represented Georgia in the Senate until 2002, when he lost a close race to Saxby Chambliss.
After leaving the Senate, Cleland has remained active in politics, campaigning for Democrats and giving motivational speeches around the country. Since 2009, he has served as Secretary of the American Battle Monuments Commission.
Series IX. Artifacts contains objects related to all periods of Cleland's career, including campaign materials, commissioning documents, objects related to significant legislation and accomplishments achieved during his service, and objects related to his military service and Alive Day, which commemorated his survival of the Vietnam War.
This series is divided into 6 subseries: A. Alive Day, B. Georgia State Senator, C. Administrator of the U.S. Veterans Administration, D. Georgia Secretary of State, E. United States Senator, and F. Personal.
Because of the size of this collection, the remainder of the series are described in separate finding aids. A collection summary, including links to each of these series finding aids, is available online: Max Cleland Papers: Collection Summary.
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 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.
