 Joan Haddad Saliba Papers
Collection DescriptionBiographical NoteJoan Haddad Saliba was the first woman to become mayor of Hartwell, Georgia. She was born in 1928 in Chicago, IL to James and Betty Haddad, first-generation Lebanese immigrants. In 1949 she married Dr. Elias Saliba, a native of Americus, GA, who was an optemtry student in Chicago. The couple returned to Georgia, where Dr. Saliba established his practice in Hartwell. Ms. Saliba served on the city council of Hartwell during the 1970s, and in 1981 was elected mayor in a special election after the death of Mayor Bob Wages. She would continue to serve as mayor for the next twenty years. During her time in office, Mayor Saliba was known for her colorful personal style. She was a advocate for Hartwell's historic sites, and was also successful in obtaining federal and state grants to spur further development of the city. She retired from public service in 2002 and passed away in 2009. Scope and ContentThis collection is composed of a scrapbook of Mayor Saliba's career. Materials found therein include photographs, newspaper clippings covering Saliba's political career, and some campaign materials. The collection also includes a correspondence with other prominent Georgians--including President Jimmy Carter, Governors Joy Frank Harris and Roy Barnes, and then-Lieutenant Governor Zell Miller--and with actor Jamie Farr, to whom Saliba was related. The collection also contains seven VHS cassettes, most of which are promotional videos for the City of Hartwell that feature Mayor Saliba. Organization and ArrangementManuscripts are in a roughly chronological order, reflecting their original arrangement within the scrapbook. Administrative InformationConditions Governing AccessThis collection is open for research. This collection contains audiovisual materials. Reference copies of the audiovisual recordings are available upon request. Research requests will be filled as soon as possible and will be dependent upon the condition of the recordings. Preferred citationJoan Haddad Saliba Papers, Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies, University of Georgia Libraries, Athens, Georgia, 30602-1641. 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 by Robert Lay, 2018-06-27. Related Materials and SubjectsSubject Terms | ||||||||||||||||||