Showing posts with label Lester Maddox. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Lester Maddox. Show all posts

Monday, November 06, 2023

Charles Graves

Charles Graves is a good guy and has had a really interesting career.

Early in our marriage Sheila was hired, as she says, as the "girl reporter" at the Rome News-Tribune. Her boss was the city editor there, Charles Graves. I always liked Charles, he seemed like a genuine fellow. He had already served as an aide to Congressman John Davis (and would again) and had served a term as state representative from Rome. He had attended little McHenry High School at one time where I now taught, though is was an elementary school now. He grew up very near the house in East Rome where Sheila and I lived from 1976 to 1999.

During more than a half century I have enjoyed watching his career and my occasional visits with Charles. He was executive director of the Georgia Democratic Party as I was beginning to be involved in the Floyd County party and through my union in some Seventh District and statewide politics. 

In recent years he has had me tell stories at his church and at a civic club. And we have both gained a bit of an elder status among local Democrats. 

As many of my tens of readers may know I collect political items and I have several nice ones thanks to my acquaintance with Charles.

Today, through a lucky series of computer clicks I happened upon this interview from eight years ago. I enjoyed Charles stories especially those about some people and places and times that I also remember. I thought I'd like to store the link here.  Click the picture to watch the interview from the archives of the University of Georgia.


Click the picture to watch a 2015 interview with Charles Graves.



Monday, January 11, 1999

Congratulations, Governor Barnes

 I was pleased to be invited to attend the inauguration of Georgia's new governor, Roy Barnes, today. 

Here is my program, with I asked several folks to sign for me. It is signed by four of Georgia's governors: Roy Barnes, Joe Frank Harris, Carl Sanders, and, even, sometimes Democrat Lester Maddox. 

In addition newly elected Secretary of State Cathy Cox, Georgia's new First Lady Marie Barnes, newly elected Lieutenant Governor Mark Taylor, and Agriculture Commissioner Tommy Irwin all signed the program.

I think Barnes signed it first. I wish I'd asked him to sign just above his name as Taylor did.