The Civil Rights History Project: Survey of Collections and Repositories

Lee S. Greene collection on Frank G. Clement

Repository: Tennessee State Library and Archives

Collection Description (CRHP): Gov. Frank G. Clement was involved with civil rights issues during his time as governor of Tennessee, and many African Americans mobilized behind him in his political campaigns.

Collection Description (Extant): The Lee S. Greene Collection on Frank G. Clement consists of research materials and copies of the manuscript for the book "Lead Me On: Frank Goad Clement and Tennessee Politics." The collection, spanning the years 1973-1982, consists of correspondence, taped interviews, transcripts of the interviews, and copies of the manuscript.

Some of the interviews in this collection have restricted access. To use these interviews and transcripts, permission of the interviewee must be obtained. The restricted tapes and transcripts are clearly indicated in the finding aid container list.

"Lead Me On" was published by the University of Tennessee Press in 1982, and it covers the various gubernatorial terms of Governor Frank G. Clement, as well as parts of his private life. A copy of this book is located in the library holdings of the Tennessee State Library and Archives.

Frank G. Clement served three terms as Governor of Tennessee. He was first elected in 1952 to a two-year term, and was inaugurated on January 15, 1953. He then was subsequently reelected in 1954 to a four-year term of office. In 1953, by action of a Constitutional Convention, the Governor's term of office was changed from a two-year term to a four-year term. In 1958, Clement could not run to succeed himself due to the action of the 1953 Constitutional Convention, so Buford Ellington was elected Governor. Ellington took office on January 19, 1959. In the 1962 campaign, Ellington was not eligible to succeed himself, so Clement again ran for the office of Governor. He was elected, and was inaugurated for his final term on January 15, 1963. Clement's last attempt at public office occurred in 1966, when he ran for the United States Senate. He suffered his only defeat in this race. After his defeat, Frank G. Clement returned to the private practice of law, only to be killed in a tragic car accident in 1969 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Date(s): 1973-1982

Digital Status: No

Extent: 9 boxes

Finding Aid URL: http://state.tn.us/tsla/history/manuscripts/findingaids/94-148.pdf

Language: English

Related Archival Items: See the Governor Frank G. Clement audio collection at the Tennessee State Library and Archives and the interview tapes of Lee S. Greene on Frank Clement in the Audio Collection of the University of Memphis.

Interviewees: Frank G. Clement

Rights (CRHP): Contact the repository which holds the collection for information on rights

Subjects:

African Americans--Politics and government
Civil rights movements--Tennessee
Clement, Frank Goad
Democratic Party (U.S.)
Politicians
Tennessee--Politics and government
United States--Politics and government

Genres:

Interviews
Sound recordings
Speeches
Transcripts