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Ken Hechler Interview Transcript, 1985 A&M 1164

Ken Hechler Interview Transcript, 1985 A&M 1164


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West Virginia and Regional History Center

1549 University Ave.
P.O. Box 6069
Morgantown, WV 26506-6069
Business Number: 304-293-3536
wvrhcref@westvirginia.libanswers.com
URL: https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu

Staff of the West Virginia & Regional History Center

Repository
West Virginia and Regional History Center
Identification
A&M 1164
Title
Ken Hechler Interview Transcript 1985
URL:
https://archives.lib.wvu.edu/ark:/99999/198016
Quantity
0.1 Linear Feet, Summary: 1 in.
Creator
Hechler, Ken
Location
West Virginia and Regional History Center / West Virginia University / 1549 University Avenue / P.O. Box 6069 / Morgantown, WV 26506-6069 / Phone: 304-293-3536 / Fax: 304-293-3981 / URL: https://wvrhc.lib.wvu.edu/
Language
English
Abstract
Transcription of an oral history interview by Niel M. Johnson of the Harry S. Truman Library with Ken Hechler. Hechler, born 1914 in Roslyn, NY, received A.B., Swarthmore 1935; M.A., Columbia 1936; Ph.D., Columbia 1940 in Political Science which he later taught at Columbia, Princeton, and Marshall Universities. He served as a U. S. Army combat historian in Europe during World War II. Hechler was a research assistant to President  next hit Franklin D. Roosevelt and was special assistant to previous hit President  next hit Harry S. Truman. He was elected to the U. S. House of Representatives as a Democrat from the Fourth Congressional District of West Virginia, 1958-77. A major part of the interview is about his work for previous hit President Truman as a speechwriter in political campaigns dealing with issues of public concern in the immediate post-war years such as the Korean War and political corruption. After completion of his White House duties he relocated to Huntington where as a professor at Marshall he staged a successful campaign for U. S. Congress. He mentions, as a congressman, his independence from his own party's state machine and his promotion of controversial causes such as implementation of civil rights and environmental protection legislation. Hechler is a popular, progressive who used a personal contact "grassroots" approach to campaigning. Eschewing the increasing costs of political campaigns and the heavy dependence of candidates on public relations firms, he was defeated in the late 1970's in his gubernatorial and congressional bids. He was successful, though in making a comeback in the 1984 race for West Virginia Secretary of State. He ends the interview by specifying the duties of this office and his accomplishments in it to date. Significant references are made to Dean Acheson, David Bell, Robert C. Brooks, John Carroll, Clark Clifford, Dwight Eisenhower, George Elsey, Hermann Goering, George Hechler, Lyndon B. Johnson, Max Kampelman, Estes Kefauver, Raymond Moley, Will Neal, George S. Patton, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Samuel I. Rosenman, Arthur Schlesinger, Jr., Adlai Stevenson, Harry S. Truman, Harry Vaughan.

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No special access restriction applies.

Preferred Citation

[Description and date of item], [Box/folder number], Ken Hechler Interview Transcript, A&M 1164, West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries, Morgantown, West Virginia.

Subjects and Indexing Terms

  • Acheson, Dean, 1893-1971
  • Bell, David.
  • Brooks, Robert C.
  • Carroll, John.
  • Clifford, Clark M., 1906-1998
  • Democratic Party (U.S.)
  • Eisenhower, Dwight D. (Dwight David), 1890-1969
  • Elections
  • Elsey, George M., 1918-2015
  • Göring, Hermann, 1893-1946
  • Hechler, George, 1840-1929
  • Johnson, Lyndon B. (Lyndon Baines), 1908-1973
  • Johnson, Niel M.
  • Kampelman, Max M., 1920-2013
  • Kefauver, Estes, 1903-1963
  • Korean Conflict.
  • Moley, Raymond.
  • Neal, Will.
  • Patton, George S. (George Smith), 1885-1945
  • Politics and government.
  • Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945
  • Rosenman, Samuel I. (Samuel Irving), 1896-1973
  • Schlesinger, Arthur M, Jr. (Arthur Meier), 1917-2007
  • Stevenson, Adlai E. (Adlai Ewing), 1900-1965
  • Truman, Harry S., 1884-1972
  • United States Congressmen - West Virginia.
  • United States. Army
  • Universities and colleges
  • Vaughan, Harry.
  • World War, 1939-1945

Significant Persons Associated With the Collection

  • Acheson, Dean, 1893-1971
  • Bell, David.
  • Brooks, Robert C.
  • Carroll, John.
  • Clifford, Clark M., 1906-1998
  • Eisenhower, Dwight D. (Dwight David), 1890-1969
  • Elsey, George M., 1918-2015
  • Göring, Hermann, 1893-1946
  • Hechler, George, 1840-1929
  • Hechler, Ken
  • Johnson, Lyndon B. (Lyndon Baines), 1908-1973
  • Johnson, Niel M.
  • Kampelman, Max M., 1920-2013
  • Kefauver, Estes, 1903-1963
  • Moley, Raymond.
  • Neal, Will.
  • Patton, George S. (George Smith), 1885-1945
  • Roosevelt, Franklin D. (Franklin Delano), 1882-1945
  • Rosenman, Samuel I. (Samuel Irving), 1896-1973
  • Schlesinger, Arthur M, Jr. (Arthur Meier), 1917-2007
  • Stevenson, Adlai E. (Adlai Ewing), 1900-1965
  • Truman, Harry S., 1884-1972
  • Vaughan, Harry.
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