Oral history interview with Sid McMath, September 8, 1990
Subtitle: interview A-0352, Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007)
Contributors: Egerton, John, interviewer; Southern Oral History Program; University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Documenting the American South (Project); University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Library
Edition: Electronic ed.
Publisher: University Library, UNC-Chapel Hill
Published: 2006
Place of publication: [Chapel Hill, N.C.]
Language: eng
Subjects: Interviews; Governors; Politicians; Politics and government; Political parties; Race relations; Political aspects; School integration; Rural electrification; Democratic Party (Ark.)
Other titles: Interview A-0352, Southern Oral History Program Collection (#4007); Interview with Sid McMath, September 8, 1990; Oral histories of the American South.
Description: Sid McMath was the governor of Arkansas from 1949 to 1953. After returning from his service in World War II, McMath became involved in Arkansas politics as a liberal Democrat, leading the "G.I. revolt," a movement made up of returning veterans who sought to challenge political corruption by the McLaughlin machine in Garland County, Arkansas. In 1948, McMath was elected governor of Arkansas. He describes how his primary goals were to allow African Americans into the Democratic party, make higher education more accessible for African Americans, challenge the paternalistic control of the power companies over the state, and improve standards by building roads and supporting rural electrification. McMath was re-elected in 1950, but lost his bid in 1952 to Francis Cherry. During these years, McMath was seen as one of the most liberal Southern governors because of his strong advocacy of Truman's liberalism and civil rights measures in the face of the Dixiecrat revolt of 1948. McMath describes his thoughts on the Dixiecrats, including Strom Thurmond. In addition, McMath discusses the importance of strong political leadership in effecting change. Arguing that the period between 1945 and 1948 was a missed opportunity for real change in the South, McMath believes that without eventual federal intervention, Jim Crow segregation would have persevered in the South for years to come.
Notes: Title from menu page (viewed on November 8, 2007).

Interview participants: Sidney S. McMath, interviewee; John Egerton, interviewer.

Duration: 00:44:47.

This electronic edition is part of the UNC-CH digital library, Documenting the American South.  It is a part of the collection Oral histories of the American South.

Text encoded by Mike Millner.  Sound recordings digitized by Aaron Smithers.

Text (HTML and XML/TEI source file) and audio (MP3); 2 files: ca. 70.2 kilobytes, 82 megabytes.

Original version: Southern Oral History Program Collection, (#4007), Series A, Southern politics, interview A-0352, Manuscripts Department, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Transcribed by Jovita Flynn. Original transcript: 24 p.

Funding from the Institute for Museum and Library Services supported the electronic publication of this interview.

Mode of access: World Wide Web.

System requirements:  Web browser with Javascript enabled and multimedia player.