Interview with Thomas D. Clark, March 1, 1979

Interview Summary

Thomas D. Clark was born on July 14th, 1903 in Louisville, Mississippi. His father was a farmer and his mother was a school teacher. She taught Clark until he was around 16 years old. He went to Choctaw County Agricultural High School and played football all four years even though he didn't enjoy it. After graduating in 1925, Clark attended the University of Mississippi. He discusses two of his professors that really made an impression on him, Charles S. Sydnor and Arthur P. Hudson. Clark also describes the economic pressures in Mississippi at the time and various jobs he undertook while at the University of Mississippi.

Clark continues to describe how he first became a part of the UK community. He enrolled in the fall of 1928 and there were only four professors in the history department. Clark discusses the status of the university when he first arrived. The university was not very prosperous but Clark believes that McVey was trying to reorganize the university. He returned to Mississippi to graduate but became home sick for Kentucky. He returned to UK in 1931 and became an instructor but more importantly, a collector for the library. Clark discusses the struggle professors and students went through during the Depression years and touches on the anti-evolution law brought up in the legislator.

Clark discusses his social science research grant he received in April of 1932. This grant was the first one awarded to anyone in Kentucky for a completion of a manuscript. Clark talks about the books and articles he's published including History of Kentucky; The Beginning of the L & N, Exploring Kentucky; The Rampaging Frontier; Pills, Petticoats, and Plows and The Southern Country Editor. Clark also notes that by the time he became a professor at UK, he had already published six or seven books.

Interview Keyword

University of Kentucky

Interview LC Subject

Clark, Thomas Dionysius, 1903-2005 Clark, Thomas Dionysius, 1903-2005--Interviews University of Kentucky University of Kentucky--History

Interview Rights

All rights to the interviews, including but not restricted to legal title, copyrights and literary property rights, have been transferred to the University of Kentucky Libraries.

Interview Usage

Interviews may be reproduced with permission from Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, Special Collections, University of Kentucky Libraries.