Interview with Richard Ernst Cooper, March 18, 1985

Interview Summary

Richard Cooper, a younger brother of Senator Cooper, begins the interview by detailing his childhood and background. Cooper recalls his father's illness and death and how this event affected the family. Cooper's relationship with his siblings as a child are discussed. Cooper reflects upon his brother's early political career, focusing on his run for county judge in the late 1920s. Cooper talks of his brother's role as county judge in Pulaski County during the Great Depression. Cooper also relays his experiences of the Great Depression in Pulaski County as a teenager. Cooper remembers an illness that his brother had in the 1930s. Cooper also discusses his life after high school and his university education. Cooper's experiences during his brother's 1939 gubernatorial campaign in Kentucky are examined. Cooper talks of his time spent in the U.S. Army during World War II. Senator Cooper's first wife is also mentioned. Senator Cooper's time spent as a circuit judge is examined. Cooper explains his involvement in his brother's 1946 Senatorial campaign. Additionally, Cooper illustrates the strongest supporters for his brother politically. Cooper highlights his brother's work on rural issues for Kentuckians. Cooper considers the reactions of local people in Somerset to his brother's more liberal stance on certain issues. Cooper evaluates his brother's greatest accomplishments and contributions on behalf of Kentuckians. Cooper details his and his brother's connections to Kentucky Democrats such as Happy Chandler and the Brown political family. Cooper talks of the ways in which his brother has assisted the Kentucky horse industry. Senator Cooper's personality is discussed. Cooper explains how having a famous brother has impacted his life and family. To conclude the interview, Cooper talks of a building that will be dedicated to him in Somerset.

Interview Keyword

Albert "Happy" Chandler John Sherman Cooper Air Reduction Company Illness County judges Somerset High School (Ky.) Flem D. Sampson Evelyn Pfaff John Y. Brown Sr. Judge Adams Kentucky. Franklin D. Roosevelt Circuit judges Robert Taft Somerset Stone Company Family Quarry Don Cooper Great Depression World War II

Interview LC Subject

Cooper, John Sherman, 1901-1991 Cooper, Richard E. Cooper, Richard E.--Interviews Politicians Politicians--United States Politics and government United States--Politics and government Kentucky Kentuckians Somerset (Ky.) Pulaski County (Ky.) University of Kentucky Brothers Siblings Mothers Fathers Death High schools Depressions--1929 World War, 1939-1945 Marriage Divorce Tobacco Rural conditions. Horse industry Personality Business Centre College (Danville, Ky. : 1918- ) Yale Law School Yale University Harvard Law School

Interview Rights

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Interview Usage

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