Interview with Wilson W. Wyatt, December 17, 1986

Interview Summary

Wilson Wyatt first discusses the effect of his public responsibilities on his family life. He then discusses his 1941 campaign for mayor of Louisville, Kentucky. Among the activities he describes during his term of office (1941-1945), besides resigning from company boards to prevent conflict of interests, are urban planning and national defense. He describes his participation in the Kentucky General Assembly, describing particularly the 1942 session and the role of Governor Keen Johnson in the General Assembly. He discusses fellow Democrat J. Lyter Donaldson's defeat in the 1943 gubernatorial election and his subsequent relationships with politicians on both sides of the party line. Mr. Wyatt discusses the difficulties he faced in passing legislation to allow Louisville to expand. He discusses his relationships with other mayors such as Mayor Fiorello H. La Guardia of New York City (N.Y.), the dignity of the office in the eyes of the populace, his mission to Algiers during the Second World War, and his efforts in flood preparedness.

Interview Keyword

Kentucky General Assembly Mayors Municipal government Newspapers Political campaigns Politics Urban planning World War II

Interview LC Subject

Kentucky--Politics and government Louisville (Ky.) Politicians--Kentucky Wyatt, Wilson W. (Wilson Watkins), 1905-1996

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.