Since 1976, the Senate Historical Office has conducted a series of oral history interviews with former senators and retired members of the Senate staff. Both biographical and institutional in scope, these interviews include personal recollections of careers within the Senate and discussions of how Congress has changed over the years.

This week, with the online publication of a 1989 interview with Senator George A. Smathers (D, Florida), the Historical Office is initiating a project that will eventually provide online access to its complete oral history series.

George A. Smathers served two terms in the United States House of Representatives (1947-1951) and three terms in the United States Senate (1951-1969). He defeated incumbent Representative Pat Cannon in the Democratic primary of 1946. Four years later, he unseated Senator Claude Pepper in a legendary primary campaign. During his Senate career, Smathers chaired the Democratic Campaign Committee, served on the Democratic Policy Committee, and was elected Secretary of the Democratic Conference. He served on the Commerce, Finance, and Foreign Relations committees, among others. Over the years, Smathers witnessed the political evolution of the South and the Senate on civil rights legislation. Following his retirement from the Senate, Smathers returned to the practice of law in Miami and Washington, and became a prominent Washington lobbyist.

For more information, click on "Oral History Project" at the Senate Historical Office home page.

For more information about this and other publications of the Senate Historical Office, please contact Betty Koed.