Audiovisual Materials

This collection contains notes, diaries, speeches, administrative files, photographs, videos, audio recordings, and artifacts from the life and career of former Governor of Tennessee, Secretary of Education, and U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander. Currently, only the material predating Alexander's tenure as Senator (pre-2002) is available for research use. Please contact Special Collections with access inquiries related to Senate materials.

• Childhood & Education: This series contains materials from Alexander’s childhood in Maryville, TN, and time in school. Some of the earliest materials document his first foray into politics through Boys State in the late 1950s. Also contained in this series are materials from his undergraduate and law school years.

• Early Career: This series documents Lamar Alexander’s employment from 1965-1971, after law school and before his campaigns for Governor of Tennessee. There are subseries for his work for Judge John Minor Wisdom (in New Orleans, LA), Senator Howard Baker, Jr. (in Washington, D.C.), President Richard Nixon (in Washington, D.C.), and Governor Winfield Dunn (in Nashville, TN).

• Campaigns for Governor: This series contains items from the years 1971-1978, while Alexander was campaigning for governor of Tennessee. He was unsuccessful in 1974 but was elected in 1978. Materials from his successful re-election campaign in 1982 are in the Governor series.

• Governor: This series contains Alexander’s personal papers related to his time as governor of Tennessee (1978-1987). It contains subseries related to the early swearing-in event in January 1979, his administration, budget, and various policies. His official governor’s papers are held by the Tennessee State Library & Archives.

• Chair of the Massey Leadership Institute: This series contains items related to Alexander’s activities while he was chair of the Massey Leadership Institute at Belmont College (1987-1988), including his co-founding of Corporate Child Care, Inc., his six-month family trip to Australia, and his writing of Six Months Off: An American Family's Australian Adventure.

• University of Tennessee President: This series contains personal material from Alexander’s time as President of the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, TN (1988-1991). His official papers are held by the University of Tennessee.

• Secretary of Education: This series documents Alexander’s service as the U.S. Secretary of Education under President George H.W. Bush (1991-1993). This includes administrative material, legislative priorities, and other items from this time.

• Alexander for President Campaigns: This series documents Alexander’s two unsuccessful campaigns to be the Republican nominee for President of the United States in 1996 and 2000. The 1996 campaign series is more extensive, as Alexander fared better in that primary contest.

• Visiting Professor at Harvard: This series contains materials from Alexander’s time as the Roy M. and Barbara Goodman Family Visiting Professor of Practice in Public Service at the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government from 2001 to 2002.

• Alexander for Senate Campaigns: This series contains materials from Alexander’s successful campaigns for U.S. Senator for 2002, 2008, and 2014. These materials are currently restricted and may only be viewed with the permission of the donor.

• Senate: This series contains materials from Alexander’s time as U.S. Senator from January 3, 2002, until his retirement on January 3, 2021. These materials are currently restricted and may only be viewed with the permission of the donor.

• Photographs: This series contains photographs processed separately from the rest of the collection.