Walter D. Myers, Sr. oral history
Collection
Identifier: OH016
Scope and Contents
The collection contains the reel-to-reel tape and transcript of interviews with Walter D. Myers, Sr. conducted by Randall Jehs on December 14, 1970 and January 20, 1971. In the first interview (p. 1-40), Myers discusses why he entered the political arena, his experiences as an attorney for the city and state and city departments, Thomas Taggart, the Federal Reserve Act, his involvement in the American Legion, the Warner Brothers company, Stought Fletcher, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Jim Farley, running for Mayor of Indianapolis, and D. C. Stephenson.
In the second interview (p. 41-71), Myers discusses his attempt to run for the U.S. Senate in 1928, Paul McNutt, running for the Indiana House of Representatives, his book, Red Skelton, Thomas Taggart, the Ku Klux Klan, Albert Beveridge, the American Legion, various Indiana political figures, how Indiana changed over his lifetime, and the Balls of Muncie, Indiana.
In the second interview (p. 41-71), Myers discusses his attempt to run for the U.S. Senate in 1928, Paul McNutt, running for the Indiana House of Representatives, his book, Red Skelton, Thomas Taggart, the Ku Klux Klan, Albert Beveridge, the American Legion, various Indiana political figures, how Indiana changed over his lifetime, and the Balls of Muncie, Indiana.
Dates
- 1970/12/04, 1971/01/20
Creator
- Myers, Walter D. (Walter Dennis), 1882-1973 (Interviewee, Person)
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
Legal title, copyright, and literary rights reside with Rare Books and Manuscripts, Indiana State Library, Indianapolis, IN. All requests to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted to Rare Books and Manuscripts.
Biographical Note
Walter Dennis Myers was born on December 19, 1882, in Rye Township, Perry County, Pennsylvania. He received an A.B. degree from Yale University in 1905 and an LL.B. from Indiana University in 1907. He was admitted to the Indiana bar in 1907 and began practicing law in Indianapolis. On June 3, 1913, Myers married Katharine Lyons with whom he had three children, Walter, Jr., Joseph, and Kitty. From 1913 to 1937, Myers served in a variety of public offices including attorney for the Safety, Public Health, Park and Sanitary Boards of Indiana; assistant city attorney; Speaker of the Indiana House of Representatives (1931-1933); and special counsel to a U.S. Senate Committee (1936-1937). In 1940, he was appointed Fourth Assistant Postmaster General by Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Myers was very active in Democratic politics serving a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1920, 1924, and 1928. When FDR was up for the vicepresidential nomination, Myers delivered one of the nominating speeches at the National Convention. He ran for Mayor of Indianapolis in 1925 as an anti-Ku Klux Klan candidate, but was defeated by John L. Duvall. In 1928, he ran for the United States Senate, but was again defeated. In addition to his career of public service, Walter Myers was also an author. He wrote a number of articles and law books including The ‘Guv’: A Tale of Midwest Law and Politics. Myers died on August 4, 1973.
Myers was very active in Democratic politics serving a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1920, 1924, and 1928. When FDR was up for the vicepresidential nomination, Myers delivered one of the nominating speeches at the National Convention. He ran for Mayor of Indianapolis in 1925 as an anti-Ku Klux Klan candidate, but was defeated by John L. Duvall. In 1928, he ran for the United States Senate, but was again defeated. In addition to his career of public service, Walter Myers was also an author. He wrote a number of articles and law books including The ‘Guv’: A Tale of Midwest Law and Politics. Myers died on August 4, 1973.
Extent
0.01 Cubic Feet (1 transcript, 1 reel-to-reel audiotape)
Language of Materials
English
Arrangement
This collection is arranged by subject.
Custodial History
This collection was processed by Christina Baich during March 2006. Finding aid revised by Laura Eliason on 2015/11/06. EAD finding aid completed by Bethany Fiechter on 2019/07/01. Collection reprocessing completed 2020/02/28 by Brittany Kropf. EAD finding aid revised 2020/02/28 by Brittany Kropf.
Accruals
No further additions are expected.
Existence and Location of Copies
Digitized materials from the collection are available online in the ISL Digital Collections (http://digitalcollections.library.in.gov): https://indianamemory.contentdm.oclc.org/digital/collection/p16066coll40/id/1319/rec/28
Creator
- Myers, Walter D. (Walter Dennis), 1882-1973 (Interviewee, Person)
- Indiana State Library (Interviewer, Organization)
- Jehs, Randall (Interviewer, Person)
- Title
- Walter D. Myers, Sr. oral history
- Status
- Completed
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- Undetermined
- Script of description
- Code for undetermined script
Repository Details
Part of the Rare Books and Manuscripts Repository
Contact:
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
140 North Senate Avenue
Indianapolis, Indiana 46204 U.S.A.
317-232-3671
