Kentucky Governor. A champion of many causes including education and civil rights, it was destined he would follow a life of public service as had many in his family. A distant relative of his was not only the namesake of a county in Kentucky, but a former governor. He served in the Army Air Corps during World War II. After he returned, he went to the University of Kentucky and graduated in 1948 and from their law school in 1950. He returned to his native Hopkinsville to practice law. In 1951, he was elected to the Kentucky House and served from 1952 to 1958. In 1963 at the age of 38, he was elected Governor of Kentucky. In 1964, President Lyndon Johnson picked him to implement the 1964 Civil Rights Act and chair a commission on rural poverty and developement. When President Johnson waged war on poverty, he visited far eastern Kentucky to view rural life. President Johnson made sure Breathitt was at his side. In 1966 under his leadership, Kentucky became the first southern state to enact the civil rights law and went beyond the federal law which states that no one could descriminate on the basis of race when hiring any person for a job. After his tenure as governor, he worked as counsel, vice president in 1972 and top lobbyist in Washington, D.C. for Southern Railway System until his retirement in 1992. He moved back to Kentucky and took a job with a prestigious law firm in Lexington. In one capacity or another, he still served the people, up until the time of his death. For his work and contributions to the people of Kentucky, a stretch of road from Hopkinsville to Henderson, formerly known as the Pennyrile Parkway, was renamed in Breathitt's honor in September of 2000.
Kentucky Governor. A champion of many causes including education and civil rights, it was destined he would follow a life of public service as had many in his family. A distant relative of his was not only the namesake of a county in Kentucky, but a former governor. He served in the Army Air Corps during World War II. After he returned, he went to the University of Kentucky and graduated in 1948 and from their law school in 1950. He returned to his native Hopkinsville to practice law. In 1951, he was elected to the Kentucky House and served from 1952 to 1958. In 1963 at the age of 38, he was elected Governor of Kentucky. In 1964, President Lyndon Johnson picked him to implement the 1964 Civil Rights Act and chair a commission on rural poverty and developement. When President Johnson waged war on poverty, he visited far eastern Kentucky to view rural life. President Johnson made sure Breathitt was at his side. In 1966 under his leadership, Kentucky became the first southern state to enact the civil rights law and went beyond the federal law which states that no one could descriminate on the basis of race when hiring any person for a job. After his tenure as governor, he worked as counsel, vice president in 1972 and top lobbyist in Washington, D.C. for Southern Railway System until his retirement in 1992. He moved back to Kentucky and took a job with a prestigious law firm in Lexington. In one capacity or another, he still served the people, up until the time of his death. For his work and contributions to the people of Kentucky, a stretch of road from Hopkinsville to Henderson, formerly known as the Pennyrile Parkway, was renamed in Breathitt's honor in September of 2000.
Bio by: Allcalmap
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Governor of Kentucky
1963--1967
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