Outside the Box - February

Object: Whiteboard
Collection: Larry Walker Papers

Larry Walker, a native of Perry Georgia, graduated from the University of Georgia School of Law in 1965. In addition to practicing law, he also served his hometown for six years as a Municipal Court Judge and City Attorney. In 1972 he was elected to the Georgia General Assembly as a state senator, representing the 141st District (Crisp, Dooly, and Houston Counties). He served as House Majority Leader from 1987 until retiring from public service in 2004.

Walker faced opposition for his senate seat only once after his initial bid for office, challenged by small business owner and Houston County resident Gloria Alday in 1998. Below, Larry Walker has provided his own recollections of that election night and the purpose of this whiteboard.

In Larry Walker's Words...
"On the night of the General Election in 1998, we had what turned out to be a victory celebration at the Houston Lake Country Club in Houston County, Georgia. Someone had prepared a board for tallying the votes. I remember that Representative Denmark Groover, Jr., a law partner, Chuck Byrd, and my friend, Foster Rhodes, were tallying the votes as they were called in. I served for 32 years, and this was the second time I had opposition. I had opposition in 1972 (getting 75% to 80% of the vote) and again in 1998 (I believe I got about 63% or 64% of the vote)."


February's "Outside the Box" object will be on display in the lobby gallery of the Russell Library, open 8:30 am - 4:30 pm, Monday through Friday, until March 1st. For further information on the Larry Walker papers, please contact russlib@uga.edu or (706) 542-5788.