Tennessee. Governor (1953-1959 : Clement)

Governor of Tennessee, 1953-1959 and 1963-1967.

During his three terms in office, Clement expanded the role of the Tennessee Executive in state government. He piloted a number of new programs which greatly increased the state's services, particularly in assistance for the mentally handicapped and public education. Clement guided Tennessee through the period of desegregation. A colorful personality and dynamic speaker, Clement drew the attention of the national Democratic Party. However, he failed to secure national office because, in part, his relationship with Senator Estes Kefauver was strained, and because he made a disappointing showing as Keynote Speaker at the National Democratic Convention in 1956. He died in an automobile accident in Nashville, Tenn., on November 4, 1969, while in the midst of preparations for a campaign for the U.S. Senate.

...