Social and Behavioral Sciences Commons^™

Keepers Of Their Party: Happy Chandler, Alben Barkley And Franklin Roosevelt’S Fight For The Soul Of The Democratic Party, Christa Kieffer

Theses and Dissertations--History

This thesis argues that the 1938 Kentucky Democratic primary was a critical moment for the New Deal and the Democratic Party. Furthermore, it demonstrates the fractures forming within the southern wing of the party. Through this primary the paper examines peoples’ perceptions of a changing democracy. One that they believed included a much more powerful president and meddling bureaucracy. It details the major points of the campaign, including Franklin Roosevelt’s visit to the state the famous poisoning accusations, and the corruption within the Works Progress Administration.