John Greer oral history interview, May 27, 1987

Interviewed by Cliff Kuhn. Among topics discussed: Jim Gillis and the Georgia highway department paving in Lanier County; "two mile" Jim Gillis; the power of the highway department; amending the highway department; roads; Cocking affair; Talmadge's influence; Greer as an anti‑Talmadge candidate; E.D. Rivers‑Eugene Talmadge rivalry; Talmadge and the University of Georgia; the Georgia Board of Regents; George Hamilton and Talmadge; the power of the state treasurer; the rivalry between comptroller general and the treasurer; George Hamilton; Talmadge faction; Zack Cravey as comptroller general; the Talmadge group: Frank Twitty, Fred Hand, Al Henson; Roy Harris as a Rivers man; Harris's knowledge of Georgia politics; intra‑county power struggles; personality politics; changes in election laws and their effect on state elections; 1946 Talmadge‑Carmichael governor's race; 1952 amendment to strengthen county unit system; Osgood Williams; why Greer fought the county unit system; reaction in Lanier county; changing senatorial districts; county factions; Fred Hand; southwest Georgia and its fealty to Talmadge; Greer's efforts to pass an anti‑mask bill; KKK activity during anti‑mask bill debates; politicians and the KKK; Greer's terms in the Senate; Sibley Commission; Sibley Commission's public hearings; racial epithets; black office holders; black registration in a small county; Lanier County; testing black voter registrants; the Sibley hearings.