Oral history interview with Senator Ben Jones, 1989 December 11 Jones, Ben, 1941 Aug. 30- Steely, Mel Jones, Ben, 1941 Aug. 30- --Interviews Georgia--Politics and government--1865-1950 Georgia--Politics and government--1951- Legislators--Georgia--Interviews Allen, Ivan, 1911-2003 Autry, Gene, 1907-1998 Berry, Wallace Byrd, Harry Flood, 1887-1966 Bond, Julian, 1940- Brown, Johnny Mack Brando, Marlon Buckley, William F. (William Frank), 1925-2008 Carter, Jimmy, 1924- Chaney, Lon, 1883-1930 Eisenhower, Dwight D. (Dwight David), 1890-1969 Falwell, Jerry Gingrich, Newt Swindall, Pat, 1950- Kennedy, John F. (John Fitzgerald), 1917-1963 Nunn, Sam Talmadge, Herman E. (Herman Eugene), 1913-2002 Robb, Charles S. Reagan, Ronald Murphy, Thomas Bailey, 1924-2007 Lomax, Michael, 1947- Levitas, Elliott H. (Elliott Harris), 1930- Jackson, Maynard, 1938-2003 Helms, Jesse Harris, Joe Frank Fowler, Wyche, 1940- Carter, Jimmy, 1924- Busbee, George, 1927- Russell, Richard B. (Richard Brevard), 1897-1971 Alliance Theater (Atlanta, Ga.) Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Company Columbia Broadcasting System, inc. University of North Carolina (1793-1962) United States. Central Intelligence Agency Democratic Party (U.S.) Republican Party (U.S. : 1854- ) Atlanta journal-constitution WSB-TV (Television station : Atlanta, Ga.) Duke University East Carolina College North Carolina State University Democratic National Convention Dukes of Hazzard (Television program) Smokey and the bandit (Motion picture) Actors--United States Abortion Food relief--Africa Alcoholism Atlanta (Ga.) Mitchell bomber African Americans Civil rights--United States Baptists Discrimination in public accommodations--United States Stock Market Crash, 1987 Brown vs. Board of Education of Topeka Carroll County (Ga.) Communism Conservatism Counterrevolutionaries Costa Rica Capital punishment Depression, Mental Durham (N.C.) El Salvador Greenville (N.C.) Race relations--United States Macon (Ga.) Sparta (Ga.) National school lunch program Social Security Tarboro (N.C) Tucker(Ga.) Ben Lewis Jones was born on Aug. 30, 1941, in Tarboro, North Carolina. After college, he became an actor, starring in The Dukes of Hazzard. Jones entered politics in the 1980's and was elected as a Democrat to represent Georgia's 4th District in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1988. He served two terms before being defeated in 1992. In 1994, Jones ran against Rep. Newt Gingrich, but lost again. Jones returned to acting and writing. In 2002, having moved to Virginia, he ran unsuccessfully against State Rep. Eric Cantor. Interviewed by Mel Steely on December 11, 1989 at Jones' home. The interview begins with a brief discussion of Jones' family and childhood. Most significantly, he speaks about being raised in a town that supported white supremacy and how he learned to see people beyond the color of their skin and how gratifying it was to see Atlanta grow towards a more united city after Civil Rights. After that, Dr. Steely asks Jones about how he got into acting and eventually earned his role on the Dukes of Hazzard. Carrollton, Ga. : Annie Belle Weaver Special Collections in association with the Digital Library of Georgia Annie Belle Weaver Special Collections University of West Georgia. Georgia's Political Heritage Program 2010 Oral histories Moving images MovingImage http://dlg.galileo.usg.edu/uwg/phc/do:jones19891211 video/x-flv video/vnd.rn-realvideo video/x-ms-wmv 2 interviews : (circa 58 mins.; circa 62 mins.) 1 transcript Georgia's Political Heritage Program oral history interviews. Annie Belle Weaver Special Collections, Irvine Sullivan Ingram Library, State University of West Georgia Forms part of the online collection: Georgia's Political Heritage Program. Cite as: [interview title], Georgia's Political Heritage Program oral history interviews. Annie Belle Weaver Special Collections, Irvine Sullivan Ingram Library, University of West Georgia