INTERVIEWEES

Donald C. Bacon co-wrote the last major biography of Rayburn with D.B. Hardeman (a former Rayburn staff member) called Rayburn: A Biography, which was published in 1987. Bacon is also a former journalist who worked for publications such as the Wall Street Journal, Washington Star, and U.S. News and World Report.

“Buck” Bartley is the son of Sam Rayburn’s nephew and former aide Robert Bartley. Buck grew up with his family in Maryland, and he spent time with her great-uncle in D.C. as well as at his home in Bonham, TX. In his interview he spoke about the Rayburn family and his experience at Rayburn’s funeral.

Bob Bradshaw was a member of Rayburn’s staff in Washington D.C. in the mid 1950s. During his interview he told a story of how Rayburn stressed to him the importance of serving his constituents that he never forgot. Mr. Bradshaw died in Dallas, TX in 2006 shortly after his interview for Rayburn: Mr. Speaker.

Liz Carpenter worked for many years as a journalist for a news service she co-founded with her husband Les Carpenter. Ms. Carpenter also served as an aide to then Vice President Lyndon Johnson as well as to Lady Bird Johnson when she was First Lady. Ms. Carpenter died in Austin, TX in 2010.

Linda Cormack (née Lowry) is Rayburn’s great-niece. Ms. Cormack grew up in Dallas, TX. During her interview she spoke of Rayburn’s antipathy to Dallas, the Rayburn family, his thoughts about Richard Nixon, and a story her mother told her about Rayburn’s marriage to Metze Jones.

John Dingell was the longest serving member of Congress in history. He served as a Congressman from Michigan from 1955 - 2015. He was Chairman of the Energy & Commerce Committee (1981 - 1995, 2007 - 2009). During his interview he spoke of Rayburn’s style and leadership. He died in Dearborn, MI in 2019.

Jack Finney spent most of his life in Greenville, TX working first as a baker and then in land development and investments. He was a supporter of G.C. Morris, one of Rayburn’s election opponents in the 1940s, and in an interview spoke of his opposition to Rayburn and the national Democrats. Mr. Finney died in Greenville in 2010.

Dwayne Little grew up in Northeast Texas in Rayburn’s district. In 1970 he graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a Ph.D in History. His dissertation was “The Political Leadership of Sam Rayburn, 1940 - 1961”. From 1973 - 2010 he was a professor of history at Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego, CA.

George Packer is currently a journalist for The Atlantic and has written books about the Iraq War, a biography of a U.S. diplomat, and his family history. His grandfather George Huddleston was a Congressman from Birmingham, AL who served with Rayburn for many years.

Barbara Ross is the granddaughter of Bobbie Phillips who for many years was the cook for the Rayburn family and lived on Rayburn’s property in Bonham, TX. During her interview she spoke of her relationship with the Rayburns at home and her life in Bonham growing up.

Wilson “Bill” Wilcox served on Rayburn’s staff in Washington D.C. from 1940 - 1941. He was present in the House when President Franklin Roosevelt asked for a declaration of war against Japan after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7th, 1941. Mr. Wilcox died in Denison, TX in 2010.

Robert “Bobby” Baker was from South Carolina and served in various roles in the U.S. Senate (Senate Page 1942 - 1953; Secretary to the Majority 1953 - 1963). Baker was also a close advisor to then Senate Majority Leader Lyndon Johnson in the 1950s. He resigned from the Senate in 1963 amidst a scandal over his finances. Baker died in St. Augustine, FL in 2017.

Beryl Ann (B.A.) Bentsen is the widow of Lloyd Bentsen of Texas (Congressman 1949 - 1955; Senator 1971 - 1993; U.S. Treasury Secretary 1993 - 1994). Mrs. Bentsen knew Rayburn socially in the 1950s while her husband served in Washington D.C. Mrs. Bentsen died in Houston, TX in 2020.

Jack Brooks served as a Congressman from Southeast Texas from 1953 - 1995. While in Congress he was Chairman of the House Committee on Government Operations (1975 - 1989) and the House Judiciary Committee (1989 - 1995). Brooks died in Beaumont, TX in 2012.

Dr. Anthony Champagne has been a political science professor at the University of Texas at Dallas since 1979. Dr. Champagne is also a Rayburn biographer who’s conducted over 130 interviews with various people associated with Sam Rayburn. He is also the Executive Consultant for Rayburn: Mr. Speaker.

Evelyn Cross (née Henson) served on Rayburn’s staff at his office in Bonham, TX from the mid 1950s until Rayburn’s death. Her father was the foreman for Rayburn’s Ranch in Ivanhoe, TX. During her interview she spoke of Rayburn’s relationships with his constituents, Rayburn’s funeral, and rural electrification.

HG Dulaney served on Rayburn’s staff in Washington D.C. from 1951 to 1957. In 1957 Dulaney became the first director of the Rayburn Library & Museum in Bonham, TX. He served in that position until 2002 when he was made Director Emeritus. Mr. Dulaney died in Ector, TX in 2009.

Ralph Hall served as a Rockwall County, TX Judge from 1950 - 1962. From 1962 - 1972 he was a member of the Texas State Senate. From 1981 - 2015 he served as a Congressman from Rayburn’s former district. During his interview he spoke of a memorable phone call he had with Rayburn. He died in 2019.

Christopher Manning is a Professor of History and the Assistant Provost on Academic Diversity at Loyola University Chicago. Dr. Manning wrote a biography of Congressman William Dawson, the first African-American chairman of a Congressional Committee, which was published in 2009.

Dr. Robert Remini served as Historian of the U.S. House of Representatives from 2005 - 2010. In 2006 his book, The House: The History of the House of Representatives, was published. For many years Dr. Remini was also a professor of history at The University of Illinois at Chicago. He died in 2013.

Harold “Barefoot” Sanders served as a Federal Judge for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas (1979 - 2008). Judge Sanders was a Texas state representative (1953 - 1959), a U.S. Attorney (1961 - 1965), a Justice Department attorney (1965 - 1967), and an aide to President Lyndon Johnson. He died in 2008.

Jim Wright was a Congressman from Texas (1955 - 1989). Wright was also Speaker of the House (1987 - 1989) until he resigned amidst a scandal over his finances. Wright also served as House Majority Leader from 1977 - 1987. After leaving the house was a professor at Texas Christian University. He died in 2015.

Jane Bartley is the daughter of Robert Bartley, Sam Rayburn’s nephew and former aide. Jane grew up with her family in Maryland, and she spent time with her great-uncle in D.C. as well as at his home in Bonham, TX. In her interview she spoke about the Rayburn family and Rayburn’s relationship with his sister Lucinda.

Bill Boyd was the son of Roland Boyd, one of Rayburn’s campaign managers in Texas. After graduating from SMU law school Boyd was elected District Attorney for Collin County in Texas. Afterwards he went into private practice at the firm his father founded. Boyd died in Texas in 2009.

Robert Caro has spent more than forty years researching and writing about the life of Lyndon Johnson in his series of biographies called The Years of Lyndon Johnson. He is also the recipient of numerous awards including two Pulitzer Prizes for Biography: The Power Broker and Master of the Senate.

David Cole was the son of Rayburn’s lawyer and campaign manager Buster Cole. Mr. Cole was the former owner and President of Cole Title Company in Bonham, TX. During his interview he spoke of his father’s work for Mr. Rayburn especially the construction of the Rayburn Library. David Cole died in 2008.

Dr. Bruce Dierenfield is a professor of history at Canisius College in Buffalo, NY. Dr. Dierenfield wrote an acclaimed biography of Congressman Howard W. Smith of Virginia (House Rules Committee Chairman 1955 - 1967), which was published in 1987. Rayburn had “the worst fight of [his] life” with Smith in 1961.

Martha Rayburn Dye was the daughter of Sam Rayburn’s brother Dick Rayburn. During her life she served on the board of directors of the Sam Rayburn Foundation. During her interview she spoke about the Rayburn family, her uncle’s personality, and his Rayburnisms. Mrs. Dye died in Dallas, TX in 2012.

Melvin Laird served as a Congressman from Wisconsin from 1953 - 1969. From 1969 - 1973 he was Secretary of Defense. From 1973 - 1974 he was a domestic advisor to President Richard Nixon. For the rest of his life he worked as a Senior Counselor for national and international affairs for Reader’s Digest. He died in 2016.

Robert Michel served as a Congressman from Illinois from 1957 - 1995. During his time in the House he served as the Minority Whip (1975 - 1981) and as Minority Leader (1981 - 1995). He also served as a staff member for Congressman Harold Velde (IL - R) from 1949 - 1956. He died in 2017.

Cokie Roberts was the daughter of Congressman Hale Boggs (LA-D) and Congresswoman Lindy Boggs (LA-D). For many years she was also a journalist for NPR and ABC News. Ms. Roberts grew up in Washington D.C. and her parents were close friends of Rayburn. She died in 2019.

Stewart Udall was a Congressman from Arizona from 1955 - 1961. He also was a member of the Democratic Study Group (a group of liberal Democrats in the House). From 1961 - 1969 Udall was the U.S. Secretary of the Interior. After government service he worked as a lawyer and author. He died in Santa Fe, NM in 2010.

Julian Zelizer is the Malcolm Stevenson Forbes, Class of 1941 Professor of History and Public Affairs at Princeton University. He is the author of numerous books including a biography of Congressman Wilbur Mills, President Jimmy Carter, and various books about 20th Congressional history.