In this Book
- The Rebel in the Red Jeep: Ken Hechler's Life in West Virginia Politics
- Book
- 2017
- Published by: West Virginia University Press
summary
The Rebel in the Red Jeep follows the personal and professional experiences of Ken Hechler, the oldest living person to have served in the US Congress, from his childhood until his marriage at 98 years of age.
This biography recounts a century of accomplishments, from Hechler’s introduction of innovative teaching methods at major universities, to his work as a speechwriter and researcher for President Harry Truman, and finally to his time representing West Virginia in the US House of Representatives and as the secretary of state.
In West Virginia, where he resisted mainstream political ideology, Hechler was the principal architect behind the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969 and constantly battled big coal, strip-mining, and fellow politicians alike. He and his signature red jeep remain a fixture in West Virginia. Since 2004, Hechler has campaigned against mountaintop removal mining. He was arrested for trespassing during a protest in 2009 at the age of 94.
This biography recounts a century of accomplishments, from Hechler’s introduction of innovative teaching methods at major universities, to his work as a speechwriter and researcher for President Harry Truman, and finally to his time representing West Virginia in the US House of Representatives and as the secretary of state.
In West Virginia, where he resisted mainstream political ideology, Hechler was the principal architect behind the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969 and constantly battled big coal, strip-mining, and fellow politicians alike. He and his signature red jeep remain a fixture in West Virginia. Since 2004, Hechler has campaigned against mountaintop removal mining. He was arrested for trespassing during a protest in 2009 at the age of 94.
Table of Contents
Download Full Book
- Title Page, Copyright, Epigraph
- pp. i-vi
- List of Photographs
- pp. ix-x
- Acknowledgments
- pp. xi-xii
- Introduction
- pp. 1-3
- 1. Behind the Wrought Iron Gates
- pp. 4-17
- 2. Big Man on Campus
- pp. 18-42
- 3. Over There!
- pp. 43-66
- 4. Princeton’s Professor of Politics
- pp. 67-81
- 5. The Truman White House
- pp. 82-101
- 7. Rogue Campaign
- pp. 122-138
- 8. Your Servant in Congress
- pp. 139-152
- 9. Congressional Campaigning, Hechler Style
- pp. 153-172
- 11. Win Some, Lose Some
- pp. 186-197
- 12. Marching to Selma
- pp. 198-208
- 13. Fighting for Miners’ Lives
- pp. 209-227
- 14. Hechler vs. Big Coal—Round Two
- pp. 228-244
- 15. Saving the New River
- pp. 245-252
- 16. Heckling Congress
- pp. 253-265
- 17. The Interregnum
- pp. 266-278
- 18. The People’s Office—The First Term
- pp. 279-290
- 20. Walking with Granny D
- pp. 302-314
- 21. From Rebel to Hell-Raiser
- pp. 315-329
- 22. Into the Sunset
- pp. 330-337
- 23. Twilight
- pp. 338-350
- Bibliography
- pp. 407-410
Additional Information
ISBN
9781943665631
Related ISBN(s)
9781943665617, 9781943665624
MARC Record
OCLC
983746466
Pages
439
Launched on MUSE
2017-04-26
Language
English
Open Access
No