Edward Thompson Breathitt Jr. (November 26, 1924October 14, 2003) was an American politician from the Commonwealth of Kentucky. A member of one of the state's political families, he was the 51st governor of Kentucky, serving from 1963 to 1967. After serving in World War II and graduating from the University of Kentucky, Breathitt worked on the presidential campaign of Adlai Stevenson, the senatorial campaign of Alben Barkley, and the gubernatorial campaign of Bert T. Combs. When Combs won the governorship in 1959, he appointed Breathitt as personnel commissioner, where he wrote legislation establishing the first merit system for state employees. He continued to hold appointive offices throughout Combs' tenure, and in 1962, Combs endorsed Breathitt to succeed him as governor.
Breathitt defeated two-time former governor A. B. "Happy" Chandler in the Democratic primary, ending Chandler's political career. He went on to win the general election over Republican Louie B. Nunn. Breathitt continued Combs' work of improving state highways and parks, improving education funding, and strengthening regulations on strip mining. His major accomplishment as governor was the passage of the Kentucky Civil Rights Act, the first desegregation law passed by a southern state. His biggest disappointment was his inability to win approval of a new state constitution.
Following his term as governor, Breathitt worked as legal counsel for Southern Railway, and later became vice-president of public affairs for Norfolk Southern Corporation. He engaged in numerous community service activities and served on political commissions aimed at eliminating poverty. Breathitt collapsed while making a speech at Lexington Community College on October 10, 2003. He was admitted to the University of Kentucky Hospital, but remained comatose after the collapse and died four days later.
Breathitt's oral history project is housed at the Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History at the University of Kentucky Libraries.
Early life
Ned Breathitt was born in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, on November 26, 1924. He was the only child of Edward Thompson Breathitt and Mary (Wallace) Breathitt. Breathitt's family had a considerable tradition in politics. A distant relative, John Breathitt had been governor of Kentucky in 1832. Later that year, he enlisted in the U.S. Army Air Force for service during World War II, serving until 1945. He also co-sponsored the Minimum Foundation Program for Education. He was chair of the state speaker's bureau for Adlai Stevenson's presidential campaign in 1952, and two years later, he worked on the staff of Senator Alben Barkley's re-election campaign. When Combs was elected governor later that year, he appointed Breathitt as State Personnel Commissioner, charging him with writing legislation to create a merit system for state employees. The anti-Chandler faction became concerned that, if they did not name a candidate, Chandler's early announcement would give him an advantage in the 1963 election. Combs eventually convinced the anti-Chandler faction to back Breathitt, and Ward never became a candidate.
During the primary campaign, Chandler focused his attacks on the Combs administration rather than the inexperienced Breathitt. A seasoned campaigner, he bitterly attacked the three percent sales tax enacted during the Combs administration. He further charged that Chandler's son-in-law was collecting campaign donations from individuals who desired favors from state government. Breathitt won the primary by more than 60,000 votes and carried all but one of the state's congressional districts. This campaign ended Chandler's political career. The New Republic charged that Nunn ran "the first outright segregationist campaign in Kentucky." Further, the unexpected death of Richard P. Moloney, a key legislative leader, was a blow to Breathitt's ability to push his agenda through the General Assembly. Other minor accomplishments included passing a purchasing law, strengthening strip mining regulations, and improving benefits for teachers. Breathitt's opposition helped prevent the SGA's endorsement of the amendment, since endorsement required a unanimous vote. County leaders opposed the document because of perceived threats to the independence of local governments and an apparent consolidation of power in Frankfort. The plan passed despite opposition from Lieutenant Governor Harry Lee Waterfield. The act applied to many kinds of businesses not covered by the federal statute, and approximately ninety percent of the businesses in Kentucky were affected, compared to only sixty percent that were covered by the federal statute.
Breathitt was a member of National Governors Conference Executive Committee in 1964 and 1965 and chaired its Natural Resources Committee. In 1967, he was recognized with the U.S. Department of Interior's Distinguished Service Award and Outdoor Life magazine's Conservationist of the Year Award for his contributions to conservation. In July 1968, he was named director of the Ford Foundation's Institute for Rural America, suggesting legislative remedies for poverty including the establishment of state area development districts. He was appointed to the Southern Region Education Board and the Kentucky Council on Higher Education. In 1994, he was named to the Gatton College of Business Alumni Hall of Fame at the University of Kentucky; in 1997, he received a similar honor from the College of Law at the university. He was partly resuscitated and admitted to the University of Kentucky Hospital but remained comatose and died on October 14.