D.W. Brooks Oral History Collection, 1987-1988
27 audiocassettes, 28 transcripts

Administrative Information

- Access Restrictions
- User Restrictions
- Copyright Information
- Preferred Citation


Biographical Note

Scope and Content

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Related Collections

- In Russell Library
- In other repositories


Interview Descriptions

Access Points

Audiovisual Materials

 

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Access Restrictions: Audiocassettes and transcripts of the interviews are available for research at the Russell Library. Registered researchers may request oral history transcripts through Interlibrary Loan.

User Restrictions: Library acts as “fair use” reproduction agent.

Processing Notes: Interviews were transcribed at the Russell Library from copies of original audiocassette recordings.

Copyright Information: Before material from collections at the Richard B. Russell Library may be quoted in print, or otherwise reproduced, in whole or in part, in any publication, permission must be obtained from (1) the owner of the physical property, and (2) the holder of the copyright. It is the particular responsibility of the researcher to obtain both sets of permission. Persons wishing to quote from materials in the Russell Library collection should consult the Director. Reproduction of any item must contain a complete citation to the original.

Preferred Citation: D.W. Brooks Oral History Collection, Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies, The University of Georgia Libraries, Athens, Georgia.


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BIOGRAPHICAL/HISTORICAL NOTE:

David William Brooks (1901-1999), a farmer and cooperative executive, was born in Royston, Georgia. Brooks entered the University of Georgia (UGA) in 1918 and earned Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Agriculture. Concurrent to his Master's studies, Brooks taught agronomy at the university for four years and founded his first farm cooperative, the Georgia Cotton Growers Cooperative Association in Carrollton, in 1921, while he was teaching. In 1925, Brooks left UGA to devote all of his time to his cooperative. Due to a variety of factors, this cooperative failed. Upon the association's demise in 1933, Brooks immediately started another farm cooperative called the Georgia Cotton Producers Association. Renamed Cotton Producers Association (CPA)in 1934, and Gold Kist in 1974, this cooperative proved successful. By the late twentieth century, the company achieved Fortune 500 status and is currently a leading exporter of poultry in the world. Brooks started with CPA as the manager in 1933, and by his retirement at age 65, he was Chairman of the Board.

In 1941, Brooks also founded the Cotton Farmers Mutual Insurance Association, a company that provided fire and windstorm insurance to farmers. In 1955, Brooks set up a life insurance company for farmers, Cotton States Life and Health. Both companies have achieved continued success since their respective inceptions.

Brooks' agribusiness acumen and experience privileged him to serve as a member of the Advisory Committee for Trade Negotiations under Presidents Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, and Carter. Brooks also served on the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agribusiness Industry Advisory Committee. In 1954 he was a delegate to the American Assembly, which proposed changes in the United Nations Charter. He served as director of the Foundation for American Agriculture; Agricultural Missions, Inc., New York; and the National Council of Farmer Cooperative; and Chairman of the Board of Farmers Chemical Association in Chattanooga, Tennessee. At 86 years old, Brooks returned to the University of Georgia as a visiting professor of Agricultural Economics. Brooks' contributions to the University of Georgia prompted the university to name a pedestrian mall on South Campus after him, D.W. Brooks Mall.

D.W. Brooks was active in the Methodist Church and a member of St. Mark's United Methodist Church in Atlanta. He was a member of the Board of Global Ministries of the United Methodist Church, NY, and vice president of its World Division. Brooks and his wife, Ruth, established an endowed chair in World Christianity at the Candler School of Theology at Emory University and Brooks was chairman of the Committee of One Hundred for the Candler School of Theology. Brooks served as a trustee at Emory University, Wesleyan College in Macon, Reinhardt College in Waleska, and the Lake Junaluska Assembly, Inc. in North Carolina. He was a member of the University of Georgia Foundation.

D.W. Brooks received numerous honors and awards during his lifetime. Highlights include: First inductee into the University of Georgia's Agricultural Hall of Fame (1972); WSB Television and Atlanta Gas Light Company's Shining Light Award (1977); elected to Cooperative League of the United States Hall of Fame (1979); Man of the Year in Community and Rural Development by Cooperative Extension Service at UGA (1979); honorary degrees from Morris Brown College and Emory University.

On August 6, 1930, D.W. Brooks married Ruth McMurray. They had two children, David William Brooks, Jr., and Nancy Ruth Brooks.



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SCOPE AND CONTENT:


The collection consists of 28 oral history interviews relating to D.W. Brooks' life history, his business interests in Georgia, and his contribution as an agricultural advisor to United States presidents and world leaders. The Russell Library hired Brian S. Wills to interview Brooks from June 9 to August 18, 1987, and these interviews compliment Brooks' personal papers (currently closed). In 1987, former columnist for The Saturday Evening Post and The Atlanta Constitution Harold H. Martin interviewed Brooks about his experiences with Presidents Nixon, Ford, Carter, and Reagan. In Brooks' interviews with Wills, he discusses his childhood and early years, the formation of the Cotton Producers Association (later called Gold Kist) and the Cotton States Mutual Insurance Company, his work as official advisor to U.S. Presidents Truman, Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, Ford, and Carter, and his work with world leaders in the areas of agricultural and international policy. Brooks also provides information on the Methodist Church in America and the founding of Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. The collection contains auxilliary interviews (also conducted by Wills) with former Secretary of State Dean Rusk, President of Emory University James T. Laney (1977-1993), University of Georgia President Fred Davison (1967-1986) and United States President Jimmy Carter (1967-1981).



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ORGANIZATION AND ARRANGEMENT:


Interviews (both audio and transcripts) are organized by an Oral History (OH) number in a loosely chronological arrangement. The Oral History number is a combination of the abbreviation for “Oral History” (OH); the initials or an abbreviation of the name of the collection name—in this case, Brooks—( BRO ); and a number (01). Example: OH BRO 05.

 

In this collection, there is a transcript for each audiocassette. The numbering system reflects multiple audiocassettes and transcripts for each interview session in “A,” “B,” “C,” etc. delineations after the Oral History number. Example: Brian S. Wills first interview with D.W. Brooks comprises OH BRO 1A, 1B, and 1C.


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RELATED COLLECTIONS IN THIS REPOSITORY:

Dean Rusk Research Collection
Richard B. Russell, Jr. Collection

 

 

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RELATED COLLECTIONS IN OTHER REPOSITORIES:

James T. Laney Collection, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia



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INTERVIEW DESCRIPTIONS:

OH BRO 01A, 01B, 01C: Brian S. Wills interviews D.W. Brooks, June 9, 1987.

OH BRO 02A, 02B, 02C, 02D: Brian S. Wills interviews D.W. Brooks, June 22, 1987.

OH BRO 03A, 03B, 03C: Brian S. Wills interviews D.W. Brooks, June 29, 1987.

OH BRO 04A, 04B: Brian S. Wills interviews D.W. Brooks, July 15, 1987.

OH BRO 05A, 05B, 05C: Brian S. Wills interviews D.W. Brooks, July 28, 1987.

OH BRO 06A, 06B, 06C: Brian S. Wills interviews D.W. Brooks, August 18, 1987.

OH BRO 07: Brian S. Wills interviews Dean Rusk, September 23, 1987. Rusk discusses his first contact with D.W. Brooks; Gold Kist and foreign governments; his personal relationship with D.W. Brooks. 8 pp.

OH BRO 08: Brian S. Wills interviews Jimmy Carter, November 10, 1987. Carter discusses his first acquaintance with D.W. Brooks; Brooks as special consultant in agriculture; Presidential Commission on World Hunger; diplomatic relations with China; Iranian situation and the embargo on Russia. 12 pp.

OH BRO 09: Brian S. Wills interviews James T. Laney, September 23, 1987. Laney discusses meeting D.W. Brooks at Emory University in Atlanta; the qualities of Brooks. 14 pp.

OH BRO 10: Brian S. Wills interviews Fred C. Davison, September 24, 1987. Davison discusses the world impact of D.W. Brooks; his personal relationship with Brooks. 29 pp.

OH BRO 11A, 11B, 11C: Brian S. Wills interviews D.W. Brooks, September 21, 1988.

OH BRO 12A, 12B, 12C: Harold H. Martin interviews D.W. Brooks, February 25, 1987.

 

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ACCESS POINTS

Agriculture, Cooperative Georgia

Agriculture , United States International cooperation

Cotton Producers Association

Cotton States Mutual Insurance Co.

Cotton trade, United States

Eisenhower, Dwight D. (Dwight David), 1890-1969

Emory University

Ford, Gerald R., 1913-

Gold Kist Inc.

Insurance, Cooperative Georgia

International economic relations

Johnson, Lyndon B. (Lyndon Baines), 1908-1973

Kennedy, John F. (John Fitzgerald), 1917-1963

Methodist Episcopal Church

Methodists, Georgia

Oral history

Sound recordings

Truman, Harry S., 1884-1972



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