Hamilton Lokey Papers
Scope and Content
This collection includes the professional papers of Hamilton Lokey which document his career as an attorney. Personal papers include correspondence, speeches and addresses given during his career in the Georgia General Assembly, as well as a copy of his autobiography The Low Key Life of Ham Lokey and several poems he wrote. The majority of the collection includes court records compiled as a result of litigation against the proprietors of the Winecoff Hotel in Atlanta.
Dates
- 1893, 1944-1979, undated
Creator
- Lokey, Hamilton (Person)
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use
Unpublished manuscripts are protected by copyright. All requests to publish, quote, or reproduce must be submitted through the Kenan Research Center.
Administrative/Biographical History
Hamilton Lokey (1910-1996) was an Atlanta attorney and politician. Born in Atlanta, Georgia to parents Hugh (1876-1957) and Rebecca (1879-?), he had three siblings, Hugh Jr. (1970-1975), his sister Boyce (1909-?), and younger brother Charles (1914-2008). Lokey graduated from the University of Georgia and was admitted to the Georgia Bar in 1933. He established the Atlanta law firm of Lokey and Bowden with Henry Bowden in 1939. Lokey enlisted in the United States Navy and served from 1942-1945 and from 1950-1951. In 1944 he married Muriel Mattson and had five children: Hamilton, Jr. (1945- ), William (1947- ), Fletcher (1949- ), Ann (1952- ), and Rebecca. After World War II he returned to his law practice and represented the insurance company for the Winecoff Hotel against litigants suing for damages as a result of a disastrous fire in 1946. Lokey was elected to the Georgia General Assembly from Fulton County and served from 1953-1956. In 1958, Lokey and his wife Muriel were among the founders of H.O.P.E., Inc. (Help Our Public Education) a nonprofit, largely-volunteer organization whose objective was to prevent the closing of public schools under any circumstances during the school desegregation crisis. Lokey continued his law career and gave dozens of speeches on the issues of school desegregation and the legal profession.
Extent
4.5 linear ft.
Language
English
System of Arrangement
Arranged in two series: (1) Personal Papers, and (2) Winecoff Hotel Fire Litigation Records. Each series is organized alphabetically according to titles supplied by staff.
Immediate Source of Acquisition
Gift of Hamilton Lokey, 1976 (1976.211, 1976.186, 1976.265) and 1981 (1981.215)
General Physical Description note
Extent: 4.5 linear ft. (11 document cases)
Description Control
Collection reprocessed in 2009
- Title
- Hamilton Lokey Papers ahc.MSS 349
- Subtitle
- An Inventory of His Papers at the Kenan Research Center at the Atlanta History Center
- Author
- Inventory prepared by Paul Crater
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
- Language of description note
- Finding aid written in English.
Repository Details
Part of the Kenan Research Center at Atlanta History Center Repository