Big Mules and Branchheads: James E. Folsom and Political Power in Alabama - Paperback

$59.87

Big Mules and Branchheads: James E. Folsom and Political Power in Alabama - Paperback

Name: Big Mules and Branchheads: James E. Folsom and Political Power in Alabama - Paperback
Brand: BooksCloud
SKU: 9780820331881
Price: 59.87 USD
Availability: InStock

by Anne Permaloff , Carl Grafton

$59.87

Book Overview

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by Anne Permaloff (Author), Carl Grafton (Author)

A passion for politics and for political power is at the core of this biography of "Big Jim" Folsom, the legendary two-term Alabama governor who revolutionized state government by going directly to the "branchheads," the grassroots, to exhort the powerless to fight for their rights against the "Big Mules," the elite cotton planters and urban industrialists.

Drawing on hundreds of hours of interviews with Folsom, his family and friends, and his allies and rivals, Carl Grafton and Anne Permaloff reveal in Big Mules and Branchheads the complex reality behind the stories and myths that have arisen around the Alabama governor. Often dismissed as a naïve yet somehow appealing yokel whose rise to power was largely attributable to luck, Folsom is seen here as a highly knowledgeable and creative political strategist who calculated his most important victories even while his behavior often seemed influenced by innocence and a tendency toward buffoonery. His two terms as governor were marked by scandal, yet Folsom energetically sought to raise the moral level of Alabama politics by bluntly advocating, in the face of great opposition, the expansion of civil rights for blacks, poor whites, and women.

Folsom, the authors suggest, is as widely misunderstood in Alabama as Alabama is misunderstood throughout the nation. Illuminating the intricacies of Alabama's politics as it traces Folsom's rise to power, this book gives readers the unique opportunity to know the legendary Folsom as a flawed, yet often inspiring human being who energetically practiced his own colorful brand of politics.

Author Biography

Carl Grafton (Author)
CARL GRAFTON is a professor emeritus of political science and public administration at Auburn University at Montgomery.

Anne Permaloff (Author)
ANNE PERMALOFF is a professor emerita of political science and public administration at Auburn University at Montgomery.

Number of Pages: 336

Dimensions: 0.75 x 9 x 6 IN

Publication Date: September 01, 2008

ISBN	9780820331881
Author	Anne Permaloff , Carl Grafton
Publisher	University of Georgia Press
Genre	Biography, History, and Education
Format	Paperback
Published	September 2008
Language	ENG- English
Pages	336
Weight	1.0 lb
Target Audience	Adults
Print Size	Standard Print