Edward T. "Ned" Breathitt

Edward T.

Inducted: 1994

BS in Commerce, 1948

Edward T. Breathitt is the former Governor of Kentucky; he served from 1963 until 1967. As a young attorney, he became interested in politics and served as president of the Young Democratic Clubs of Kentucky in 1952. He went on to serve as chairman of the State Speaker’s Bureau for Adlai Stephenson’s presidential campaign. Two years later he worked on former Vice President Alben W. Barkley’s re-election to the U.S. Senate. As governor, he and his administration received numerous awards, including a Lincoln Key Award for leadership in the passage of a state civil rights bill and the U.S. Department of Interior’s Distinguished Service Award for contributions to conservation. He earned both his bachelor’s degree and his law degree from the University of Kentucky.