TVA Origins to 1938

View of TVA: John Sigenthaler

View of the Tennessee Valley in the 1930's

Barret Shelton, Decatur, Alabama newspaper editor
view of TVA
part in TVA film TVA Town

1932 election

May 18, 1933 Tennessee Valley Authority Act
role of Sen. George Norris (Nebraska Republican)
TVA governing board of directors
Chairman of TVA: Dr. Arthur Morgan
David Lilienthal
Harcourt Morgan (Pres. University of Tennessee)

Dr. Arthur Morgan

Ernest Morgan, son
Ed Falck
Harry Wiersta

List the roles for TVA

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Goals:

David Lilienthal
Steve Humphries
Wilma Dykeman

Norris Dam

Beginnings (November 1934)
story of Curt Steiner
crew of Steiners

Social Planning in action: Note goals of TVA and Arthur Morgan

Problems:

bad news for 3000 families
story of Curt Steiner
cemeteries
"Goodbye to Union County"

Impact

David Lilienthal: "We want light."

Henry Clark: demonstration farmer
TVA and the farmers
demonstration farmers

Senator Albert Gore, Sr. (Tennessee Democrat, father of Al Gore)
friends of TVA
foes of TVA

Wendell Wilkie, president of Commonwealth and Southern Corporation

reaction of towns in Tennessee Valley

role of the Supreme Court: Ashwander v Tennessee Valley Authority (1936)
key issues
ruling

TVA's purchase in 1938

Conflict between Arthur Morgan and David Lilienthal
view of private power companies
Morgan
Lilienthal
Barry Case
crisis in 1938
attacks in magazines
congressional hearings
FDR fires Morgan

Assessment

Arthur Morgan
David Lilienthal