Government, Political and Leaders

Anne Braden (1924–2006), Civil rights activist, journalist, educator, Born in Louisville

Louis Brandeis (1856–1941), US Supreme Court Justice, Born and reared in Louisville

John C. Breckinridge (1821–1875), Vice President of the United States, Born just outside Lexington

Cassius Marcellus Clay (1810–1903), Abolitionist; Ambassador to Russia negotiating purchase of Alaska; newspaper editor, Born and lived in Clermont; resident of Madison County; buried in the Richmond Cemetery

Henry Clay (1777–1852), Statesman, Lived in Lexington

Kelly Craft (née Guilfoil; born 1962), United States Ambassador to the United Nations and United States Ambassador to Canada, Born in Lexington; grew up in Glasgow, Kentucky

John J. Crittenden (1787–1863), US Attorney General, Senator, and Representative; Governor of Kentucky, Born in Versailles; lived in Frankfort

Jefferson Davis (1808–1889), President of the Confederate States, Born in Christian County

Wendell Hampton Ford (1924–2015) U.S. Senator 1974–1999, member of Democratic Party. Born and reared in Owensboro

John Marshall Harlan (1833–1911), US Supreme Court Justice, Born in Boyle County

Clayborne F. Jackson (1806–1862), 15th Governor of Missouri, Born in Fleming County

Richard M. Johnson (1780–1850), 9th Vice President of the United States, Born in Jefferson County

Robert W. Johnson (1814–1879), C.S. Senator from Arkansas, Born in Scott County

Mattie Jones (1933-) Civil Right activist from Louisville.

Juanita M. Kreps (1921–2010), Former US Secretary of Commerce, Born in Lynch

Mae Street Kidd (1904–1999) – Politician and activist who helped pass Kentucky’s fair housing law

Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865), 16th President of the United States, Born in a portion of Hardin County that now lies in LaRue County

Mary Todd Lincoln (1818–1882), Wife of Abe Lincoln and First Lady 1861–1865; subject of multiple psychiatric case studies., Born and raised in Lexington

Mitch McConnell (born 1942), U.S. Senator from Kentucky since 1985 and Republican Leader of the U.S. Senate, Raised in Louisville

Samuel Freeman Miller (1816–1890), US Supreme Court Justice, Born in Richmond

Carrie Nation (1846–1911), Prohibitionist, Born in Garrard County

Georgia Davis Powers (1923–2016) – First African American woman in the Kentucky State Senate.

Scott Pruitt (born 1968), Attorney General of Oklahoma, Grew up in Lexington

Stanley Forman Reed (1844–1980), US Supreme Court Justice, Born in Minerva

Wiley Blount Rutledge (1894–1949), US Supreme Court Justice, Born in Cloverport

Tony Snow (1955–2008), White House Press Secretary to President George W. Bush, Born in Berea

James Speed (1812–1887), US Attorney General under Abraham Lincoln, Born in Jefferson County

Adlai E. Stevenson I (1835–1914), Vice President of the United States, Born in Christian County

Zachary Taylor (1784–1850), 12th President of the United States, Raised in Kentucky

Fred M. Vinson (1890–1953), Chief Justice of the United States, Born in Louisa

Roger Vinson (born 1940), Senior Federal Judge, Born in Cadiz

Whitney Young (1921–1971), Civil rights administrator, Born in Lincoln Ridge

Ron Ziegler (1939–2003), White House Press Secretary to President Richard Nixon, Born in Covington

Kentucky Governors

Isaac Shelby (1792–1796): First Governor; led Kentucky during its early statehood.

James Garrard (1796–1804): Oversaw state development post-formation.

Christopher Greenup (1804–1808): Focused on internal improvements.

Charles Scott (1808–1812): Led during the War of 1812.

Isaac Shelby (1812–1816): Returned for a second term, emphasizing post-war recovery.

George Madison (1816): Served briefly due to health issues.

Gabriel Slaughter (1816–1820): Promoted agricultural development.

John Adair (1820–1824): Advocated for internal improvements.

Joseph Desha (1824–1828): Addressed state debt concerns.

Thomas Metcalfe (1828–1832): Implemented financial reforms.

John Breathitt (1832–1834): Focused on public education.

James Turner Morehead (1834–1836): Promoted infrastructure projects.

James Clark (1836–1839): Led during economic challenges.

Charles Anderson Wickliffe (1839–1840): Advocated for state banks.

Robert Perkins Letcher (1840–1844): Pushed for educational reforms.

William Owsley (1844–1848): Addressed public land issues.

John Jordan Crittenden (1848–1850): Served during pre-Civil War tensions.

John Larue Helm (1850–1851): Handled state militia matters.

Lazarus Whitehead Powell (1851–1855): Focused on economic development.

Charles Slaughter Morehead (1855–1859): Dealt with internal state conflicts.

Beriah Magoffin (1859–1862): Managed Kentucky's neutrality during the Civil War's onset.

James Fisher Robinson (1862): Led the Unionist government.

Thomas Elliott Bramlette (1863–1867): Reconstructed the state post-war.

John White Stevenson (1867–1871): Promoted civil rights initiatives.

Preston Hopkins Leslie (1871–1875): Addressed labor disputes.

James Bennett McCreary (1875–1879): Focused on veterans' affairs.

Luke Pryor Blackburn (1879–1883): Implemented public health reforms.

James Proctor Knott (1883–1887): Advocated for educational advancements.

Simon Bolivar Buckner (1887–1891): Oversaw economic development projects.

John Young Brown (1891–1895): Addressed labor and industrial issues.

William O'Connell Bradley (1895–1899): Kentucky's first Republican governor; focused on progressive reforms.

William Sylvester Taylor (1899): Served during a contentious political period.

William J. Goebel (1900): Assassinated shortly after taking office; served only three days.

John Crepps Wickliffe Beckham (1900–1907): Completed Goebel's term and enacted electoral reforms.

Augustus Everett Willson (1907–1911): Promoted infrastructure development.

James Bennett McCreary (1911–1915): Advocated for women's suffrage.

Augustus Owsley Stanley (1915–1919): Led during World War I.

James Dixon Black (1919): Served a brief term; focused on post-war recovery.

Edwin Porch Morrow (1919–1923): Addressed economic challenges post-war.

William Jason Fields (1923–1927): Focused on agricultural issues.

Flem Davis Sampson (1927–1931): Managed the Great Depression's early impacts.

Ruby Laffoon (1931–1935): Kentucky's first female governor; emphasized social programs.

Albert Benjamin Chandler (1935–1939): Implemented New Deal programs in Kentucky.

Keen Johnson (1939–1943): Focused on education and state welfare.

Simeon Slavens Willis (1943–1947): Led during World War II's final years.

Earle Chester Clements (1947–1950): Promoted infrastructure and industrial growth.

Lawrence Winchester Wetherby (1950–1955): Focused on educational and economic improvements.

A. B. "Happy" Chandler (1955–1959): Advocated for civil rights and was instrumental in baseball’s integration.

Bert T. Combs (1959–1963): Focused on addressing challenges in Kentucky’s educational system and boosting public health programs.

Louie B. Nunn (1967–1971): Oversaw the implementation of educational reforms and the state's infrastructure.

Wendell Ford (1971–1974): Oversaw the expansion of economic policies and civil rights.

Julian Carroll (1974–1979): Strengthened Kentucky’s economy and welfare programs.

John Y. Brown Jr. (1979–1983): Modernized Kentucky’s government and business climate.

Martha Layne Collins (1983–1987): The first woman to serve as governor; focused on economic development and trade.

Wallace G. Wilkinson (1987–1991): Introduced bold tax reforms and infrastructure development.

Brereton C. Jones (1991–1995): Focused on education and healthcare reform.

Paul E. Patton (1995–2003): Worked on improving Kentucky’s economy, infrastructure, and public health systems.

Ernie Fletcher (2003–2007): Focused on tax and health care reforms.

Steve Beshear (2007–2015): Oversaw economic recovery efforts following the 2008 recession, including healthcare reforms.

Matt Bevin (2015–2019): Focused on reducing state spending and implementing pension reforms.

Andy Beshear (2019–Present): Focuses on public health, infrastructure development, and responding to COVID-19.

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