Kaitlyn Lewis, News Editor
President Daniel Papp signed a Deed of Gift with Republican Rep. Phil Gingrey in the Social Sciences Building Friday, Dec. 5, transferring Gingrey’s official papers to Kennesaw State University.
Gingrey served as Georgia’s state senator from 1999 to 2003 and was a three-time chairman of the Marietta School Board prior to becoming senator. He was elected representative of Georgia’s 11th District in 2002 and continues to serve in that position since he took office in 2003.
Gingrey’s donated records include thousands of documents covering his positions on various national issues and will be open to public research in KSU’s Department of Museums, Archives and Rare Books.
“Kennesaw State is honored to be the recipient of Rep. Gingrey’s official papers, and we take great pride in knowing that we have been entrusted with this important part of our state’s and the nation’s historical record,” Papp said in a press release.
Among these documents are records of Gingrey’s involvement in congressional committees such as the House Energy and Commerce Committee, the House Administration Committee, Armed Services Committee, Rules Committee, the Committee on Education and the Workforce and the Science and Technology Committee, according to KSU’s press release.
Dr. Tamara Livingston, the executive director of the Department of Museums, Archives, and Rare Books, mentioned that information from Gingrey’s involvement in Georgia’s “water wars” with Florida is also included in the records.
KSU holds many archive collections pertaining to the history of KSU and Cobb County, but Gingrey’s records are KSU’s first congressional archive collection, Livingston said.
Livingston spoke at the signing event along with Papp, Gingrey and KSU’s Political Science Department Chair, Dr. Kerwin Swint.
“For [Gingrey], he said it was a no-brainer, meaning that because of his very strong ties not only to Marietta, but also to KSU,” Livingston said.
“We think there is a broad appeal to this collection because it has that national orientation having to do with national legislation and sort of the workings of our government,” Livingston said. “But we also think there is a strong local appeal because Dr. Gingrey has been living in Marietta with his wife and family for decades.”
