The Collection

This collection chiefly concerns Ledbetter’s political career, with the bulk of materials documenting state legislative sessions of 1967-1977. For a detailed description, see the finding aid. The materials are broken into the following series:

• • Series I contains campaign materials, including news clippings, correspondence, financial materials, and memorabilia.

• • Series II covers state legislation from 1967 to 1977, including correspondence, news clippings, drafts, and notes regarding bills that Ledbetter authored or supported during his five terms in the Arkansas House of Representatives. Series II also contains materials from the joint Committee on Legislative Organization (COLO), which Ledbetter chaired. The COLO employed the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University to conduct a study regarding the reformation of the Arkansas General Assembly. Series II additionally features materials from the Arkansas Constitutional Conventions of 1970 and 1980, as well as the failed attempt for a constitutional convention in 1975. Series II concludes with the legislative digests from Ledbetter’s five terms.

• • Series II covers state legislation from 1967 to 1977, including correspondence, news clippings, drafts, and notes regarding bills that Ledbetter authored or supported during his five terms in the Arkansas House of Representatives. Series II also contains materials from the joint Committee on Legislative Organization (COLO), which Ledbetter chaired. The COLO employed the Eagleton Institute of Politics at Rutgers University to conduct a study regarding the reformation of the Arkansas General Assembly. Series II additionally features materials from the Arkansas Constitutional Conventions of 1970 and 1980, as well as the failed attempt for a constitutional convention in 1975. Series II concludes with the legislative digests from Ledbetter’s five terms.

• • Series IV includes national conferences in which Ledbetter participated in the 1980s. The National Legislative Conference, the National Conference of State Legislative Leaders, and the National Society of State Legislators (NSSL) merged in 1975 to form the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). Ledbetter was Chairman of the NSSL/NCSL Criminal Justice and Consumer Affairs Task Force. He served on the Executive Committee that formed the NCSL, as well as Intergovernmental Relations Committee and the National Advisory Committee on Criminal Justice Standards and Goals. Series IV also includes materials from Walter Mondale’s presidential campaign, 1983-1984. Ledbetter served as the campaign coordinator for Pulaski County.

• • Series V contains miscellaneous news clippings regarding Ledbetter and his political career.

• • Series VI contains audio-visual materials: 100+ photographic prints, contact sheets, and negatives of Ledbetter, his family, and his associates; audio recording [compact disc] of an interview conducted by a member of UA Little Rock CAHC staff in 2013 regarding Ledbetter's life and career.