Herbert B. Maw audio-visual collection

Collection

Identifier: A0066

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

This collection consists of audiocassettes of former governor Herbert B. Maw's State Legislative Addresses in 1941 and 1943, a 1986 conversation with Maw on KUER radio as well as a video interview with from 1982.

Dates

1941-1943
1982-1986

Creator

Maw, Herbert B. (Herbert Brown), 1893-1990 (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Materials must be used on-site; no use of original material, access copies will be made available for viewing. Five business days advanced notice required. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law, condition of the material, or by donor.

Biographical Note

Herbert Brown Maw (1893-1990) was born in Ogden, Utah. His family later moved to Salt Lake City where he attended LDS High School and the University of Utah Law School. During World War I (1917-1919) he served as a Mormon chaplain in the military. He married Florence Buehler in 1921, and they had four children. He later received a master's degree and a doctor of law degree from Northwestern University.

Maw taught at LDS Business College from 1916-1917 and in 1919-1923. He was a Professor of Speech and Political Science at the University of Utah from 1927 until 1940. Maw also acted as Dean of Men at the University of Utah from 1928 until 1936. Maw served 10 years in the Utah State Senate and was its president during 1934-38. As a state senator he advocated direct primary elections, old-age assistance programs, and government control of public utilities. A member of the Democratic party's liberal wing, he failed in three attempts to win his party's gubernatorial nomination against conservatives, including Governor Henry Blood.

In 1940, Maw defeated Republican Don B. Colton and began his first term as Governor of Utah. Maw's first act as governor was to reorganize the executive branch. He cut many commissions, boards, and bureaus and replaced them with fewer departments. Under this reorganization the Publicity and Industrial Development Department was created. The department built access roads to scenic attractions for movie makers and built a natural history museum in Vernal, Utah. Response to World War II was a major issue during Maw's terms. He succeeded in bringing military facilities and related industries to Utah. The much needed jobs and activity helped Utah end a decade-long economic slump. Governor Maw's stance on Japanese relocation was more ambiguous. He opposed resettlement of voluntary West Coast evacuees on the Wasatch Front, but vetoed legislation prohibiting some Topaz residents from acquiring land in Utah or leaving the internment camp. However, he did approve a bill prohibiting Japanese aliens from owning or leasing land on a long-term basis.

In 1944 Maw was narrowly re-elected over Republican J. Bracken Lee in one of the closest gubernatorial elections in Utah History. During Maw's second term, he sponsored a major highway building program and approved creation of a state water and power board to oversee development of Colorado River water in Utah. Maw directed funding for the Pioneer Centennial celebration in 1947 and completion of the "This Is the Place Monument" at the mouth of Emigration Canyon. The state's handling of welfare, a highly publicized case against two state liquor system employees, and a backfired campaign letter to Mormon leaders seeking support helped lead to Maw's defeat by Republican J. Bracken Lee in 1948.

Maw sought a U.S. Senate seat in 1956 but was defeated in the primary. He was a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served as a mission president after his terms as Governor. He then retired to private law practice until his nineties. He died in 1990.

Extent

4 Audiocassette

1 VHS

Language of Materials

English

Additional Description

Abstract

The Herbert B. Maw audio-visual collection (1941-1986) consists of audiocassettes of Maw's State Legislative Addresses in 1941 and 1943 and a 1986 conversation with Maw on KUER radio as well as a video interview from 1982. Herbert Brown Maw (1893-1990) was an attorney, educator, and Utah politician. He was elected as the 8th Governor of Utah and served from 1941 to 1949.