From Guadalcanal to the Governor's Mansion:
Highlighting the Military and Civic Career of Sidney S. McMath
Sidney Sanders McMath has enjoyed distinguished careers in government, the military, and the legal profession. Throughout his life, McMath has displayed a commitment to family, community, and country. As a young boy, he witnessed injustice to those around him and purposed, "Someday, some way I will help these people." As a United States Marine during World War II, McMath risked his life in the Battle of Bougainville to defend our nation's freedom.
Upon his return to Arkansas, McMath fought to end
corruption in local politics as a prosecuting attorney in Hot Springs;
and, as governor, he worked to improve our state's political, economic,
and social landscape. The progressive reforms of the McMath administration
produced significant and profound changes in Arkansas society, many of
which are still visible today, more than fifty years after he took office.
Rarely has an individual succeeded in such diverse endeavors as has Sidney McMath. This exhibit examined his childhood, his service in the Marine Corps, his tenure as the 39th governor of Arkansas, and his subsequent success as a trial lawyer. From the dirt roads of southern Arkansas to the jungles of the South Pacific, from the political roads of state government to the inroads of landmark legal decisions, Sidney Sanders McMath has left an indelible imprint on the people and the state of Arkansas.
Learn more
For more information on the life of Sidney S. McMath, read his autobiography Promises Kept available in the giftshop.
The Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau provided funding for this exhibit.
