John William Carlin (born August 3, 1940)[1] is an American educator and politician who served as the 40th governor of Kansas from 1979 to 1987, and the archivist of the United States from May 30, 1995, to February 15, 2005.[2] He is a member of the Democratic Party. Carlin teaches at Kansas State University as a visiting professor and previously operated a website to advance civic engagement.[3]

John Carlin
8th Archivist of the United States
In office
May 30, 1995 – February 15, 2005
PresidentBill Clinton
George W. Bush
Preceded byDon W. Wilson
Succeeded byAllen Weinstein
40th Governor of Kansas
In office
January 8, 1979 – January 12, 1987
LieutenantPaul Dugan
Thomas Docking
Preceded byRobert Bennett
Succeeded byMike Hayden
Chair of the National Governors Association
In office
July 31, 1984 – August 6, 1985
Preceded byJames R. Thompson
Succeeded byLamar Alexander
Personal details
Born (1940-08-03) August 3, 1940 (age 84)
Salina, Kansas, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse(s)Ramona Hawkinson
Karen Bigsby Hurley
Diana Prentice
Lynn Lady
Parent(s)Jack W. Carlin, Hazel L. Johnson
Alma materKansas State University (B.S.)
Websitewww.johnwcarlin.com

Early life

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Carlin was born in Salina, Kansas.[4] He was raised in the Saline County, Kansas community of Smolan. Carlin attended Kansas State University and earned a degree in dairy science in 1962.[5] He was a member of FarmHouse fraternity.

Career

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Carlin and William Rehnquist at the rededication of the National Archives Rotunda, 2003

A dairy farmer, Carlin ran for a seat in the Kansas House of Representatives in 1970. He served as Speaker of the Kansas House from 1977 to 1979.[6] In 1979 he became the youngest 20th century governor of Kansas,[7] defeating incumbent Robert Frederick Bennett.[1] In 1984, he ruled out a challenge to Senator Bob Dole in 1986, citing the difficult challenge, and wanting to lessen partisanship in the final years of his term.[8] In 1990, he lost the Democratic nomination for governor to then-State Treasurer Joan Finney. He also ran unsuccessfully for the U.S. House of Representatives in 1994, when he was defeated by Sam Brownback, whom Carlin had appointed Secretary of Agriculture of Kansas in 1986.

Carlin chaired the National Governors Association from 1984 to 1985 and the Midwestern Governors Conference.[9]

Appointed by President Bill Clinton, Carlin served as the Archivist of the United States from 1995 to 2005, in Washington, D.C.[10] After a dispute about Executive Order 13233, Carlin's term as archivist was not renewed by the Bush administration. He served as chair of the National Historical Publications and Records Commission while serving as archivist.

After his retirement, Carlin returned to Manhattan, Kansas, where he serves as a visiting professor, executive-in-residence, in the political science department at Kansas State University and in the university's School of Leadership Studies. He has visited Duke University, the University of Kansas, Wichita State University, and Washburn University as visiting professor.[11]

Carlin served as a member of the Kansas Bioscience Authority from July 2006 to August 2012.[12]

In January 2015, Carlin launched a website to explore ideas, stimulate creative thinking, and advance civic engagement. Along with an active social media presence, the site shares his experience and perspective through a blog on current issues, compelling photo and biographical content, and a series of short video clips that can be used as a resource in classrooms, organizations, and for personal learning on the topic of leadership.[3]

Carlin is also a member of the ReFormers Caucus of Issue One.[13]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "John W. Carlin - Kansas Memory". www.kansasmemory.org.
  2. ^ "Archivists of the United States 1934 - Present". archives.gov. August 15, 2016.
  3. ^ a b "Former Kansas Governor Launches Website to Share Opinions". Salina Journal. Retrieved April 26, 2015.
  4. ^ "John Carlin". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved October 5, 2012.
  5. ^ "John W. Carlin". NNDB. Retrieved October 4, 2012.
  6. ^ "KLC Podcast: Gov. John Carlin Teleconference". Kansas Leadership Center. Archived from the original on July 11, 2012. Retrieved October 4, 2012.
  7. ^ "John Carlin". Kansas Historical Foundation. Retrieved October 4, 2012.
  8. ^ "Carlin won't challenge Dole". The Fort Scott Tribune. Associated Press. November 10, 1984. p. 1. Retrieved April 2, 2024.
  9. ^ "Kansas Governor John Carlin". National Governors Association. Retrieved October 4, 2012.
  10. ^ "Biography of John W. Carlin, Eighth Archivist of the United States, 1995-2005". National Archives. Retrieved October 4, 2012.
  11. ^ "John Carlin". Department of Political Science at Kansas State University. Archived from the original on May 9, 2008. Retrieved October 4, 2012.
  12. ^ "Brownback replaces former Gov. John Carlin on Bioscience Authority". LJWorld.com. Retrieved October 4, 2012.
  13. ^ "Issue One – ReFormers Caucus". www.issueone.org.
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  Media related to John W. Carlin at Wikimedia Commons

Party political offices
Preceded by Democratic nominee for Governor of Kansas
1978, 1982
Succeeded by
Political offices
Preceded by Governor of Kansas
1979–1987
Succeeded by
Preceded by Chair of the National Governors Association
1984–1985
Succeeded by
Government offices
Preceded by Archivist of the United States
1995–2005
Succeeded by
U.S. order of precedence (ceremonial)
Preceded byas Former US Senator Order of precedence of the United States
Within Kansas
Succeeded byas Former Governor
Preceded byas Former Governor Order of precedence of the United States
Outside Kansas