Maurice "Footsie" Britt papers, 1920-1993.
Athlete, soldier, businessman, politician, and lieutenant governor of Arkansas, 1966-1970. Born in Carlisle, Arkansas, 1919, raised in Lonoke, Britt attended the University of Arkansas where he played on the varsity football team. After graduating Britt played professional football with the Detroit Lions before entering the military in 1941. As a platoon commander in the Third Infantry Division, Britt took part in the African, Sicilian, and Italian campaigns. He was seriously wounded in 1944, losing his right arm, and left the service at the end of that year. Britt was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor and many other decorations for his battlefield exploits. Following a peacetime career in manufacturing, Britt ran a successful campaign for lt. governor of Arkansas in 1966. He served two terms before accepting a postion with the Small Business Administration in Little Rock in 1970. Britt made an unsuccessful bid for the office of Governor in 1986, and has remained active in a number of organizations, particularly veterans groups and their associated reunions.Scrapbooks, photographs, photograph albums, speeches, printed material, film, audio and videocassettes, and awards collected or created by Britt over his sports, military, and political careers. Included are photo and scrapbook albums assembled by Britt's mother, Virgie; photographs of Britt during World War II and his subsequent acceptance of the Medal of Honor at the University of Arkansas in 1944; speeches made by Britt during his political campaign for governor in 1986; plaques, awards, and other memorabilia from military, political, and service organizations; photographs of Britt performing the duties of lt. governor. The papers have been described in six series.Maurice L. Britt, gift, 1993.Finding aid available in Special Collections.Lieutenant governors Arkansas.World War, 1939-1945 Campaigns Italy.Arkansas Politics and government.View this collection description in WorldCat.org: