Martha Layne Collins facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Martha Layne Collins
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Collins in the early 1980s
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| 56th Governor of Kentucky | |
| In office December 13, 1983 – December 8, 1987 |
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| Lieutenant | Steve Beshear |
| Preceded by | John Y. Brown Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Wallace Wilkinson |
| 48th Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky | |
| In office December 11, 1979 – December 13, 1983 |
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| Governor | John Y. Brown Jr. |
| Preceded by | Thelma Stovall |
| Succeeded by | Steve Beshear |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Martha Layne Hall
December 7, 1936 Bagdad, Kentucky, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Bill Collins
(m. 1959) |
| Education | Lindenwood University University of Kentucky (BS) |
Martha Layne Collins (born December 7, 1936) is an American former politician. She made history as the 56th governor of Kentucky from 1983 to 1987. She was the first woman to hold this important job. Before becoming governor, she served as the 48th Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky. Her election made her the highest-ranking woman in the Democratic Party in the U.S. at that time.
Martha Layne Collins was even considered as a possible running mate for presidential candidate Walter Mondale in 1984. She worked hard to improve education and bring new businesses to Kentucky. After her time as governor, she taught at universities and led a college.
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Early Life and Education
Martha Layne Hall was born on December 7, 1936, in Bagdad, Kentucky. She was the only child of Everett and Mary Hall. When she was in sixth grade, her family moved to Shelbyville, Kentucky. There, they opened a funeral home.
Martha Layne was very active in school and at her local church. Her parents were involved in local politics. She often helped them by stuffing envelopes and delivering flyers for Democratic candidates.
She attended Shelbyville High School. She was a good student and a cheerleader. She also won the Shelby County Tobacco Festival Queen title in 1954. After high school, she went to Lindenwood College. It was an all-women's college at the time.
After one year, she transferred to the University of Kentucky in Lexington, Kentucky. She joined many clubs, like the Chi Omega sorority. She was also president of her dorm. In 1959, she earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Home Economics.
In 1957, she met Billy Louis Collins. They married shortly after she graduated. While her husband studied dentistry, Martha taught at high schools in Louisville. They had two children, Steve and Marla. In 1966, the Collins family moved to Versailles, Kentucky. Martha taught at Woodford County Junior High School. They became active in local groups, including the Young Democratic Couples Club.
Starting a Political Career
By 1971, Martha Layne Collins was the president of the Jayceettes, a civic group. Her work caught the attention of state senator Walter "Dee" Huddleston. He asked her to help lead Wendell Ford's campaign for governor. She did such a great job organizing her district.
After Ford won, he named Collins to a national Democratic Party role. She left teaching to work full-time at the state Democratic Party office. She became the secretary of the state Democratic party. She also attended the 1972 Democratic National Convention. The next year, she worked on Huddleston's campaign for the U.S. Senate.
In 1975, Collins won the Democratic nomination for Clerk of the Kentucky Court of Appeals. She won the general election against Republican Joseph E. Lambert. During her time as clerk, Kentucky's court system changed. The Court of Appeals became the Kentucky Supreme Court. Collins was the first person to be Clerk of the Supreme Court. She helped teach people about the court's new role.
Collins was elected lieutenant governor in 1979. She served under Governor John Y. Brown Jr.. Governor Brown often traveled outside the state. This meant Collins served as acting governor for over 500 days. She visited all 120 counties in Kentucky during her term.
As lieutenant governor, Collins led the state Senate. Lawmakers from both parties praised her fairness and knowledge of rules. She even broke tie votes twice on important bills. She also chaired the National Conference of Lieutenant Governors. She was the first woman to hold that position.
Becoming Governor of Kentucky
Nearing the end of her term as lieutenant governor, Collins decided to run for governor in 1983. She won the Democratic nomination in a close race. In the general election, Collins faced Republican state senator Jim Bunning. Bunning was a famous professional baseball pitcher.
Collins won the election by a large number of votes. She became the first, and so far only, woman to be elected governor of Kentucky. This was a very important moment in the state's history.
After her election, Collins made some appointments to her team. The media criticized some choices, saying they were inexperienced. Collins quickly addressed concerns when an insurance rate increase was approved. She stopped the approval until a public hearing could be held.
Leading Kentucky as Governor
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As governor, Martha Layne Collins focused on two main areas: education and economic development. In her first speech to lawmakers, she asked for more money for education. She suggested tax changes to pay for it. However, lawmakers did not want to raise taxes at that time.
Collins then withdrew her request for tax increases. She still managed to pass some important education ideas. These included required kindergarten and special programs for elementary students. She also pushed for teacher testing and support for struggling schools.
Considered for Vice-President
When Collins became governor, she was the highest-ranking Democratic woman in the country. She was the only woman governor of any state. She appeared on TV shows and gave the Democratic response to President Ronald Reagan's radio address.
In 1984, the Democratic Party chose Collins to lead their national convention in San Francisco. Before the convention, Walter Mondale, who was running for president, interviewed Collins. He was looking for a vice-presidential candidate. Mondale eventually chose Geraldine Ferraro.
Improving Education
In 1985, Collins renewed her efforts for education funding. She even appointed herself secretary of the state Education and Humanities Cabinet. She held meetings across the state to hear what citizens wanted for schools. She made sure to talk about education plans separately from tax increases.
In June 1985, Collins announced a new education plan. It included pay raises for teachers and smaller class sizes. It also provided money for school buildings and aides for kindergarten teachers. The plan aimed to make funding fairer for poorer school districts. Lawmakers approved Collins's education plan in a special session. They raised a corporate tax to pay for it.
Collins continued to push for more money for higher education in 1986. Lawmakers approved an extra $100 million for colleges and universities. They also approved a pilot preschool program. Collins supported a change to make the state superintendent of education an appointed job. However, voters rejected this idea in November 1986.
Bringing Toyota to Kentucky
In 1985, Collins made several trips to Japan. She also visited China, a first for a Kentucky governor. Her goal was to encourage trade and investment in Kentucky. Her biggest success was convincing Toyota to build a large manufacturing plant in Georgetown, Kentucky. Kentucky was chosen over other states like Indiana and Tennessee.
The agreement with Toyota included $125 million in incentives from the state. This money would help buy land, train employees, and improve roads near the plant. Lawmakers approved this plan in 1986. Some people worried if these incentives were allowed by the state constitution. However, the Kentucky Supreme Court later ruled that the plan was constitutional.
Soon after the Toyota announcement, other car-related factories came to Kentucky. The state saw record job growth under Collins's leadership. The unemployment rate dropped significantly during her term.
Other Achievements
In 1987, Collins called a special meeting of lawmakers. This was to fix a problem with the state's worker's compensation fund. After negotiations, a plan was approved to increase funding for injured workers.
Collins also led the Tennessee–Tombigbee Waterway Authority. This waterway opened to the public in 1985. She received several awards and honors for her work. In 1985, she was named to the University of Kentucky Alumni Association's Hall of Distinguished Alumni.
Life After Governorship
Collins's term as governor ended on December 8, 1987. At that time, Kentucky governors could not serve two terms in a row. After leaving office, she became an "executive in residence" at the University of Louisville. She gave lectures to business students. She also started a company that helped with international trade.
In 1990, Collins became the president of Saint Catharine College in Springfield, Kentucky. She was the first president of the small Catholic college who was not a nun. She led the college until 1996.
After leaving Saint Catharine College, Collins directed an international business center at the University of Kentucky. Later, she took a part-time role at Georgetown College. In 1999, she was named Honorary Consul General of Japan in Kentucky. This role involved promoting Japanese interests and culture in the state. In 2005, she became the chairwoman and CEO of the Kentucky World Trade Center. She also served on the boards of several companies.
Awards and Recognition
Many honors have been given to Martha Layne Collins. In 1999, a group called Women Leading Kentucky created the Martha Layne Collins Leadership Award. This award recognizes women who inspire others. Collins was the first person to receive it.
In 2003, Kentucky's Bluegrass Parkway was renamed the Martha Layne Collins Bluegrass Parkway in her honor. She also received the World Trade Day Book of Honor Award that year. In 2009, she received a high honor from Japan, the Order of the Rising Sun. This was for her work in strengthening ties between Japan and the U.S. Martha Layne Collins High School in Shelby County, Kentucky, opened in 2010 and was named after her.
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See also
- List of female governors in the United States
- List of female lieutenant governors in the United States
- Kentucky Colonel
