John Sherman Cooper was one of the most decorated politicians in Kentucky history. His legacy as an influential politician, diplomat, and lawyer remains strong in the Bluegrass State to this day. Born in 1901, in Somerset, Kentucky, Cooper grew up surrounded by politics. His family was very politically active in the region. When he was born, his dad served as the Kentucky 8th Congressional District ‘s collector of Internal Revenue – appointed by Theodore Roosevelt. While John was a kid, he worked different jobs, including newspaper delivery, in coal mines, and even in railroad yards.
During his time at Somerset High School, Cooper was a multi-sport athlete, playing both football and basketball. Cooper, the class president and class poet, graduated second in his class at Somerset High School in 1918. Following graduation, he enrolled at Centre College, where he played football for the Colonels. After one year at Centre, Cooper transferred to Yale. Upon his graduation from Yale, he was voted most popular and most likely to succeed in his class. In 1923, Cooper enrolled at Harvard Law School. Unfortunately, the death of his father forced him to leave Harvard and return to Kentucky.
Throughout the 1920’s Sherman desperately tried to support his family’s affairs and manage his deceased fathers remaining assets. By 1928, he was able to gain admission into the bar and open a legal practice in Somerset, Kentucky. Cooper entered politics in 1927, when he ran unopposed for a seat in the Kentucky House of Representatives. A few years later, Cooper confirmed his intention to run for county judge in Pulaski County. He emerged victorious, leading to his first of eight years in this position. Cooper personally took it upon himself to generously help the neediest and poorest members of his community, earning him the nickname, “the poor man’s judge”.
In 1942, at the age of 41, Cooper enlisted in the United States Army as a private. After completing Officer Candidate School in Michigan, Cooper went on to serve in Luxembourg, France, and Germany during World War II. Despite not even campaigning, Cooper was elected as circuit court judge for Kentucky’s 28th judicial district in 1945. In fact, Cooper was still in Germany when he was elected. In 1946, he was discharged from the Army as a captain and returned to Kentucky to fulfill his duties.
Cooper’s tenure as district judge was successful. For the first time, African Americans were permitted to serve on trial juries in the district. He was even nicknamed the poor man’s judge because of his generosity and willingness to help the neediest he encountered in court. In 1946, Cooper resigned to pursue a seat in the US Senate (vacated by Happy Chandler). Despite being the underdog and a “terrible public speaker” in his own words, he was victorious – defeating John Brown Sr. in a surprise landslide. The 40,000+ vote margin was one of the largest Republican victories in Kentucky up to that point. Cooper was active throughout his term, serving as the chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Public Roads. John and fellow Kentuckian, Alben Barkley, worked tirelessly to eliminate Jim Crow Laws and remove obstacles for minorities. Cooper, known as an independent Republican, seemed like a possible candidate as Vice President in the 1948 election. However, this never came to fruition, and he instead sought a second term in the Senate.
John Sherman Cooper lost to Democrat, Virgil Chapman, in the 1948 election. He resumed practicing law in Washington D.C. and was soon appointed as one five delegates in the United Nations General Assembly by President Truman. Although he was no longer an elected official, Cooper maintained his popularity. Some supporters believed he may run for governor of Kentucky or serve on the Supreme Court. In the early 1950’s. Cooper returned to politics with the intention to run for the Senate again. In 1954, he was elected to his second term, when he defeated Democrat, Thomas Underwood. This landmark victory was the first time a Kentucky Republican had been elected to the Senate twice. Cooper was also selected to serve on the Senate Committee on Labor, Education and Public Welfare.
In 1955, John Cooper was named US Ambassador to India and Nepal by President Dwight Eisenhower. It was a mutual nomination, as the Indian Government had expressed their fondness and willingness to work with Cooper. India was a newly independent nation and their relationship with the US had room for improvement. Cooper would be used to bridge this divide. It was not long before Cooper and the Indian Prime Minister formed a friendship. By 1955, there were reports that the relationship between India and the USA had been improved to a point not initially thought possible. Cooper’s advocacy culminated in the of approval of a large financial aid package from the US to India. This package included the largest ever sale of surplus agricultural goods by the United States (up to that point).
In 1956, Cooper returned from India to declare his candidacy for the Senate. Partially due to divisiveness in the Democratic Party, Cooper easily defeated former governor, Lawrence Wetherby. In 1967, Cooper began his second term in the Senate and was added to the Foreign Relations committee. He sponsored the Appalachian Regional Development Act, an act created to address poverty in the Appalachian Mountain Region. Over time, Cooper’s popularity only increased. In the 1960 election, Keen Johnson was no match for the incumbent. Cooper was reelected in another record-breaking landslide, by a margin of nearly 200,000 votes! While in the Senate, he was assigned to the Warren Commission to investigate the Kennedy assassination. Cooper also voted in favor of the Civil Rights Act of 1957, 1960, 1964, and 1968. Cooper strongly opposed the Vietnam War and was active in encouraging cease fires.
In 1966, Cooper again for reelection against John Brown Sr. He won by a record-breaking margin, winning the popular vote in 110 out of the 120 Kentucky counties. This term was spent working to address the Vietnam War and the complexities associated with it. Cooper cosponsored multiple bills aimed at de-escalating the war. In one last effort, he proposed an amendment that would effectively end US funding in the Vietnam War. It was hotly contested and ultimately voted against by the Senate – at the instruction of President Nixon. The same year, Cooper announced he would not seek reelection.
Upon the conclusion of Cooper’s term in the Senate, he resumed practicing law at Covington and Burling. In 1974, President Gerald Ford appointed Cooper as US Ambassador of East Germany. He served this role until 1976, when he returned to practice law at Covington and Burling. Following his retirement from politics, John Sherman Cooper was the recipient of numerous awards and honors. In 1983, Cooper was awarded the Governor’s Distinguished Service Medallion. The medallion was awarded by Governor John Brown Jr., the son of John Brown Sr. – Cooper’s two-time opponent in the Senatorial elections. He was also the third ever winner of the Oxford Cup, given to distinguished former members of the Beta Theta Pi fraternity. In 1987, Cooper was recognized as a distinguished Alumnus by Centre College and recognized with an honorary doctorate degree by the University of the Cumberlands. In 1989, Cooper retired from practicing law. A few years later, in 1991, Cooper passed away from heart failure in Washington D.C.
Even after Cooper’s death, his legacy continues to live on in the Commonwealth of Kentucky. In the week after Cooper’s passing, Kentucky Senators Wendell Ford and Mitch McConnell gave speeches honoring Cooper’s life and praising his political career. He was buried in Arlington, Virginia at the Arlington National Cemetery. Cooper was known as a humble and approachable guy. During his life, there was a campaign to rename the Big South Fork Recreation Area after Cooper. When he became aware of a small group opposing the name change, Cooper requested the proposal be dropped and the name remain the same. Congress also proposed naming the dam at Laurel River Lake after Cooper. Again, Cooper humbly declined.
Despite his modesty, Cooper has been honored in various other ways since his passing. KET created a documentary about his life. The documentary, titled Gentleman from Kentucky, was shown at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (Washington DC). Cooper was named one of the most influential Kentuckians of the 20th century by the Lexington Herald-Leader (1999). Eastern Kentucky University also formed the John Sherman Cooper award, given out to an individual who has demonstrated Outstanding Public Service in Kentucky. While it was never his goal, Cooper’s career in law and politics etched him into Kentucky history. Nearly 35 years after his death, he remains one of the most influential and well-respected politicians ever born in the Bluegrass State.
