John William Carlin (born August 3, 1940) 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. He teaches at Kansas State University as a visiting professor and previously operated a website to advance civic engagement. Carlin is also a member of the ReFormers Caucus of Issue One.

Early life

Carlin was born in

Salina, Kansas Salina is a city in, and the county seat of, Saline County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 46,889. In the early 1800s, the Kanza tribal land reached eastward from the middle of the Kansas Territory. In 1 ...

. He was raised in the

Saline County, Kansas Saline County (standard abbreviation: SA) is located in the U.S. state of Kansas. As of the 2020 census, the county population was 54,303. The largest city and county seat is Salina. History Early history For many millennia, the Great Pla ...

community of Smolan. Carlin attended Kansas State University and earned a degree in dairy science in 1962. He was a member of FarmHouse fraternity.

Career

Rehnquist and Carlin at National Archives Rotunda

dairy farmer Dairy farming is a class of agriculture for long-term production of milk, which is processed (either on the farm or at a dairy plant, either of which may be called a dairy) for eventual sale of a dairy product. Dairy farming has a history that ...

, Carlin ran for a seat in the

Kansas House of Representatives The Kansas House of Representatives is the lower house of the legislature of the U.S. state of Kansas. Composed of 125 state representatives from districts with roughly equal populations of at least 19,000, its members are responsible for crafti ...

in 1970. He served as Speaker of the Kansas House from 1977 to 1979. In 1979 he became the youngest 20th century governor of Kansas, defeating incumbent

Robert Frederick Bennett Robert Frederick Bennett (May 23, 1927 – October 9, 2000) was an American lawyer and the 39th governor of Kansas from 1975 to 1979. Biography Bennett was born May 23, 1927, in Kansas City, Missouri. He married Joan Gregory, whom he met at ...

. 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 The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

in 1994, when he was defeated by

Sam Brownback Samuel Dale Brownback (born September 12, 1956) is an American attorney, politician, diplomat, and member of the Republican Party (United States), Republican Party who served as the United States Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Fr ...

, 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. Appointed by President

Bill Clinton William Jefferson Clinton ( né Blythe III; born August 19, 1946) is an American politician who served as the 42nd president of the United States from 1993 to 2001. He previously served as governor of Arkansas from 1979 to 1981 and agai ...

, Carlin served as the Archivist of the United States from 1995 to 2005, in

Washington, D.C. ) , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top left: the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial on the National Mall, United States Capitol, Logan Circle, Jefferson Memorial, White House, Adams Morgan, ...

After a dispute about

Executive Order 13233 Executive Order 13233 limited access to the records of former United States Presidents to a higher degree than the previous Order 12667, which it superseded. It was drafted by then White House Counsel Alberto Gonzales and issued by George W. ...

, 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 Manhattan is a city and county seat of Riley County, Kansas, United States, although the city extends into Pottawatomie County. It is located in northeastern Kansas at the junction of the Kansas River and Big Blue River. As of the 2020 c ...

, 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 The University of Kansas (KU) is a public research university with its main campus in Lawrence, Kansas, United States, and several satellite campuses, research and educational centers, medical centers, and classes across the state of Kansas. T ...

Wichita State University Wichita State University (WSU) is a public research university in Wichita, Kansas, United States. It is governed by the Kansas Board of Regents. The university offers more than 60 undergraduate degree programs in more than 200 areas of study in ...

, and

Washburn University Washburn University (WU) is a public university in Topeka, Kansas, United States. It offers undergraduate and graduate programs, as well as professional programs in law and business. Washburn has 550 faculty members, who teach more than 6,100 ...

as visiting professor. Carlin served as a member of the Kansas Bioscience Authority from July 2006 to August 2012. 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. Carlin is also a member of the ReFormers Caucus of Issue One.

References

External links

*
National Archives

Publications concerning Kansas Governor Carlin's administration available via the KGI Online Library
, - , - , - , - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Carlin, John W. 1940 births American archivists American Lutherans Democratic Party governors of Kansas Farmers from Kansas Kansas State University alumni Living people Democratic Party members of the Kansas House of Representatives Politicians from Salina, Kansas Politicians from Manhattan, Kansas Kansas State University faculty George W. Bush administration personnel Clinton administration personnel

Early life

Career

See also

References

External links