Oral history interview with Betty Chiles Nixon, 19 June 2007.
(Document/manuscript/pamphlet/archival material)

Materials housed in Special Collections Division of the Main Library, Nashville Public Library.

This interview was recorded in digital format using a Marantz PMD671 solid state recorder. The interview was recorded in .wav format at 48 khz and 16 bit and was converted to .mp3 format for access.

In library use only. Available by appointment.

Scope and content: Oral history interview with Nashville business and civic leader Betty Chiles Nixon, conducted 19 June 2007 by James T. Havron as part of the Library Interviews series of the Nashville Public Library's Nashville Business Leaders Oral History Project. During the one hour interview, Nixon discusses such topics as her childhood; her father, John Chiles, and his Cross Keys Restaurant; the decline of business in downtown Nashville; her involvement in politics; the civil rights movement; economic development and the social climate in Nashville; and lessons learned from growing up part of a family-owned business.

Cite as: Oral history interview with Betty Chiles Nixon, Nashville Business Leaders Oral History Project, Special Collections Division, Nashville Public Library.

This material may be protected by copyright law (Title 17 U.S. Code)

Betty Nixon was born in Louisville, Kentucky, on 12 Jan. 1936. Her father was John Chiles, founder of the Cross Keys Restaurant in Nashville. She earned her Bachelor's Degree in Education from Southern Methodist University and her Master's Degree in Business from Vanderbilt University's Owen Graduate School of Management. Nixon worked as a high school in Anniston, Ala. She served as Deputy Press Secretary to Governor Ray Blanton (1975-1979); State Manager, Mondale Ferraro Presidential Campaign (1984); Board Member, Oasis Center, (1988-1990); State Campaign Manager, United States Senator James R. Sasser (1988); Professional Staff, United States Senate, Subcommittee on Intergovernmental Relations (1989); Founder, Women in the Nineties (1992); Chairman, Bill Wilkerson Hearing and Speech Center (1995-1997); Board, West End United Methodist Church (1998-2004); President, Nashville Women's Breakfast Club; Twice Chairman, Nashville Electric Service (1992;2004); Chairwoman, Davidson County Election Commission (2003-2005); Tennessee State University Business Incubation Center Board (1992-2007); Board's of Citizen's Bank Advisory Board; Youth Encouragement Services (2005); YMCA Black Achievers; Chairwoman, Tennessee Women's Political Caucus; The Rochelle Center; Advisory Board, Bill Wilkerson Center; Alcohol and Drug Council of Middle Tennessee; Project Pencil; Nashville Institute for the Arts; and The United Way. Nixon was the first woman elected to the Metropolitan Nashville City Council, representing the 18th Councilmatic District from (1975-1987), and was the first woman to Chair the Budget and Finance Committee in Nashville's history. Nixon is a two-time mayoral candidate and was the first major female candidate to run for mayor of Nashville/Davidson County. Nixon served as Special Assistant for Government Relations at Vanderbilt beginning in 1990, and in January 2007 she retired as Assistant Vice Chancellor for Community, Neighborhood and Government Relations at Vanderbilt University. Nixon has received numerous community awards and honors, including the prestigious Athena Award (1998)

In English.

Index available in repository.

Forms part of: Nashville Business Leaders Oral History Project: Library Interviews.