Neville Miller
Encyclopedia
Neville Miller was mayor
of Louisville, Kentucky
from 1933 to 1937. His father, Shackelford Miller, was Chief Justice of the Kentucky Court of Appeals
(the highest state appellate court at the time). He was valedictorian
of his 1912 class at Louisville Male High School
, and earned a bachelor's degree from Princeton University
in 1916 and a law degree from Harvard Law School
in 1920.
Miller practiced law in Louisville with his father and brother, Shackelford Miller, Jr.
, in the firm Miller and Miller, and was elected president of the Kentucky Bar Association in 1924. However, he primarily taught law during this time, and became the first dean of the University of Louisville
School of Law
in 1930. After being active in the party for years, he was narrowly elected mayor as a Democrat
in 1933, ending 15 years of Republican
dominance of the office.
He led the city during the worst years of the Great Depression
and helped reorganize city finances for the changing times. Miller is best known as the "flood mayor" for his leadership during the Ohio River flood of 1937
, the worst in the city's history. He directed evacuations and relief efforts and made nationwide appeals for donations and volunteers over the radio.
Due to his use of the radio during the flood crisis, Miller briefly attained some national celebrity and, after a brief stint at Princeton, served as president of the National Association of Broadcasters
from 1938 to 1944, spearheading the radio industry's support of the war effort
. He practiced communications law in Washington, D.C.
from 1945 until his retirement in 1974.
He also served as director of the Louisville Water Company
and on the boards of the Louisville Free Public Library
, the Park Board and the Civil Service Board.
He was buried in Cave Hill Cemetery.
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville is the largest city in the U.S. state of Kentucky, and the county seat of Jefferson County. Since 2003, the city's borders have been coterminous with those of the county because of a city-county merger. The city's population at the 2010 census was 741,096...
from 1933 to 1937. His father, Shackelford Miller, was Chief Justice of the Kentucky Court of Appeals
Kentucky Court of Appeals
The Kentucky Court of Appeals is the lower of Kentucky's two appellate courts, under the Kentucky Supreme Court. Prior to a 1975 amendment to the Kentucky Constitution the Kentucky Court of Appeals was the only appellate court in Kentucky....
(the highest state appellate court at the time). He was valedictorian
Valedictorian
Valedictorian is an academic title conferred upon the student who delivers the closing or farewell statement at a graduation ceremony. Usually, the valedictorian is the highest ranked student among those graduating from an educational institution...
of his 1912 class at Louisville Male High School
Louisville Male High School
Louisville Male Traditional High School is a public secondary school serving students in grades 9 through 12 in the southside of Louisville, Kentucky, USA. It is part of the Jefferson County Public School District....
, and earned a bachelor's degree from Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
in 1916 and a law degree from Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
in 1920.
Miller practiced law in Louisville with his father and brother, Shackelford Miller, Jr.
Shackelford Miller, Jr.
Shackelford Miller, Jr. was a United States federal judge.Born in Louisville, Kentucky, Miller received an A.B. from Princeton University in 1914 and an LL.B. from Harvard Law School in 1917. He was in private practice in Louisville, Kentucky from 1919 to 1939.On February 16, 1939, Miller was...
, in the firm Miller and Miller, and was elected president of the Kentucky Bar Association in 1924. However, he primarily taught law during this time, and became the first dean of the University of Louisville
University of Louisville
The University of Louisville is a public university in Louisville, Kentucky. When founded in 1798, it was the first city-owned public university in the United States and one of the first universities chartered west of the Allegheny Mountains. The university is mandated by the Kentucky General...
School of Law
Louis D. Brandeis School of Law
The Louis D. Brandeis School of Law is the law school of the University of Louisville. Established in 1846, it is the oldest law school in Kentucky and the fifth oldest in the country in continuous operation. The law school is named after Justice Louis Dembitz Brandeis, who served on the Supreme...
in 1930. After being active in the party for years, he was narrowly elected mayor as a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
in 1933, ending 15 years of Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
dominance of the office.
He led the city during the worst years of the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
and helped reorganize city finances for the changing times. Miller is best known as the "flood mayor" for his leadership during the Ohio River flood of 1937
Ohio River flood of 1937
The Ohio River flood of 1937 took place in late January and February 1937. With damage stretching from Pittsburgh to Cairo, Illinois, one million persons were left homeless, with 385 dead and property losses reaching $500 million...
, the worst in the city's history. He directed evacuations and relief efforts and made nationwide appeals for donations and volunteers over the radio.
Due to his use of the radio during the flood crisis, Miller briefly attained some national celebrity and, after a brief stint at Princeton, served as president of the National Association of Broadcasters
National Association of Broadcasters
The National Association of Broadcasters is a trade association, workers union, and lobby group representing the interests of for-profit, over-the-air radio and television broadcasters in the United States...
from 1938 to 1944, spearheading the radio industry's support of the war effort
United States home front during World War II
This page, United States home front during World War II, covers the developments within the United States, 1940–1945, to support its efforts during World War II.-Economics:...
. He practiced communications law in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
from 1945 until his retirement in 1974.
He also served as director of the Louisville Water Company
Louisville Water Company
Louisville Water Company is a municipal water company which provides water to the more than 800,000 people in Louisville, Kentucky as well as parts of Oldham and Bullitt counties. Additionally, they provide wholesale water to the outlying counties of Shelby, Spencer, and Nelson counties...
and on the boards of the Louisville Free Public Library
Louisville Free Public Library
The Louisville Free Public Library is the largest public library system in Kentucky. Officially opened in 1908, the library's main site resides south of Broadway in downtown Louisville. Additional branches were added over time, including the Western Colored Branch, which was the first...
, the Park Board and the Civil Service Board.
He was buried in Cave Hill Cemetery.