All Oral Histories
An Interview with Mark Earley
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Interview Date
4-5-2024
Description
"...in America, unless each generation has a recommitment to fundamental principles of freedom and liberty, we can lose what we have in a generation. And so I decided I wanted to be a part in my generation of trying to rekindle a passion and a commitment to those first freedoms that laid the foundation for America to be a great nation. So I wanted to go to law school and change the world."
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In this oral history, dated April 5, 2024, William & Mary Law alum Mark Earley, Sr. gives us an overview of his lengthy legal and political career, including snippets of his time in the Virginia State Senate and his former position as Attorney General of Virginia. He shares stories from his childhood, undergraduate years at William & Mary, and time working at a ministry in the Philippines prior to law school. We learn about how the composition of the Virginia State Senate shifted from 1988 until he left in 2001 and what the process of appointing a judge looks like in Virginia. Mark explains why his philosophy on the death penalty and tough-on-crime initiatives shifted from full support during his years as AG to outspoken opposition today. We also hear a touching story about the lasting connection he made with a Richmond elementary schooler through a mentorship lunch program for at-risk youth.
Run Time
01:22:52
Keywords
Charles W. Colson, David L. Holmes, Eileen A. Olds, Lemuel S. Tucker, Attorneys general--Virginia, Campus ministry, Capital punishment, Lunch Buddies programs, Prison fellowship, School integration
Local Identifier
OH.2024.006
Conditions Governing Reproduction and Use
The copyright for these materials remains with their narrator. Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce for reasons not covered by fair use must be secured from the repository and the copyright holder.
Recommended Citation
Earley, Mark Sr. and Relvas-Veliadis, Daniella, "An Interview with Mark Earley" (2024). All Oral Histories. 13.
https://scholarship.law.wm.edu/oralhist_all/13
Comments
A transcript and guide to the oral history are available as additional files, above.