National Politics

See pictures of Mitch McConnell going to college at UK Law School in the 1960s

By Brian Simms

READ MORE

Mitch McConnell steps down as US Senate Republican Leader

Expand All

Some say it might be hard to imagine, but yes, Mitch McConnell was once a young college student living in a Lexington apartment with roommates, going to class, studying to become a lawyer and staying active in campus groups.

But that was the college life at the University of Kentucky for McConnnell, 82, who grew up in Louisville after his family moved to Kentucky from Alabama in 1956.

He graduated from the University of Louisville with a political science bachelor’s degree in 1964 with honors and went on to UK’s College of Law. There he found a passion for law serving as president of the Student Bar Association.

After he graduated from UK in 1967 with his law degree, McConnell was an intern for Kentucky Sen. John Sherman Cooper. McConnell called Cooper, a Republican who served 20 years in the U.S. Senate, his political hero.

Photos of McConnell’s time on the UK campus show him being active and attending award luncheons for the law school while being the “chief cook,” as he put it, of the three-room apartment he shared in 1967 on Lexington’s South Mill Street.

Less than 20 years later, he was elected to the U.S. Senate and later rose to the post of GOP leader — a position he held as the nation’s longest-serving U.S. Senate leader.

Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell, in his second year in the College of Law at the University of Kentucky, April, 1966. McConnell, pictured at right, was selected to represent the College of Law in regional competition in Lincoln, Neb. with J. Kevin Charters and Judy Ward Smith. The team was selected after presenting simulated appellate arguments before the Kentucky Court of Appeals. Published in the Lexington Leader April 26, 1966.
Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell, in his second year in the College of Law at the University of Kentucky, April, 1966. McConnell, pictured at right, was selected to represent the College of Law in regional competition in Lincoln, Neb. with J. Kevin Charters and Judy Ward Smith. The team was selected after presenting simulated appellate arguments before the Kentucky Court of Appeals. Published in the Lexington Leader April 26, 1966. Herald-Leader file photo
Future Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell at far left, in his third year in the College of Law at the University of Kentucky, talks with then Kentucky Sen. John Sherman Cooper, Sept. 26, 1966. Cooper, a Republican who served 20 years in the U.S. Senate, spoke at the UK Law Forum for 30 minutes. McConnell, who was president of the Student Bar Association at this time and later graduated from UK’s law school, went on to work for Cooper and has called him his political hero. Published Sept. 27, 1966 in the Lexington Leader.
Future Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell at far left, in his third year in the College of Law at the University of Kentucky, talks with then Kentucky Sen. John Sherman Cooper, Sept. 26, 1966. Cooper, a Republican who served 20 years in the U.S. Senate, spoke at the UK Law Forum for 30 minutes. McConnell, who was president of the Student Bar Association at this time and later graduated from UK’s law school, went on to work for Cooper and has called him his political hero. Published Sept. 27, 1966 in the Lexington Leader. Herald-Leader file photo
Sen. Mitch McConnell, in his third year in the College of Law at the University of Kentucky, in his Lexington apartment, January, 1967. McConnell shared a three-room apartment with Dan White, a candidate for a doctorate in English, on the second floor of a six-unit building at 337 South Mill St. The photo ran with a story on how their apartment building previously had a different front entrance when it was a house because it had faced a street that no longer existed. The story said McConnell was “chief cook” of the apartment he shared with White and that they met as eighth-graders at Manuel High School in Louisville. Both said an apartment in a more modern building might be easier to clean. “But then we don’t do much,” they admitted. “And this is the kind of home I’d like to own,” McConnell said. Their apartment was once the master bedroom for the house, which was built in 1816. The caption published with this photo said his desk is “like Linus’ blanket - it goes where he goes.” The books on the shelf next McConnell’s desk include “The Family and the Law,” “With Kennedy,” “The Making of the President, 1964,” Humor from Harper’s,” “Black’s Law Dictionary”, “Joy of Cooking,” The Anatomy of Liberty” and “Labor Relations and the Law.” McConnell, who was President of the student Bar Association, graduated with his law degree later that year. Published Sunday, Jan. 29, 1967 in the Sunday Herald-Leader.
Sen. Mitch McConnell, in his third year in the College of Law at the University of Kentucky, in his Lexington apartment, January, 1967. McConnell shared a three-room apartment with Dan White, a candidate for a doctorate in English, on the second floor of a six-unit building at 337 South Mill St. The photo ran with a story on how their apartment building previously had a different front entrance when it was a house because it had faced a street that no longer existed. The story said McConnell was “chief cook” of the apartment he shared with White and that they met as eighth-graders at Manuel High School in Louisville. Both said an apartment in a more modern building might be easier to clean. “But then we don’t do much,” they admitted. “And this is the kind of home I’d like to own,” McConnell said. Their apartment was once the master bedroom for the house, which was built in 1816. The caption published with this photo said his desk is “like Linus’ blanket - it goes where he goes.” The books on the shelf next McConnell’s desk include “The Family and the Law,” “With Kennedy,” “The Making of the President, 1964,” Humor from Harper’s,” “Black’s Law Dictionary”, “Joy of Cooking,” The Anatomy of Liberty” and “Labor Relations and the Law.” McConnell, who was President of the student Bar Association, graduated with his law degree later that year. Published Sunday, Jan. 29, 1967 in the Sunday Herald-Leader. Herald-Leader file photo
Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell at far left, in his third year in the College of Law at the University of Kentucky, April 1967. The Louisville native, who graduated from the University of Louisville with a political science bachelor’s degree in 1964 with honors, was attending the annual Awards Luncheon for the law school. Whitney Young, second from right and Executive Director of the National Urban League, New York, spoke at the gathering. McConnell was president of the Student Bar Association during his final year of law school, graduating that year. Published Sunday, April 2, 1967 in the Sunday Herald-Leader.
Kentucky Sen. Mitch McConnell at far left, in his third year in the College of Law at the University of Kentucky, April 1967. The Louisville native, who graduated from the University of Louisville with a political science bachelor’s degree in 1964 with honors, was attending the annual Awards Luncheon for the law school. Whitney Young, second from right and Executive Director of the National Urban League, New York, spoke at the gathering. McConnell was president of the Student Bar Association during his final year of law school, graduating that year. Published Sunday, April 2, 1967 in the Sunday Herald-Leader. Herald-Leader file photo

This story was originally published February 28, 2024 at 4:44 PM.

Get one year of unlimited digital access for $159.99
#ReadLocal

Only 44¢ per day

SUBSCRIBE NOW

Mitch McConnell steps down as US Senate Republican Leader

Back to Story