Collection Dates: 1979 – 2003

Scope and Content Note: Includes interviews, speeches, news clips from WUGA, UGA football highlights.

Biographical Note: Walter M. (Mike) Cheatham was an author and broadcaster originally from Toccoa, Georgia. He earned a history degree from the University of Georgia and a J. D. from Emory Univesity. Later, Cheatham worked in marketing and public affairs with the Coca-Cola Company and Union Carbide. He performed work in speech writing and public affairs in both corporate and political settings. He is best known for his books Your Friendly Neighbor: The Story of Georgia's Coca-Cola Bottling Families (1999), and No Man Walks Alone: The Life and Times of Thomas G. Pownall (2003). Prior to this, he wrote three books, Rabun Redux (1990), Class of the Carolinas (1992), An Athens Diary: One Georgia Community's Olympic Experience (1996). Cheatham served as a featured sports broadcaster throughout his career and wrote many newspaper op-ed columns. He passed away in 2013 at the age of 81.

Extent: 85 items

Related External Collections: Related materials in the Mike Cheatham papers, Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library