Winfield Dunn Open Collection Winfield Dunn Messages: MPA-303 [MS-0949] (Finding Aid not online) Closed Collection Winfield Dunn Papers: MPA-309 (unprocessed)

Winfield C. Dunn (1927- ) was a political novice when he was elected Governor of Tennessee, becoming the first Republican in nearly fifty years to occupy that position, which he held from 1971 to 1975. Born in Meridian, Mississippi, he was the son of U.S. Representative Aubert C. Dunn and Dorothy Crum Dunn. After earning a business administration degree and political science minor from the University of Mississippi, Dunn graduated from the dental school at the University of Tennessee, Memphis. He married Betty Jane Prichard while he was in dental school and the couple settled in Memphis where Dunn practiced dentistry. Though Dunn was involved in Republican Party politics since his undergraduate years, he had not held political office when he defeated Democrat John J. Hooker in the gubernatorial election of 1970. Successes of his tenure included the formation of a statewide kindergarten program, an acceleration of highway construction legislation, significant reorganization of the state government branches, and an attempt to bridge the partisan and regional divisions within the state. Following his departure from the governor’s office, Dunn became involved in charitable organizations, Tennessee higher education and the medical field while remaining active in Republican politics.