GPB focuses on ’60s Secretary of State Dean Rusk, a Georgian

He had a major role in creating the dividing line between North and South Korea, resolving the Cuban Missile Crisis, lobbying for the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and building up U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War. He was secretary of state for both John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson.

Georgia Public Broadcasting highlights Rusk’s achievements in a 30-minute profile airing at 8 p.m. Tuesday as part of a 13-part “Georgia Greats” series.

“We’re packing a lot in a short period of time,” said executive producer Pamela Roberts, who interviewed two of Rusk’s children, civil rights legend Andrew Young and former CNN President Tom Johnson, who worked with Rusk during the LBJ administration.

Roberts also was able to use hundreds of hours of audio Rusk taped while compiling his memoir. “No secretary of state has ever been interviewed as much as Dean Rusk,” she said.

Rusk’s daughter Peggy Rusk Smith in 1967 married a black man, Guy Smith, a highly controversial move that was illegal in many states at the time. Rusk offered to resign his post as secretary of state, but Johnson declined.

“He worried it just wouldn’t succeed and we were setting ourselves up for heartbreak and maybe even danger,” Smith said in the documentary. In the end, they were soul mates until his death in 2012.

When it came to the Vietnam War, “he went through an agony of indecision in 1964,” Rusk’s son Rich said. Rusk ultimately supported bringing in more troops and the conflict escalated. He was vilified by anti-Vietnam War protesters.

“He thought he was doing the right thing,” said Rich, who moved to Alaska for 14 years to get away from his father but ultimately reconciled with him. Rusk managed his stress by chain-smoking and drinking scotch. In retrospect, he expressed regret over that war.

After Rusk left government in 1969, he taught international law at the University of Georgia. He died in 1994.