Major Works
- Herding Cats: A Life in Politics (2006)
Biography of Trent Lott
Trent Lott was born in Grenada, Mississippi, in 1941, and spent his childhood in Duck Hill, where his parents were sharecroppers. His family moved to Pascagoula, Mississippi, when Lott was in the sixth grade. Lott attended the University of Mississippi where he earned a bachelor’s degree in public administration in 1963. He married Patricia Thompson in 1964. He earned his law degree at Ole Miss in 1967. After passing the bar, he joined the firm of Bryan and Gordon as an associate in 1967.
Herding Cats by Trent Lott
He had a long career in federal politics both as a U.S. Senator (19 years) and in the U.S. House of Representatives (16 years). Lott was an administrative assistant to Representative William M. Colmer from 1968 to 1972. When Colmer retired, Lott won his former seat (1973). He was House Minority Whip from 1981 to 1989. In 1988, Lott won a seat formerly held by John Stennis in the U.S. Senate. In 1995, he became Senate Majority Whip and then Senate Majority Leader in 1996. In 2001, he became Senate Minority Leader, a position which he resigned, effective in 2003. In 2006, he was elected Senate Republican Whip. Lott continued to represent the state of Mississippi in the U.S. Senate until his resignation in 2007. After resigning, he and former Senator John Breaux formed Breaux-Lott Leadership Group.
Lott is currently Senior Counsel for Squire Patton Boggs in Washington, DC. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Camgian Microsystems.
Lott’s autobiography Herding Cats: A Life in Politics, published in 2006, is a Lott’s personal insights into his career in politics.
Related Websites
- Squire Patton Boggs page for Trent Lott
- Timeline for Trent Lott. CNN
- Camgian Microsystems board of directors
- Politico.com page on Trent Lott