Author Talk : Doug Rooks on Ken Curtis and the Reforms That Shaped Modern Maine

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November 4, 2026
Maine State Library

Who: Maine author and journalist Douglas Rooks.
What: A talk on Governor Ken Curtis and the reforms that reshaped Maine state government.
When: Thursday, November 12, 2026, from 6 to 7 p.m.
Where: Maine State Library, 230 State Street, Augusta.

Background

The Maine State Library invites the public to Transformational: Ken Curtis, Maine's Reform Governor, a talk by Maine author and journalist Douglas Rooks.

Ken Curtis was 35 when Maine elected him governor in 1966, making him the youngest governor in the nation. Over eight years in office, Curtis, a Democrat, worked with a Republican Legislature to reorganize state government around a cabinet, establish a state income tax, expand public education, and enact landmark environmental protections.

Rooks will explore how Curtis and the Legislature achieved those reforms and what has endured in the 60 years since his election. The era saw the creation of the Maine Department of Environmental Protection, the Maine Human Rights Commission, and the Maine Historic Preservation Commission.

Douglas Rooks has edited daily and weekly newspapers in Maine and New Hampshire and written a weekly opinion column for more than 45 years. An award-winning journalist, he covers Maine state government and public policy, including environmental issues, education, and taxation.