Victor Ashe was born in Knoxville, Tennessee on January 1, 1945. He received his undergraduate degree from Yale University in 1967. He received his law degree from the University of Tennessee. Ashe served in the United States Marines from 1967 to 1973. He worked as an intern for Congressman Bill Brock and a staff member for Senator Howard H. Baker, Jr.
Ashe was elected to the Tennessee House of Representatives in 1968. He was 23 years old at the time of election. The minimum age for a state legislator was 30 and the Tennessee Supreme Court blocked Ashe from taking office. He campaigned for the United States Senate in 1984 but was defeated by Albert Gore, Jr. Ashe served as the Mayor of Knoxville from 1987 to 2003. President George Bush appointed his as Ambassador to Poland. He served as Ambassador from 2004 to 2009.
Victor Ashe’s papers are stored in approximately 50 linear feet of boxes. The collection is unprocessed and closed to the public.