PowerPoint #2

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Evaluate key post-World War II developments of Georgia from 1945 – 1970 c. Discuss the impact of Ellis Arnall.

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Defeated Eugene Talmadge for Governor in 1942.
Progressive Governor – believed in using government to change things.
First Governor to serve a 4 year term.
Youngest Governor in the nation at the time.
Led Georgia to become the first state to grant 18 year olds the right to vote.
Supported the end to the poll tax (made it easier for African Americans to vote).

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Arnall removed the prison system from the Governor’s control.
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Established the Board of Corrections to oversee state prisons and a pardon and parole board to handle those requests.

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In 1946, Governor Ellis Arnall’s term was drawing to a close.
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Democratic Primary Candidates:
Segregationist Eugene Talmadge
Former Governor Eurith Rivers
Marietta Bell Bomber Plant Head James Carmichael

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Carmichael won the popular vote due in large part to black voters being able to take part in the primary election for the first time since Reconstruction
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Talmadge won the county unit vote and became the
Democratic candidate.

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The Republicans did not have a candidate, so Talmadge ran unopposed in the
November general election.

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62 years old and in poor health
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His close advisors were afraid that he would not live long enough to begin his term, they made a secret plan.
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The plan was for a few hundred selected supporters to write in the name of Eugene Talmadge’s son,
Herman, on the ballot as their 2 nd choice for Governor.

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Eugene Talmadge = Governor
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Melvin Thompson = Lieutenant Governor

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Shortly before he was sworn in, Eugene
Talmadge dies, and confusion began.

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Legislature chose Herman
Talmadge based on the number of write-in votes (a good number of them were suddenly “found” after the election).
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Governor Arnall declared that Lt. Governor Thompson was the governor.

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In the early morning hours of January 15,
1947, a group of
Eugene Talmadge’s men broke into the
Governor’s Office, changed the locks on the doors, and started to run the state.

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Because he was locked out of his own office,
Governor Arnall set up a temporary office at the Capitol information counter.
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3 days later, Arnall officially resigned.

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In the meantime,
Thompson opened an office in downtown
Atlanta and began legal proceedings to become Governor.
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The government of
Georgia was in a state of confusion.

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Secretary of State Ben
Fortson refused to give the official state seal
(used to legalize documents) to either
Talmadge or Thompson.
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As a result, no one was in a position to run the state.

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Finally, in March, the
Georgia Supreme Court ruled that Thompson was the rightful
Governor until a special election could be held in 1948 to fill the unexpired term of
Governor-elect Eugene
Talmadge.

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In that election, Herman Talmadge was legally elected as Georgia’s Governor.