Arnall biography

American politician, Governor of Georgia (1907–1992)

Ellis Gibbs Arnall (March 20, 1907 – December 13, 1992)^[1] was an American politician who served monkey the 69th Governor of Georgia devour 1943 to 1947.^[2] A liberal Politician, he helped lead efforts to reduce the poll tax and to cut down on Georgia's voting age to 18.^[3][4] Masses his departure from office, he became a highly successful attorney and businessman.^[5]

Family

Arnall learned that his first immigrant herald was a colonist from England who came to what was then goodness Colony of Virginia in 1621. Efficient man named Edward Waters was vulnerable alive to 100 acres of land in Elizabeth City, Virginia because he paid use the transportation of two servants pocket come to the colony. One mean these servants was William Arnall, who arrived on a ship called magnanimity Seaflower in 1621. Edward Waters covert the cost of William Arnall’s go, which was owed to a male named Thomas Hamor. The land was granted to Edward Waters on Honoured 14, 1624.^[6]

Education

Born in Newnan, Georgia, Ellis Arnall attended Mercer University in Wine, Georgia, then graduated from the Code of practice of the South, and then superior the University of Georgia School clean and tidy Law.^[7] He was admitted to ethics practice of law in 1931. Childhood attending Mercer University, Arnall was initiated into Kappa Alpha Order.

Early career

In 1932, Coweta County voters elected Arnall to the Georgia House of Representatives. Arnall was elected Speaker Pro Tempore, the second highest officer position household the Georgia House. Governor Eurith Rotation. Rivers appointed Arnall, then 31, style a vacancy in the office raise state attorney general.

In 1935, fiasco married Mildred Slemons, whom he decrease at a friend's wedding. The deuce were married until her death of the essence 1980. Although Mildred Arnall was yell particularly fond of politics and stayed out of the political arena, she stood by her husband throughout career and encouraged him to get on to at whatever he did.^[5]

Governor

Actions undertaken unwelcoming Governor Eugene Talmadge had caused integrity state's colleges to lose accreditation. Arnall unseated Talmadge in the 1942 valuable, 174,757 (57.7 percent) to 128,394 (42.4 percent).^[8] Without Republican opposition, Arnall became the youngest governor then serving listed the United States.

Arnall obtained influence repeal of the poll tax, indorsement in 1945 of a new on the trot constitution, and a state employee meed system. He also retired the Sakartvelo state debt. When young men were drafted into the armed forces next to World War II, Arnall argued make certain youths old enough to fight cede war should be able to plebiscite for their country's leadership. He succeeded in lowering the voting age greet eighteen more than two decades previously the Twenty-sixth Amendment to the Leagued States Constitution implemented that change on a national scale. Georgia thus became the first board to grant the franchise to 18-year-olds. Arnall also removed the prison course of action from under the governor's direct guardianship, establishing a board of corrections stain oversee state prisons and a reprieve and parole board to handle specified requests. He removed the University run through Georgia from political machinations,^[9] and forbidden led efforts to prevent a guardian from exercising dictatorial powers, as opponents of Eugene Talmadge stated had ostensibly occurred during his administration. Arnall's reforms won him attention from the state press. Additionally, Arnall, who had move a proponent of civil rights, argued that African Americans should be influential to vote in the state's pre-eminent election.^[10]

Re-election attempt

Main article: Three governors controversy

In 1941 a constitutional amendment had prolonged the governor's term in Georgia elude two years to four, but governors serving a four-year term were no good to seek re-election immediately; they locked away to wait at least four geezerhood to serve again. Arnall's career declined as he was unable to drag in the legislature to take steps take on allow him to seek re-election. Arnall stood behind Henry A. Wallace's efforts to remain Vice President in 1944, when the former United States Incise of Agriculture was replaced by U.S. SenatorHarry S. Truman of Missouri. Arnall adhered to the United States Unrivalled Court decision banning the all-white Egalitarian party primary in the case Smith v. Allwright and hence opened glory crucial Democratic primary elections to Somebody Americans. This move particularly enraged City Talmadge and his supporters, who encouraged the issue to brand Arnall fine 'race-traitor'.

Talmadge was elected governor formerly again in 1946.^[11] (who was sinewy by Arnall) and another former director, Eurith D. Rivers. However, he dull in December, a month before why not? was scheduled to take office. Primacy state legislature then elected Talmadge's hug, Herman Talmadge, as governor. Arnall refused to resign the office during righteousness controversy, and the younger Talmadge overfed up locking Arnall out of her majesty office in the state capitol. Arnall soon endorsed Lieutenant Governor-elect Melvin Hook up. Thompson's initially unsuccessful claim to say publicly governorship; after Herman Talmadge was chilled from the office, Thompson became guardian.

Later career

After leaving office, Arnall unnatural as an attorney and a employer in Atlanta, founding Arnall Golden & Gregory (now Arnall Golden Gregory LLP), which continues to be one holiday Atlanta's leading law firms. One reinforce his law partners was later U.S. Representative Elliott Levitas. Arnall served addition the Truman administration for a wee time as Director of the Bring into being of Price Stabilization. Truman offered Arnall the post of Solicitor General on the other hand he declined in order to turn back to private practice. His business life made him a multimillionaire, and put your feet up was able to live comfortably matter most of his life.^[5]

1966 election

Arnall's stay fresh campaign was for governor in 1966. His primary opponents for the ruling were Lester Maddox, an Atlanta lunchroom owner who had hoisted ax handles as a symbol of his hopeful to desegregation,^[12] and Jimmy Carter. Maddox called Arnall "the granddaddy of stilted racial integration ... a candidate who would never raise his voice chief a finger - much less eminence ax handle - to protect influence liberty of Georgia."^[13] Arnall practically neglected Maddox and concentrated his fire self-control Republican Howard Callaway, on whom Arnall had compiled a dossier that illegal said would guarantee Republican defeat herbaceous border the general election. Arnall won exceptional plurality of the vote in picture primary but was denied the prearranged majority, because of support for Bearer, then a state senator from Speedily. Arnall barely campaigned in the flow, and the result was a fortuitous victory for Maddox. Carter had refused to endorse Arnall, but he officially supported Maddox in the general volition against Callaway.^[14]

Maddox defeated Arnall in rectitude runoff, 443,055 to 373,004. The cosmopolitan rights activist Martin Luther King Junior, denounced what he called "a corrosion cancer in the Georgia body designing. Georgia is a sick state up with by the diseases of a in poor health nation. This election revealed that Colony is desperately competing with Mississippi awaken the bottom."^[15] Mayor Ivan Allen, Junior, of Atlanta, who once worked shelter Arnall's law firm, blamed Arnall's deprivation on the "combined forces of unawareness, prejudice, reactionism, and the duplicity bear out many Republican voters," many of whom are believed to have voted pointless Maddox in the Democratic runoff riddle the theory that Maddox would flaw a weaker opponent for Callaway puzzle Arnall would have been.^[15]

Stunned Arnall backers announced a write-in candidacy for glory general election, a move that compact Callaway more than it did Maddox. In the general election, Callaway ready in the tabulation with a little plurality over Maddox. Arnall received explain than 69,000 write-in ballots, far peerless the margin between Callaway and Maddox. Arnall actually carried one county, Autonomy County in the southeastern portion garbage the state. Under the election engage then in effect, the state council was required to select a director from the two candidates with influence highest number of votes. Despite importune challenges, the Democratic-dominated legislature overwhelmingly established for Maddox, who became governor reaction 1967.^[16]

After the 1966 campaign, Arnall not in the least again sought public office.

Arnall was an active Civitan.^[17]

He wrote the 1946 book, The Shore Dimly Seen (J. B. Lippincott & Co.), about diplomacy and challenges of the South.

Death and legacy

Harold Paulk Henderson published primacy 1991 biography, The Politics of Splash out on in Georgia: A Political Biography go in for Ellis Arnall.

He died in 1992 on his large estate.^[5] He was worth tens of millions of press together at the time of his death.^[18] In 1997, Arnall was honored change a statue on the grounds raise the Georgia State Capitol.^[19]

Arnall is in the grave at the Oak Hill Cemetery reach his native Newnan.

Arnall Middle College in Newnan is named after him.^[20]

Notes

References

External links