Gilbert Ellzey Carmichael (June 27, 1927 – January 31, 2016) was an American businessman and politician. Born in Columbia, Mississippi, he attended

Texas A&M University Texas A&M University (Texas A&M, A&M, or TAMU) is a public, land-grant, research university in College Station, Texas. It was founded in 1876 and became the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System in 1948. As of late 2021, T ...

and served in the

United States Coast Guard The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, mu ...

during the

Korean War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Korean War , partof = the Cold War and the Korean conflict , image = Korean War Montage 2.png , image_size = 300px , caption = Clockwise from top: ...

, earning a Silver

Lifesaving Medal The Gold Lifesaving Medal and Silver Lifesaving Medal are U.S. decorations issued by the United States Coast Guard. The awards were established by Act of Congress, 20 June 1874; later authorized by . These decorations are two of the oldest med ...

for helping rescue crewmen from a sinking tanker. In June 1950 Carmichael was hired by the

Dow Jones & Company Dow Jones & Company, Inc. is an American publishing firm owned by News Corp and led by CEO Almar Latour. The company publishes ''The Wall Street Journal'', '' Barron's'', ''MarketWatch'', ''Mansion Global'', '' Financial News'' and ''Private ...

to sell its newspaper, ''

The Wall Street Journal ''The Wall Street Journal'' is an American business-focused, international daily newspaper based in New York City, with international editions also available in Chinese and Japanese. The ''Journal'', along with its Asian editions, is published ...

''. After eight years, he joined a friend in distributing cars in Shreveport, Louisiana. He later became a partner in a car dealership in

Meridian, Mississippi Meridian is the seventh largest city in the U.S. state of Mississippi, with a population of 41,148 at the 2010 census and an estimated population in 2018 of 36,347. It is the county seat of Lauderdale County and the principal city of the Meri ...

before taking over the business. A member of the

Republican Party Republican Party is a name used by many political parties around the world, though the term most commonly refers to the United States' Republican Party. Republican Party may also refer to: Africa *Republican Party (Liberia) * Republican Part ...

, he became involved in politics in the 1960s, making two unsuccessful bids for a seat in the

Mississippi State Legislature The Mississippi Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Mississippi. The bicameral Legislature is composed of the lower Mississippi House of Representatives, with 122 members, and the upper Mississippi State Senate, with 52 mem ...

. Carmichael also ran for a

U.S. Senate The United States Senate is the upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the House of Representatives being the lower chamber. Together they compose the national bicameral legislature of the United States. The composition and powe ...

seat in 1972 and in 1975 ran for the office of

Governor of Mississippi A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political ...

, the first serious Republican contender for the post in decades. He lost a narrow race and made another unsuccessful bid in 1979. He also launched an unsuccessful independent campaign in 1983 to be elected Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi. From the 1970s to the 1990s he served on various national transportation advisory boards. He died in 2016.

Early life and business career

Gilbert Ellzey Carmichael was born on June 27, 1927 in Columbia, Mississippi, United States to Calvin Ellzey Carmichael and Clyde Myrna Smith Carmichael. His father died when he was young, forcing his mother to provide for the family. He graduated from Columbia High School in 1944, served in the

United States Military The United States Armed Forces are the military forces of the United States. The armed forces consists of six service branches: the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Coast Guard. The president of the United States is ...

from 1945 to 1946. He thereafter attended

, where he graduated in 1950 with a business degree and a minor in petroleum engineering. He married and had a son. Carmichael was commissioned as an officer in the

during the

. While serving at the rank of

ensign An ensign is the national flag flown on a vessel to indicate nationality. The ensign is the largest flag, generally flown at the stern (rear) of the ship while in port. The naval ensign (also known as war ensign), used on warships, may be diff ...

in 1952, he participated in the rescue of crewmen from the sinking tanker '' SS Fort Mercer'' off the coast of

Cape Cod Cape Cod is a peninsula extending into the Atlantic Ocean from the southeastern corner of mainland Massachusetts, in the northeastern United States. Its historic, maritime character and ample beaches attract heavy tourism during the summer mon ...

, when the ship broke apart in a storm. He commanded a boat which retrieved two men off of the ship's bow, and for his efforts was awarded a Silver

for "heroic action". In June 1950, Carmichael was hired by the

to sell its newspaper, ''

''. Assigned to a distribution area comprising southern Mississippi, southern Louisiana, and the city of

New Orleans New Orleans ( , ,New Orleans

Fiat Fiat Automobiles S.p.A. (, , ; originally FIAT, it, Fabbrica Italiana Automobili di Torino, lit=Italian Automobiles Factory of Turin) is an Italian automobile manufacturer, formerly part of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles, and since 2021 a subsidiary ...

cars in Shreveport, Louisiana. He later became a partner in a car dealership in

before buying out the entire business. He established a

Volkswagen Volkswagen (),English: , . abbreviated as VW (), is a German motor vehicle manufacturer headquartered in Wolfsburg, Lower Saxony, Germany. Founded in 1937 by the German Labour Front under the Nazi Party and revived into a global brand post ...

dealership in 1961 and later expanded to sell

Audi Audi AG () is a German automotive manufacturer of luxury vehicles headquartered in Ingolstadt, Bavaria, Germany. As a subsidiary of its parent company, the Volkswagen Group, Audi produces vehicles in nine production facilities worldwide. The o ...

and

Mercedes Mercedes may refer to: People * Mercedes (name), a Spanish feminine name, including a list of people and fictional characters with the given name or last name Automobile-related * Mercedes (marque), the pre-1926 brand name of German automobile m ...

vehicles. He also acquired dealerships in

Tuscaloosa, Alabama Tuscaloosa ( ) is a city in and the seat of Tuscaloosa County in west-central Alabama, United States, on the Black Warrior River where the Gulf Coastal and Piedmont plains meet. Alabama's fifth-largest city, it had an estimated population of ...

. He sold his dealerships in Meridian upon his appointment to the

Federal Railroad Administration The Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) is an agency in the United States Department of Transportation (DOT). The agency was created by the Department of Transportation Act of 1966. The purpose of the FRA is to promulgate and enforce rail s ...

, but retained their buildings and later used them as he became involved in his son's commercial real estate company, Missouth Properties.

Political career

1972 U.S. Senate election

Carmichael was a member of the

. He became involved in politics in the 1960s, making two unsuccessful bids for a seat in the

and chairing Rubel Phillips's 1963 gubernatorial campaign organization in Lauderdale County. In 1971 he considered running for the office of Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi, but was convinced not to by Republican leaders who were fearful that his bid would associate the Republican Party with the gubernatorial campaign of black independent Charles Evers. In 1972 black civil rights activist

James Meredith James Howard Meredith (born June 25, 1933) is an American civil rights activist, writer, political adviser, and Air Force veteran who became, in 1962, the first African-American student admitted to the racially segregated University of Missis ...

declared himself a candidate for the Republican nomination to contest the

seat held by Democrat

James Eastland James Oliver Eastland (November 28, 1904 February 19, 1986) was an American attorney, plantation owner, and politician from Mississippi. A Democrat, he served in the United States Senate in 1941 and again from 1943 until his resignation on Dece ...

. A group of Mississippi Republicans felt that Meredith was not a strong enough contender and did not want the party to become associated with another black candidate, and recruited Carmichael to run instead. He won the Republican primary election, but faced opposition in his bid from national Republicans. President

Richard Nixon Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913April 22, 1994) was the 37th president of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. A member of the Republican Party, he previously served as a representative and senator from California and was t ...

, though a Republican, wanted to maintain good relations with Eastland so as to ease his political interests in the federal government. A Nixon campaign official visited Carmichael and told him that if he withdrew from the race, Nixon would appoint him as an ambassador. Carmichael refused. When Vice President

Spiro Agnew Spiro Theodore Agnew (November 9, 1918 – September 17, 1996) was the 39th vice president of the United States, serving from 1969 until his resignation in 1973. He is the second vice president to resign the position, the other being John ...

traveled to Mississippi to host a rally, he was instructed to specifically not invite Carmichael. This action backfired, as the press learned of the maneuvering and covered Carmichael as an

underdog An underdog is a person or group in a competition, usually in sports and creative works, who is largely expected to lose. The party, team, or individual expected to win is called the favorite or top dog. In the case where an underdog wins, th ...

. Carmichael ultimately lost the general election to Eastland, taking only 39 percent of the vote.

Gubernatorial campaigns

In 1975, Carmichael declared his candidacy for the office of

. He was the first serious Republican candidate for gubernatorial office in decades. In the general election he faced Democrat Cliff Finch. A black politician,

Henry J. Kirksey Henry may refer to: People *Henry (given name) * Henry (surname) * Henry Lau, Canadian singer and musician who performs under the mononym Henry Royalty * Portuguese royalty ** King-Cardinal Henry, King of Portugal ** Henry, Count of Portuga ...

, also ran as an independent. Finch largely ignored his opponents and espoused vague rhetoric. Carmichael offered specific proposals and stances. He supported the creation of a new state constitution, the ratification of the

Equal Rights Amendment The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) is a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution designed to guarantee equal legal rights for all American citizens regardless of sex. Proponents assert it would end legal distinctions between men an ...

, the supply of federal financial aid to

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the most densely populated major city in the U ...

, gun registration, reduced penalties for marijuana possession, and mandatory school attendance for children. He believed that the Republican Party should be biracial, arguing that it was "the party of emancipation, the party of homeownership, the party of individual responsibility ..the natural party for black people to be involved in." Thus he attempted to appeal to black voters, placing black politician

Robert G. Clark Jr. Robert G. Clark Jr. (born October 3, 1928) is an American politician who served in the Mississippi House of Representatives from 1968 to 2004, representing the 47th district. He was the first African-American member of the Mississippi Legislature ...

on his campaign strategy committee and visiting the all-black community of

Mound Bayou Mound Bayou is a city in Bolivar County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 1,533 at the 2010 census, down from 2,102 in 2000. It was founded as an independent black community in 1887 by former slaves led by Isaiah Montgomery. Mound ...

; these entreaties had minimal impact. Carmichael ultimately lost but drew 47 percent of the vote, a high figure for a statewide Republican candidate at that time. His largest support came from urban and suburban areas. Many Republicans felt he had staked out positions viewed as too liberal by Mississippians and would have won the election otherwise. He served as a delegate at the

1976 Republican National Convention The 1976 Republican National Convention was a United States political convention of the Republican Party that met from August 16 to August 19, 1976, to select the party's nominee for President. Held in Kemper Arena in Kansas City, Missouri, t ...

and backed

Gerald Ford Gerald Rudolph Ford Jr. ( ; born Leslie Lynch King Jr.; July 14, 1913December 26, 2006) was an American politician who served as the 38th president of the United States from 1974 to 1977. He was the only president never to have been elected ...

's candidacy. The convention revealed significant conservative-moderate divisions in the party as well as disagreement over race, and Carmichael declared that he wanted to ensure that the party would not become " lily white and hard right". Carmichael decided to run for governor again in 1979. Finch's administration had been plagued by corruption scandals, and he hoped to exude a moderate and professional image which Mississippians would find attractive. More conservative Mississippi Republicans who blamed Carmichael for losing the 1975 race thought he should not run again and recruited another candidate for the Republican primary, Leon Bramlett. Bramlett styled himself as the "conservative alternative" to Carmichael. Carmichael ultimately had better name recognition and prevailed in the primary, taking 17,216 votes to his opponent's 15,236. Long-time politician William F. Winter won the Democratic primary to Carmichael's dismay; the two men exuded similar images, but Winter had more experience in government. Harmed by his divisive primary, Carmichael trailed Winter in polls and lost the general election, carrying a majority of the votes in only three counties. The moderate wing of the Mississippi Republican Party declined after his loss, as well as the party's attempts to secure black support. In 1983, Carmichael ran for the office of lieutenant governor as an independent. Making an appeal to rewrite the state constitution the centerpiece of his campaign, he took only 35.7 percent of the vote, losing to Brad Dye. In 1998 he delivered a series of speeches calling for the state of Mississippi to redraft its constitution. He also advocated changing the Mississippi state flag later in his life.

Later life and death

In 1973 Carmichael was appointed to the National Highway Safety Advisory Committee as a consolation for the Nixon administration's lack of support for him in the 1972 Senate race. He became its chairman before being made the federal commissioner for the National Transportation Policy Study Commission in 1976. He left the job in 1979. Carmichael worked in the Federal Railroad Administration from 1989 to 1993 and strongly supported

intermodal freight transport Intermodal freight transport involves the transportation of freight in an intermodal container or vehicle, using multiple modes of transportation (e.g., rail, ship, aircraft, and truck), without any handling of the freight itself when changing ...

. He created the Transportation Institute at the

University of Denver The University of Denver (DU) is a private research university in Denver, Colorado. Founded in 1864, it is the oldest independent private university in the Rocky Mountain Region of the United States. It is classified among "R1: Doctoral Univ ...

in 1996. In 1998 he was appointed to the

Amtrak The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak () , is the national passenger railroad company of the United States. It operates inter-city rail service in 46 of the 48 contiguous U.S. States and nine cities in Canada ...

Reform Council. He was made chairman the following year and left the council in mid-2002. The body produced recommendations to U.S. Congress on ways to improve the financial viability of Amtrak. From 1993 to 2002 he wrote a column for ''Progressive Railroading''. Carmichael died of a heart attack at Anderson Regional Medical Center in Meridian, Mississippi on January 31, 2016. A funeral was held for him at St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Meridian on February 5.

References

Citations

Sources

* * * * * * * * , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Carmichael, Gil 1927 births 2016 deaths American automobile salespeople Mississippi Republicans United States Coast Guard personnel of the Korean War