Melvin Thompson
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Melvin Ernest Thompson (May 1, 1903 – October 3, 1980) was an American educator and
politician A politician is a person who participates in Public policy, policy-making processes, usually holding an elective position in government. Politicians represent the people, make decisions, and influence the formulation of public policy. The roles ...
from Millen in the
U.S. state In the United States, a state is a constituent political entity, of which there are 50. Bound together in a political union, each state holds governmental jurisdiction over a separate and defined geographic territory where it shares its so ...
of
Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the South Caucasus * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the southeastern United States Georgia may also refer to: People and fictional characters * Georgia (name), a list of pe ...
. Generally known as M.E. Thompson during his political career, he served as the 70th
Governor of Georgia The governor of Georgia is the head of government of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia and the commander-in-chief of the state's Georgia National Guard, National Guard, when not in federal service, and Georgia State Defense Force, State Defense Fo ...
from 1947 to 1948 and was elected as the first Lieutenant Governor of Georgia in 1946.


Early life and education

Thompson was born in
Millen, Georgia Millen is a city, and the county seat of Jenkins County, Georgia, Jenkins County, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, United States. The population was 3,120 at the 2010 United States Census, 2010 census, down from 3,492 at the 2000 census. The city i ...
, to Henry Jackson Thompson and his wife Eva Edenfield Thompson. He was the youngest of seven children and his father died just after his first birthday. His father was a sharecropper. Thompson grew up in poverty, but through hard work and determination, he was able to leave the farm to pursue a higher education. He helped pay his way through college by working various jobs, including student teaching and the selling of bibles door to door. He graduated from
Emory University Emory University is a private university, private research university in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. It was founded in 1836 as Emory College by the Methodist Episcopal Church and named in honor of Methodist bishop John Emory. Its main campu ...
in 1926, then earned a
Master of Arts A Master of Arts ( or ''Artium Magister''; abbreviated MA or AM) is the holder of a master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The degree is usually contrasted with that of Master of Science. Those admitted to the degree have ...
(M.A.) from the
University of Georgia The University of Georgia (UGA or Georgia) is a Public university, public Land-grant university, land-grant research university with its main campus in Athens, Georgia, United States. Chartered in 1785, it is the oldest public university in th ...
in 1935. He also earned all of the credits for a Ph.D. from the University of Georgia, but because his adviser died, he never defended his dissertation. Following his college career, Thompson worked in education, first as a teacher and coach, a principal, a district superintendent, moving all the way up to assistant school superintendent for the state. Thompson was a supporter of Governor
Ellis Arnall Ellis Gibbs Arnall (March 20, 1907 – December 13, 1992) was an American politician who served as the 69th Governor of Georgia from 1943 to 1947. A liberal Democrat, he helped lead efforts to abolish the poll tax and to reduce Georgia's votin ...
and was hired as his Executive Secretary. Arnall then appointed him to the position of State Revenue Commissioner in 1945.


Family

Melvin Ernest Thompson married Dora Anne Newton, from Millen, Georgia, in 1926, and had one child, Melvin E. Thompson Jr., Melvin E. Thompson Jr. married Mary Bathsheba Carter and they had four children, Marianne Thea, Tarkenton Newton, Carter Maria and Melvin E. the 3rd. Melvin Jr. had a fifth child with his second wife Laura Mitchell, Charles Thompson.


Lieutenant Governor of Georgia

In 1946, Thompson ran for and won the newly created office of Lieutenant Governor of Georgia. Following Thompson's election, Governor-elect
Eugene Talmadge Eugene Talmadge (September 23, 1884 – December 21, 1946) was an attorney and American politician who served three terms as the 67th governor of Georgia, from 1933 to 1937, and then again from 1941 to 1943. Elected to a fourth term in November ...
died on December 21, 1946, and the
Georgia State Constitution The Constitution of the State of Georgia is the governing document of the U.S. State of Georgia. The constitution outlines the three branches of government in Georgia. The legislative branch is embodied in the bicameral General Assembly. The exec ...
was vague on who would be sworn in as governor, causing the
three governors controversy The Three governors controversy was a political crisis in the U.S. state of Georgia, from 1946 to 1947. On December 21, 1946, Eugene Talmadge, the governor-elect of Georgia, died before taking office. The state constitution did not specify who wo ...
. Thompson felt that as the Lieutenant Governor-elect, he should become the Governor. But the state legislature, controlled by Talmadge supporters, invoked a clause in the constitution allowing the legislature to pick between the second- and third-place candidates. The people who finished second and third were two write-in candidates, Eugene Talmadge's son, Herman E. Talmadge and James V. Carmichael. The legislature elected Herman Talmadge as governor; he would hold that position temporarily.


Governor of Georgia

Thompson and Arnall both claimed the office of governor. Arnall later renounced his claim to support Thompson. The Supreme Court of Georgia ruled that Thompson was the legitimate governor and that the legislature had violated the state constitution by selecting Talmadge. Thompson's numerous achievements as the 70th Governor of Georgia include much needed improvements to highway infrastructure, public education, and the purchase of
Jekyll Island Jekyll Island is an island located in Glynn County, Georgia, United States. It is one of the Sea Islands and one of the Golden Isles of Georgia barrier islands. The island is owned by the State of Georgia and run by a self-sustaining, self-g ...
, a beach retreat for the average Georgian. He was able to raise the salary of teachers, provide free books to students, and extend high school to the 12th grade. His purchase of Jekyll Island for $675,000 is still considered one of the greatest real estate purchases in U.S. history. Thompson was able to achieve many things during his shortened term, with very limited cooperation from the state legislature, and without raising taxes on the citizens of Georgia. The resolution of the "three governors controversy" included holding a special election in 1948 for the remainder of Eugene Talmadge's term. Thompson lost the special primary to Herman Talmadge.


Later political activities

Thompson unsuccessfully opposed Talmadge three additional times, twice in gubernatorial elections in 1950 and 1954 and finally in 1956 for one of Georgia's
United States Senate The United States Senate is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the United States House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and ...
seats. In the mid-1950s, Thompson moved to
Valdosta, Georgia Valdosta is a city in and the county seat of Lowndes County, Georgia, Lowndes County in the U.S. state of Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia. As the principal city of the Valdosta Metropolitan Statistical Area, Valdosta metropolitan statistical area, ...
, where he transitioned into a successful career as a real estate developer. Thompson died at the age of 77 on October 3, 1980, in Valdosta. His family turned down an offer for him to lie in state, in the rotunda of the State Capitol. He is interred in a mausoleum at McLane Riverview Memorial Gardens, in Valdosta.


Highway dedication

In 2013 the Georgia Legislature by House Resolution 47 By: Representatives Shaw of the 176th, Carter of the 175th, Black of the 174th, Sharper of the 177th, and Houston of the 170th named a portion of Interstate 75 in Lowndes County from the West Hill Avenue exit to the North Valdosta Road exit is dedicated as the Governor Melvin Ernest Thompson Memorial Highway. ouse Resolution 47 By: Representatives Shaw of the 176th, Carter of the 175th, Black of the 174th, Sharper of the 177th, and Houston of the 170th


References


External links

*
M.E. Thompson and the Purchase of Jekyll Island
historical marker
Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library
Emory University
M.E. Thompson papers, 1946-1954
{{DEFAULTSORT:Thompson, Melvin E. 1903 births 1980 deaths American segregationists Democratic Party governors of Georgia (U.S. state) Emory University alumni University of Georgia alumni Lieutenant governors of Georgia (U.S. state) People from Millen, Georgia People from Valdosta, Georgia 20th-century Georgia (U.S. state) politicians