Untitled Lesson

SS8H10 Describe the role of Georgia in WWII.

c. Describe the relationship between the end of the white primary and the 1946

governor’s race.

Standard

c. Describe the relationship between the

end of the white primary and the 1946

governor’s race.

Learning Target

I can describe the white primary
I can describe the 1946 Governor's race.
I can describe the relationship between the
end of the white primary and 1946 governor's
race

https://www.todayingeorgiahistory.org/tih-georg
ia-day/three-governors-controversy/

One of the more embarrassing episodes in Georgia’s history was the
1946 governor’s race, also known as the “Three Governors
Controversy.”

This episode made Georgia a nationwide laughing stock. More
importantly, this election led to a series of segregationist governors
who ended some of the progressive reforms made by
Governor Ellis Arnall.

●As the name implies, after the 1946 election
three men claimed the governor’s office.
Initially, Eugene Talmadge was elected for
his fourth term. However, he died before
taking office.

●Many of Eugene Talmadge’s supporters
believed that, due to his poor health, he
may die before he could be sworn in as
governor.

●They discovered that, based on past
Georgia law, the General Assembly would
have the power to select the second or
third leading vote-getter if the
governor-elect died before taking office.

●With this in mind, many secretly wrote in
Herman Talmadge for governor.

●However, the new Georgia Constitution stated that the lieutenant
governor would take office if the governor died.

●In the 1946 election, Melvin Thompson, who was a member of the
anti-Talmadge faction of the Democratic Party, was elected
lieutenant governor and claimed the office for himself upon
Talmadge’s death.

●Nonetheless, in January of 1947, the General Assembly selected
Herman Talmadge as governor.

●During the same time, the outgoing governor, Ellis Arnall, refused to
relinquish the office until the issue was resolved as he believed that the
General Assembly did not have the authority to elect a governor.

●Due to Arnall’s affiliation with the anti-Talmadge Democrats, physical
altercations resulted with some of Talmadge’s followers.

●Herman Talmadge eventually had state troopers escort Arnall out of the
State Capitol and changed the locks of the governor’s office.

●Arnall, in turn, refused to give up the governor’s seal and set up a second
“governor’s office” in a different location of the State Capitol.

●Arnall finally gave up his claim to the governorship and supported
Thompson.

●In the end, the Georgia Supreme Court ruled that Thompson was the
rightful governor and Talmadge left the governor’s office within two
hours of the ruling.

●A special election was called in 1948 and Herman Talmadge closely
defeated Thompson.

●The White Primary

●The white primary was used by Southern
whites to keep African-Americans or Blacks
from voting in the Democratic primary. Due to
the fact that Georgia was a one-party state
at the time, the Democratic primary was
essentially the election, thus keeping
African-Americans or Blacks from truly
voting.

●In 1944, several African-Americans or Blacks,
led by Dr. Thomas Brewer and Primus E. King,
a barber and minister, attempted to vote in
the white primary in Columbus, Georgia. King
was told that he could not vote and was
forcefully removed from the court house.

●In 1945, Brewer, King, and several other
African-Americans or Blacks sued the state. In
the court case King v. Chapman et al., the federal
district court ruled in favor of King and said the
white primary was unconstitutional.

●Governor Ellis Arnall, did not fight the ruling and
the white primary ended in Georgia.

Multiple Choice

The “Three Governors” controversy began as a result of this election; Eugene Talmadge was elected Georgia’s governor but died before taking office; current governor Ellis Arnall, Lt. Governor Melvin Thompson, and Herman Talmadge fought to choose the new governor; Herman Talmadge eventually elected in 1947. 

• 1946 Governor's Race

• 1848 Governor's Race

Multiple Choice

Under this system only white citizens were allowed to vote in primary elections; made elections unfair by allowing only white citizens to choose the candidates for general elections.

• Caucasian Primaries 

• Racist Primaries 

• White Elections

• White Primaries