GSESS8H10 | Post WWII Developments in GA
Evaluate key post-World War II developments in Georgia.
a. Explain how technology transformed agriculture and created a population shift within the state.
b. Explain how the development of Atlanta under mayors William B. Hartsfield and Ivan Allen, Jr. impacted the state.
c. Describe the relationship between the end of the white primary and the 1946 governor’s race.
b. Explain how the development of Atlanta under mayors William B. Hartsfield and Ivan Allen, Jr. impacted the state.
c. Describe the relationship between the end of the white primary and the 1946 governor’s race.
- How did technology transform the agriculture industry?
- How did Atlanta develop under mayor William B. Hartsfield?
- How did Atlanta develop under mayor Ivan Allen, Jr.?
- How is the end of the white primary and the 1946 governor's race intertwined?
The LessonS
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Vocabulary & Content Review
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The Story | GeorgiaStandards.org
World War II brought many changes in agriculture and technology in Georgia. Diversification in agriculture became necessary for farmers to provide income for their families. The Great Migration of African Americans or Blacks caused changes in farm labor. Not only were African Americans or Blacks escaping farm life, many whites flocked to cities in search of a better life. Atlanta’s population grew rapidly due to the economic opportunities encouraged by progressive mayors. The state endured the 1946 governor’s race and saw the end of the white primary.
GSESS8H10.a
Several factors caused Georgia’s population to shift from rural to urban areas. These factors included the destruction of the cotton crop by the boll weevil, the Great Migration of African Americans or Blacks to northern cities, the movement of both blacks and whites to Georgia’s industrial centers and factories during both World Wars, and the AAA’s payments to farmers to stop them from growing crops during the Great Depression.
However, another major factor occurred after World War II. A major technological change in agricultural equipment further lessened the need for large numbers of agricultural workers. Some of the more important technological changes were larger tractors, reapers, and other machinery, combined with better fertilizers that made it easier to grow and process crops with much less man power.
Note: Though the rural population in Georgia has decreased from almost 85% in 1900 to less than 25% today, according to the New Georgia Encyclopedia, farming is still the most important part of Georgia’s economy, bringing in $56 billion a year to the state.
GSESS8H10.b
William B. Hartsfield (1890-1971) is primarily known for two things. The first was his active support in bringing air transportation to the state. The second was his coinage of the phrase often used to describe Atlanta’s racial tolerance: “the city too busy to hate.” Nevertheless, Hartsfield, who never graduated from high school or college, was significant for other reasons. Primarily he was Atlanta’s longest serving mayor (1937-1941; 1942-1961), and his support of the civil rights movement kept Atlanta from the racial violence that engulfed many other southern cities.
Born in Atlanta, Hartsfield attended the city’s public schools. Though he never finished high school, as a young man Hartsfield found work in a law firm and spent his nights studying for the bar exam. After being admitted into the bar, he opened his own law firm in 1921. In 1922, Hartsfield began his political career when he was elected to the Atlanta city council. As a member of the council, Hartsfield commenced his lifelong support of aviation and was instrumental in opening Atlanta’s first airport in 1925.
In 1937, Hartsfield became mayor of Atlanta. In his first term, he did many things to help the city during the depression, including convincing Robert Woodruff, the president of the Coca-Cola Company, to finance the city’s 1936 December payroll. Though Hartsfield lost the 1940 election, he was reelected in 1942 when Atlanta mayor Robert Le Craw left to fight in World War II. Hartsfield remained in the mayor’s office for almost 20 years.
During his second tenure as mayor, Hartsfield was instrumental in the calm integration of Atlanta’s public schools, as well as, tripling Atlanta’s size by annexing several square miles, overseeing the building of many public parks, and expanding Atlanta’s expressway system. It was during his administration that Atlanta’s political and business leaders called Atlanta “The City Too Busy to Hate.” Hartsfield retired from public office in 1961. After his death in 1971, Atlanta named its airport Hartsfield International in his honor.
Ivan Allen, Jr., Atlanta’s mayor from 1962-1970, continued William B. Hartsfield’s aggressive development policies. However, he was also more adamant in the fight for civil rights as well. For example, on Allen’s first day as mayor he had all of the white and “colored” signs removed from city hall and desegregated the building’s cafeteria.
Allen was the son of business leader Ivan Allen, Sr. Born in Atlanta, Allen graduated from Georgia Tech and worked in his father’s office products company. From 1942-1945 he served in World War II, and after the war, became president of his father’s company in 1946. As a leading figure in Atlanta for many years after World War II, Allen decided to run for mayor in 1961. A proponent for civil rights, Allen worked with Martin Luther King Jr. and Atlanta’s business leaders to secure the city’s smooth transition into desegregation.
Allen also continued to bring growth to the city. He was instrumental in the building of Interstate 285, was an early advocate of the M.A.R.T.A. (Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority) commuter rail line, and was responsible for 55 new building projects during his tenure as mayor.
Perhaps Allen may be best known for his support of bringing major league sports teams to the city. He convinced Atlanta’s political, economic and social leaders to financially support the construction of major league stadiums. This gave Atlanta an aura of being a “Major League City” and their facilities ultimately helped to bring the 1996 Olympic Games to the city. Allen brokered the deal to bring the Braves to Atlanta in 1966. He also persuaded the NFL to start a new franchise in the city, which became known as the Atlanta Falcons. The basketball team, the Hawks, would follow in 1968. While these sports teams have been mainstays since their arrival, Atlanta has been the home of many other professional sports teams including men’s hockey, arena league football, and women’s soccer and basketball.
GSESS8H10.c
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. 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 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.
Note: Eugene Talmadge ran on a platform to reinstate the white primary and was elected for a fourth term.
GSESS8H10.a
Several factors caused Georgia’s population to shift from rural to urban areas. These factors included the destruction of the cotton crop by the boll weevil, the Great Migration of African Americans or Blacks to northern cities, the movement of both blacks and whites to Georgia’s industrial centers and factories during both World Wars, and the AAA’s payments to farmers to stop them from growing crops during the Great Depression.
However, another major factor occurred after World War II. A major technological change in agricultural equipment further lessened the need for large numbers of agricultural workers. Some of the more important technological changes were larger tractors, reapers, and other machinery, combined with better fertilizers that made it easier to grow and process crops with much less man power.
Note: Though the rural population in Georgia has decreased from almost 85% in 1900 to less than 25% today, according to the New Georgia Encyclopedia, farming is still the most important part of Georgia’s economy, bringing in $56 billion a year to the state.
GSESS8H10.b
William B. Hartsfield (1890-1971) is primarily known for two things. The first was his active support in bringing air transportation to the state. The second was his coinage of the phrase often used to describe Atlanta’s racial tolerance: “the city too busy to hate.” Nevertheless, Hartsfield, who never graduated from high school or college, was significant for other reasons. Primarily he was Atlanta’s longest serving mayor (1937-1941; 1942-1961), and his support of the civil rights movement kept Atlanta from the racial violence that engulfed many other southern cities.
Born in Atlanta, Hartsfield attended the city’s public schools. Though he never finished high school, as a young man Hartsfield found work in a law firm and spent his nights studying for the bar exam. After being admitted into the bar, he opened his own law firm in 1921. In 1922, Hartsfield began his political career when he was elected to the Atlanta city council. As a member of the council, Hartsfield commenced his lifelong support of aviation and was instrumental in opening Atlanta’s first airport in 1925.
In 1937, Hartsfield became mayor of Atlanta. In his first term, he did many things to help the city during the depression, including convincing Robert Woodruff, the president of the Coca-Cola Company, to finance the city’s 1936 December payroll. Though Hartsfield lost the 1940 election, he was reelected in 1942 when Atlanta mayor Robert Le Craw left to fight in World War II. Hartsfield remained in the mayor’s office for almost 20 years.
During his second tenure as mayor, Hartsfield was instrumental in the calm integration of Atlanta’s public schools, as well as, tripling Atlanta’s size by annexing several square miles, overseeing the building of many public parks, and expanding Atlanta’s expressway system. It was during his administration that Atlanta’s political and business leaders called Atlanta “The City Too Busy to Hate.” Hartsfield retired from public office in 1961. After his death in 1971, Atlanta named its airport Hartsfield International in his honor.
Ivan Allen, Jr., Atlanta’s mayor from 1962-1970, continued William B. Hartsfield’s aggressive development policies. However, he was also more adamant in the fight for civil rights as well. For example, on Allen’s first day as mayor he had all of the white and “colored” signs removed from city hall and desegregated the building’s cafeteria.
Allen was the son of business leader Ivan Allen, Sr. Born in Atlanta, Allen graduated from Georgia Tech and worked in his father’s office products company. From 1942-1945 he served in World War II, and after the war, became president of his father’s company in 1946. As a leading figure in Atlanta for many years after World War II, Allen decided to run for mayor in 1961. A proponent for civil rights, Allen worked with Martin Luther King Jr. and Atlanta’s business leaders to secure the city’s smooth transition into desegregation.
Allen also continued to bring growth to the city. He was instrumental in the building of Interstate 285, was an early advocate of the M.A.R.T.A. (Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority) commuter rail line, and was responsible for 55 new building projects during his tenure as mayor.
Perhaps Allen may be best known for his support of bringing major league sports teams to the city. He convinced Atlanta’s political, economic and social leaders to financially support the construction of major league stadiums. This gave Atlanta an aura of being a “Major League City” and their facilities ultimately helped to bring the 1996 Olympic Games to the city. Allen brokered the deal to bring the Braves to Atlanta in 1966. He also persuaded the NFL to start a new franchise in the city, which became known as the Atlanta Falcons. The basketball team, the Hawks, would follow in 1968. While these sports teams have been mainstays since their arrival, Atlanta has been the home of many other professional sports teams including men’s hockey, arena league football, and women’s soccer and basketball.
GSESS8H10.c
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. 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 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.
Note: Eugene Talmadge ran on a platform to reinstate the white primary and was elected for a fourth term.
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Chad J. DeWolf is an educator and coach at Madison County Middle School (Comer, GA) in the Madison County Charter School System (Danielsville, GA). This website is NOT affiliated with MCMS or MCSD. ETS is used as an educational tool for anyone interested & should be viewed as a resource for an awesome online learning experience. Tell your friends. You know you want to. Everyone is doing it...
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