24 Facts About Garland Gray

Garland Gray was a long-time Democratic member of the Virginia Senate representing Southside Virginia counties, including his native Sussex.

Garland Gray graduated from Waverly High School in 1917 and received a bachelor's degree in history from the University of Richmond in 1921 and a master's degree in Southern history from Washington and Lee University the following year.

Garland Gray was a Mason, member of the Congregational Church, local Ruritan and Rotary Clubs, and of the Phi Kappa Sigma fraternity.

Garland Gray adopted her daughter, Mary Frances, after their marriage.

Garland Gray joined his father's Gray Lumber Company business in 1922 and operated small lumber mills in Southampton and Sussex counties from 1922 until 1927, when he was made a partner in the company.

Garland Gray advocated sustainable forestry, planting young seedlings to replace cut timber.

Garland Gray eventually became chairman of the Board of Gray Products Company.

In 1931, Garland Gray advocated unemployment insurance.

Governor John Garland Pollard appointed Gray to a commission to study unemployment insurance, but that proposal did not need to be adopted in Virginia because of its adoption as part of the New Deal.

Garland Gray became President of the Bank of Waverly in April, 1941, following the death of his uncle Horace.

Garland Gray served on the board of directors of the First and Merchants Bank in Richmond.

Garland Gray began his political career on the county school board, then served on the county Public Welfare Board and state ports authority beginning in 1935 and becoming its chairman in late 1939 until resigning to assume a seat in the State Senate.

In November 1941, Peck Garland Gray was elected to the Virginia Senate representing the 6th District, to replace Robert Williams Daniel, who had died in office.

Widely considered one of the top lieutenants in the Byrd Democratic Organization, Garland Gray was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1944 and 1948.

In 1947 Gray announced he would seek the seat left vacant by Goodwyn's retirement, and Sussex County clerk William B Cocke Jr.

Garland Gray worked with fellow lumber industry officials who served as state officials, including future governor Thomas B Stanley of Stanley Furniture and Hugh Camp of Camp Manufacturing Company.

In 1948, Garland Gray was appointed to a state commission concerning teaching history in the public schools, which later proved controversial for adopting history texts for 4th and 7th graders as well as high school students which presented the American Civil War through the Lost Cause viewpoint.

Soon, Garland Gray was appointed chairman of a committee, colloquially named after him, which developed a plan in November 1955 so no white Virginia child would have to attend a desegregated public school.

Garland Gray thus served on the State Board of Education from 1957 until 1961.

Garland Gray's successor was Anne Dobie Peebles of Sussex County, who served nearly three decades and succeeded future US Supreme Court justice Lewis F Powell, Jr.

Garland Gray used his influence to cause the Sussex County school board to refuse to renew teaching contracts for two veteran and respected teachers who refused to sign a statement opposing racial desegregation.

In 1971, Garland Gray announced his retirement, before census redistricting split and relocated what had been his district.

Sussex, Surry and Prince George Counties and the city of Hopewell were combined with Colonial Heights and Petersburg as the new 16th district, and his son Elmon T Gray was elected to that district.

Garland Gray died in July, 1977 in Richmond, Virginia, survived by his wife, son Elmon and four daughters.