41 Facts About Herman Talmadge

Herman Eugene Talmadge was a US politician who served as governor of Georgia in 1947 and from 1948 to 1955 and as a US senator from Georgia from 1957 to 1981.

Herman Talmadge began his career as a staunch segregationist known for his opposition to civil rights, including supporting legislation that would have closed public schools to prevent desegregation.

When his father, Eugene Talmadge, won the 1946 Georgia gubernatorial election but died before taking office, Herman Talmadge asserted claims to be the 70th governor of Georgia, in what became known as the three governors controversy.

Herman Talmadge occupied the governor's office from January until March 1947, before yielding to a Georgia Supreme Court decision in favor of Lieutenant Governor Melvin E Thompson.

In 1948, Herman Talmadge defeated Thompson by more than 6 percent in a special election to complete the elder Herman Talmadge's unfinished four-year term.

Herman Talmadge was reelected in 1950, defeating Thompson by a narrower margin.

Herman Talmadge supported other infrastructure improvements and increased teachers' salaries.

In so doing, the younger governor Herman Talmadge departed from his father's stingy, low-tax and low-spending philosophy while remaining steadfastly opposed to racial desegregation and political equality for Black Americans.

Herman Talmadge left the governor's office as an incredibly popular executive whose administration earned praise from the traditionally liberal outlets such as the Atlanta Constitution and even Harper's Magazine.

Herman Talmadge was elected to the United States Senate in 1956 when Walter F George, Georgia's senior senator and the President pro tempore of the United States Senate, declined to seek reelection.

Herman Talmadge was born on August 9,1913, on a farm near the small town of McRae in Telfair County in southeastern Georgia.

Herman Talmadge was the only son of Eugene Talmadge and his wife, Mattie, and through his mother, he was a second cousin of South Carolina Senator and 1948 Dixiecrat presidential candidate Strom Thurmond.

Herman Talmadge attended public schools in Telfair County until his senior year of high school, when his family moved to Atlanta and he enrolled at Druid Hills High School, graduating in 1931.

Herman Talmadge received his law degree in 1936 and joined his father's law practice.

When World War II broke out, Herman Talmadge volunteered to serve in the United States Navy.

Herman Talmadge served as an ensign with the Sixth Naval District at Charleston, and with the Third Naval District in New York after graduating from midshipman's school at Northwestern University.

Herman Talmadge participated in the battle of Okinawa and was present in Tokyo Bay for the Japanese surrender.

Herman Talmadge attained the rank of lieutenant commander and was discharged in November 1945.

Herman Talmadge ran his father's successful 1946 campaign for governor.

Eugene Herman Talmadge had been ill, and his supporters were worried about his surviving long enough to be sworn in.

Melvin E Thompson, the lieutenant governor-elect; Ellis Arnall, the sitting governor; and Herman Talmadge all arranged to be sworn in and concurrently tried to conduct state business from the Georgia State Capitol.

Herman Talmadge prepared to run for the special gubernatorial election in 1948, and defeated Thompson.

Herman Talmadge was elected to a full term in the 1950 election.

Herman Talmadge remained a staunch supporter of racial segregation even as the civil rights movement gained momentum.

Herman Talmadge was barred by law from seeking reelection in 1954.

Herman Talmadge was elected to the United States Senate in 1956.

Herman Talmadge worked to expand support for both farmers and children and families in hunger through his work on the Child Nutrition Act of 1966, but most significantly in 1969 and 1970 as part of the reauthorization and expansion of the 1946 School Lunch Act, which Russell had authored and considered his greatest legislative achievement.

Herman Talmadge was a great admirer of the work Russell did on the 1946 act but recognized that significant improvements were needed.

Herman Talmadge oversaw the passage of several bills that more than doubled spending on farm programs by the end of the 1970s.

In 1968, Herman Talmadge faced the first of his three Republican challengers for his Senate seat.

Herman Talmadge was a sign of the shifting white electorate in the South, as white suburbanites moved into the Republican Party.

Herman Talmadge ran a disciplined office, requiring his staff to respond to every constituent letter within 24 hours of receipt.

In 1973, Herman Talmadge was appointed to the Select Committee on Presidential Campaign Activities, which investigated members of the Nixon administration.

Herman Talmadge served on the committee until its final report was issued in June 1974.

Late in his Senate career, Herman Talmadge became embroiled in a financial scandal.

Herman Talmadge was found to have accepted reimbursements of $43,435.83 for official expenses not incurred, and to have improperly reported the "expenses" as campaign expenditures.

In 1977, following a long period of personal troubles, including self-admitted alcoholism, which spiraled out of control after his son, Bobby, drowned in 1975, Herman Talmadge filed for divorce from his wife, Betty.

Herman Talmadge was allowed to use the remaining 1,200 acres on the plantation.

Herman Talmadge lived on for more than two decades, dying at 88.

Betty Herman Talmadge died in 2005, surrounded by family, on her estate.

At the time of his death, Herman Talmadge was the earliest serving former governor.