Marvin Griffin

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Marvin Griffin
Marvin Griffin

Samuel Marvin Griffin (September 4, 1907– June 13, 1982) was a politician from the U.S. state of Georgia. He served as Governor of Georgia from 1955 to 1959

Contents

[edit] Early life

Griffin was born in Bainbridge, Georgia and he graduated from The Citadel in 1929. He taught in Virginia for a short time before moving back to Bainbridge.

[edit] Political career

[edit] Georgia assembly and cabinet

In 1934, Griffin was elected to the general assembly. Two years later, he failed in an attempt to be elected to the House of Representatives. After that, he served in the administration of Governor Eurith D. Rivers, rising to the post of executive secretary.

[edit] Military service

When America entered World War II, Griffin enlisted in the army, rising to the rank of lieutenant colonel. He was appointed adjutant general of the Georgia National Guard in 1944.

[edit] Georgia lieutenant governor

Griffin became the first elected lieutenant governor of Georgia to serve after he won a special election in 1948. Griffin was elected to a full term in 1950.

[edit] Georgia governor

[edit] 1954 election

Griffin was seen as the successor to Governor Herman Talmadge and he won the governorship in 1954. As Governor, Griffin, a Democrat, was a staunch segregationist. He spoke out against the Brown v. Board of Education decision and pledged to keep Georgia's schools segregated "come hell or high water."[1]

[edit] Springhill mining disaster

In 1958 Griffin took advantage of the intense media coverage surrounding the Springhill mining disaster in Springhill, Nova Scotia, Canada to promote tourism to his state by offering a group of survivors free vacations to Jekyll Island. However to the segregationist governor's chagrin, one of the rescued miners -- Ruddick -- was black, resulting in a public relations nightmare. [2]

[edit] 1956 Sugar Bowl

Much controversy preceded the 1956 Sugar Bowl, where Bobby Grier's Pitt Panthers would meet the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets. There was controversy over whether Grier should be allowed to play, and whether Georgia Tech should even play at all due to governor Griffin's opposition to integration.[3] In anticipation of Bobby Grier's presence against GT, in December of 1955 governor Griffin publicly sent a telegram to his state's Board Of Regents. Griffin was imploring that teams from Georgia not engage in racially integrated events which had Blacks either as participants or in the stands.

A large contingent from the New Orleans community, as well as many related to Georgia Tech, openly fought to bar either Grier, Pitt or the Yellow Jacket team from the game. However, students and football players from the Atlanta based school, civil rights leaders, as well as a large number of the Pitt community succeeded in seeing Grier take to the gridiron that January day. In December of 1955, Rosa Parks made her famous protest in the Montgomery Bus Boycott where she refused to relinquish her seat on a Montgomery, Alabama transit bus.

[edit] Corruption charges

Griffin's term was marred by charges of corruption. According to Atlanta historian Frederick Allen, Griffin was "a man of prodigious charm and wit and also one of the most corrupt public officials ever to hold office in Georgia."[citation needed] Several administration members were found guilty of crimes and Griffin was investigated by a grand jury in 1960.

[edit] 1962 election

In 1962, Griffin ran for Governor, losing to Carl E. Sanders. Griffin retired from politics after that campaign although he was a temporary candidate for Vice President on the American Independent Party ticket. Griffin was replaced by Curtis LeMay although his name stayed on the ballot in many states.

[edit] Death

Griffin died in 1982 from lung cancer.

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ The Strategists. Time Magazine, July 12, 1954. Quote:Lieut. Governor S. Marvin Griffin of Atlanta: let city and county school boards assign each student to a school. Griffin also suggested a residency requirement to keep "foreign agitators" out of the state. "Social equality," said he, "is impossible. The schools are not going to be mixed come hell or high water."
  2. ^ Fay Greene, Melissa (2004). Last Man Out: The Story of the Springhill Mine Disaster. Harvest Books. ISBN 015602957X. 
  3. ^ Mulé, Marty - A Time For Change: Bobby Grier And The 1956 Sugar Bowl. Black Athlete Sports Network, December 28, 2005

[edit] External links

Preceded by
Herman Talmadge		 Governor of Georgia
1955–1959		 Succeeded by
Ernest Vandiver, Jr.
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