White was born near McComb, Mississippi.[1] He attended Soule's Business College, at St. Thomas’ Hall, graduating in 1898.[1] He then attended the University of Mississippi.[1] While at Mississippi, he was a member of the Fraternity of Delta Psi (aka St. Anthony Hall).[3]
Career
White was an industrialist and owned J.J. White Lumber Company.[1][2]
Politics
White was mayor of Columbia from 1926 to 1936.[1][2] He convinced the Reliance Manufacturing Company to open a plant in Columbia, helping his community survive the Great Depression.[4]
He was first elected to the governorship in November 1935, and his term started in January 1936.[1] He established the Balance Agriculture With Industry (BAWI) program that sought to develop an industrial base that matched the state's agricultural base. Under BAWI, advertising and incentives were deployed in hopes of enticing industries to locate to the state.[4] Local governments could issue bonds to construct factories that could be leased to companies (which were also offered tax breaks).[4] He also increased the number of paved roads in the state.[4]
After leaving office due to term limits, White was a delegate representing Mississippi at the 1948 Democratic National Convention. When Mayor of MinneapolisHubert Humphrey urged the Democratic Party to "get out of the shadow of states' rights and walk forthrightly into the bright sunshine of human rights", White and the other delegates from Mississippi and Alabama walked out of the convention. White and these delegates formed the Dixiecrat Party, nominating Strom Thurmond for president.
In 1951, White won a second term, during which the issue of school segregation was a main issue. During the 1940s and early 1950s, federal courts made a series of decisions that indicated that the notion of "separate but equal" schools would soon be declared unconstitutional. Governor White and the state legislature prepared for that possibility by creating plans that sought to improve black schools. Among the proposals were increasing black teacher salaries to match white teachers' and building black schools on par with white schools. White called one hundred of the state's black leaders to a meeting at the capital to ask for their support of the plan. Much to his surprise, they overwhelmingly rejected his "voluntary" segregation plan and instead stated that they wanted only an integrated school system. In 1954, the U.S. Supreme Court made the famous Brown v. Board of Education decision that declared the practice of "separate but equal" to be unconstitutional. On August 28, 1955, towards the end of White's term as governor, the infamous lynching of Emmett Till took place. Three months earlier, an African American minister, George W. Lee, had been shot and killed in Mississippi as well. When the story of Till's death broke, White decried the violence against Till and promised a full investigation of his murder.
White married Judith Wier Sugg.[1] His Spanish revival mansion in Marion County was built between 1925 and 1927 by Claude L. Lindley, a Jackson, Mississippi architect.[6] His property included a formal, sunken Italian garden.[6]
He retired from politics after his term ended in 1956.[1] White died on September 19, 1965, and was buried in the Hollywood Cemetery in McComb, Mississippi.[1]
References
^ abcdefghijk"Hugh Lawson White". National Governors Association. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
^ abcdeSansing, David (January 2004). "Hugh Lawson White: Forty-fifth and Fifty-first Governor of Mississippi: 1936-1940; 1952-1956 -". Mississippi History Now. Mississippi Department of Archives and History. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
^Catalogue of the members of the fraternity of Delta Psi. Revised and corrected to August 15, 1912. 5th edition. Sherman P. Haight, editor. via Family Search
^ abcdSansing, David G. (April 15, 2018). "Hugh Lawson White". Mississippi Encyclopedia. Center for Study of Southern Culture. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
^"Mississippi - Marion County". National Register of Historic Places. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
^ ab"Gov. Hugh L. White Mansion". Marion County Mississippi. Retrieved March 13, 2022.
hugh, white, senator, from, tennessee, hugh, lawson, white, other, people, named, hugh, white, hugh, white, disambiguation, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, u. For the U S Senator from Tennessee see Hugh Lawson White For other people named Hugh White see Hugh White disambiguation This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Hugh L White news newspapers books scholar JSTOR December 2019 Learn how and when to remove this template message Hugh Lawson White August 19 1881 September 20 1965 was an American politician from Mississippi and a member of the Democratic Party 1 2 He served two non consecutive terms as Governor of Mississippi 1936 1940 1952 1956 1 2 Hugh White45th and 51st Governor of MississippiIn office January 22 1952 January 17 1956LieutenantCarroll GartinPreceded byFielding L WrightSucceeded byJames P ColemanIn office January 21 1936 January 16 1940LieutenantJacob Buehler SniderPreceded byMartin Sennet ConnerSucceeded byPaul B Johnson Sr Personal detailsBornHugh Lawson White 1881 08 19 August 19 1881near McComb Mississippi U S DiedSeptember 20 1965 1965 09 20 aged 84 McComb Mississippi U S Political partyDemocraticSpouseJudith Wier SuggEducationSoule Business CollegeUniversity of Mississippi Oxford Contents 1 Early life 2 Career 3 Politics 4 Tributes 5 Personal 6 ReferencesEarly life EditWhite was born near McComb Mississippi 1 He attended Soule s Business College at St Thomas Hall graduating in 1898 1 He then attended the University of Mississippi 1 While at Mississippi he was a member of the Fraternity of Delta Psi aka St Anthony Hall 3 Career EditWhite was an industrialist and owned J J White Lumber Company 1 2 Politics EditWhite was mayor of Columbia from 1926 to 1936 1 2 He convinced the Reliance Manufacturing Company to open a plant in Columbia helping his community survive the Great Depression 4 He was first elected to the governorship in November 1935 and his term started in January 1936 1 He established the Balance Agriculture With Industry BAWI program that sought to develop an industrial base that matched the state s agricultural base Under BAWI advertising and incentives were deployed in hopes of enticing industries to locate to the state 4 Local governments could issue bonds to construct factories that could be leased to companies which were also offered tax breaks 4 He also increased the number of paved roads in the state 4 After leaving office due to term limits White was a delegate representing Mississippi at the 1948 Democratic National Convention When Mayor of Minneapolis Hubert Humphrey urged the Democratic Party to get out of the shadow of states rights and walk forthrightly into the bright sunshine of human rights White and the other delegates from Mississippi and Alabama walked out of the convention White and these delegates formed the Dixiecrat Party nominating Strom Thurmond for president Inauguration at Mississippi State Capitol January 22 1952 In 1951 White won a second term during which the issue of school segregation was a main issue During the 1940s and early 1950s federal courts made a series of decisions that indicated that the notion of separate but equal schools would soon be declared unconstitutional Governor White and the state legislature prepared for that possibility by creating plans that sought to improve black schools Among the proposals were increasing black teacher salaries to match white teachers and building black schools on par with white schools White called one hundred of the state s black leaders to a meeting at the capital to ask for their support of the plan Much to his surprise they overwhelmingly rejected his voluntary segregation plan and instead stated that they wanted only an integrated school system In 1954 the U S Supreme Court made the famous Brown v Board of Education decision that declared the practice of separate but equal to be unconstitutional On August 28 1955 towards the end of White s term as governor the infamous lynching of Emmett Till took place Three months earlier an African American minister George W Lee had been shot and killed in Mississippi as well When the story of Till s death broke White decried the violence against Till and promised a full investigation of his murder Tributes EditHugh White State Park a Mississippi state park is named for him 2 The Keys Hill Historic District Broad Street Columbia was added to the National Register of Historic Places including White s former home the Hugh Lawson White Mansion for its association with him 5 Personal Edit Hugh White Mansion in 2012 White married Judith Wier Sugg 1 His Spanish revival mansion in Marion County was built between 1925 and 1927 by Claude L Lindley a Jackson Mississippi architect 6 His property included a formal sunken Italian garden 6 He retired from politics after his term ended in 1956 1 White died on September 19 1965 and was buried in the Hollywood Cemetery in McComb Mississippi 1 References Edit a b c d e f g h i j k Hugh Lawson White National Governors Association Retrieved March 13 2022 a b c d e Sansing David January 2004 Hugh Lawson White Forty fifth and Fifty first Governor of Mississippi 1936 1940 1952 1956 Mississippi History Now Mississippi Department of Archives and History Retrieved March 13 2022 Catalogue of the members of the fraternity of Delta Psi Revised and corrected to August 15 1912 5th edition Sherman P Haight editor via Family Search a b c d Sansing David G April 15 2018 Hugh Lawson White Mississippi Encyclopedia Center for Study of Southern Culture Retrieved March 13 2022 Mississippi Marion County National Register of Historic Places Retrieved January 30 2018 a b Gov Hugh L White Mansion Marion County Mississippi Retrieved March 13 2022 Party political officesPreceded byMartin Sennet Conner Democratic nominee for Governor of Mississippi1935 Succeeded byPaul B Johnson Sr Preceded byFielding L Wright Democratic nominee for Governor of Mississippi1951 Succeeded byJames P ColemanPolitical officesPreceded byMartin Sennett Conner Governor of Mississippi1936 1940 Succeeded byPaul B Johnson Sr Preceded byFielding L Wright Governor of Mississippi1952 1956 Succeeded byJames P Coleman Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Hugh L White amp oldid 1128503178, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
