This article is about Governor of North Carolina and U.S. Secretary of Commerce. For his son, banker and Deputy Secretary of Commerce, see Luther H. Hodges Jr.
Luther Hartwell Hodges (March 9, 1898 – October 6, 1974) was a businessman and American politician. After a career in textile manufacturing, he entered public service, gaining some state appointments. Elected as lieutenant governor of North Carolina in 1952, he succeeded to the Governor's office in 1954 after the death of the incumbent. He was elected in 1956 to a full four-year term, serving in total as the 64thgovernor of the state of North Carolina from 1954 to 1961.
Hodges left for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill at age 17, where he was a member of the Dialectic and Philanthropic Societies, and moved back to Eden after graduation. He went to work at Carolina Cotton and Woolen Mills in Leaksville. In 1923, he helped form the Leaksville Rotary Club, which later became known as the Eden Rotary.
Carolina Cotton was later purchased by Marshall Field. Hodges continued to work for the company, working his way up from millworker to executive positions, until he retired to enter politics. In the 1940s, he gained gubernatorial appointments to the state Board of Education and the Highway and Public Works Commission. In 1945, he served as a consultant to the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture and to the U.S. Army in occupied Germany.[citation needed] He retired in 1950 and returned to North Carolina.[3]
Hodges ran for office as lieutenant governor in 1952 and was elected. He succeeded to the position of governor in November 1954 upon the death of Governor William B. Umstead in office.
Two years later, Hodges was elected on his own account to a full four-year term as governor. Because North Carolina had a one-term limit for governors at that time, Hodges had the longest continuous tenure in the office until the state constitution was changed and Jim Hunt was elected to a second term in 1980.
During his time in office, Governor Hodges promoted industrialization and education.[4] He helped gain support for the establishment of Research Triangle Park, intended to attract innovation and industry to the North Carolina Piedmont, and to strengthen connections among the three universities involved. After Hodges completed his tenure in 1965 as Secretary of the Department of Commerce, he returned to Chapel Hill. He was appointed as Chairman of Research Triangle Park. In 1967, he served a one-year term as president of Rotary International.
Civil rightsEdit
In 1959, Hodges became involved in the Kissing Case, where two young African-American boys (one aged 9, and one aged 7) had been convicted of rape because a white girl (aged 8) had kissed them each on the cheek. They had been sentenced to the state reformatory. A range of activists, civil rights organizations, Eleanor Roosevelt and President Eisenhower, in addition to the international press, pressured Hodges for clemency. After three months Hodges pardoned them, but refused to apologize.[5]: 118 [6] Former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt "led an international campaign on their behalf."[5]: 118 [7]: 118
Later yearsEdit
He died on October 6, 1974, in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and is buried at the Overlook Cemetery in Eden, North Carolina. A monument was erected in his honor near a water fountain in Eden's Freedom Park.
^Lawrence Kestenbaum, ed. (nd), "Hodges, Luther Hartwell (1898-1974) — also known as Luther H. Hodges", Political Graveyard, retrieved January 19, 2017
^Barkin, Dan (August 2021). "A Tale of Two Legacies". Business North Carolina. pp. 8–9.
^. Rotary International. Archived from the original on 22 January 2012. Retrieved 22 December 2011.
^ abAllida M. Black (1996), "Championing Civil Rights", Casting Her Own Shadow: Eleanor Roosevelt and the Shaping of Postwar Liberalism, Columbia University Press, retrieved January 19, 2017
^Sue Sturgis (April 25, 2014), "Remembering Southern Black freedom fighter Mabel Williams", Facing South, Institute of Southern Studies, retrieved January 19, 2017
^Allida M. Black (1996). Casting Her Own Shadow: Eleanor Roosevelt and the Shaping of Postwar Liberalism. Columbia University Press. ISBN978-0231104050.
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This article is about Governor of North Carolina and U S Secretary of Commerce For his son banker and Deputy Secretary of Commerce see Luther H Hodges Jr Luther Hartwell Hodges March 9 1898 October 6 1974 was a businessman and American politician After a career in textile manufacturing he entered public service gaining some state appointments Elected as lieutenant governor of North Carolina in 1952 he succeeded to the Governor s office in 1954 after the death of the incumbent He was elected in 1956 to a full four year term serving in total as the 64th governor of the state of North Carolina from 1954 to 1961 Luther Hodges15th United States Secretary of CommerceIn office January 21 1961 January 15 1965PresidentJohn F KennedyLyndon B JohnsonPreceded byFrederick H MuellerSucceeded byJohn T Connor64th Governor of North CarolinaIn office November 7 1954 January 5 1961LieutenantLuther E BarnhardtPreceded byWilliam B UmsteadSucceeded byTerry Sanford22nd Lieutenant Governor of North CarolinaIn office January 8 1953 November 7 1954GovernorWilliam B UmsteadPreceded byHoyt Patrick TaylorSucceeded byLuther E BarnhardtPersonal detailsBornLuther Hartwell Hodges 1898 03 09 March 9 1898Cascade Virginia U S DiedOctober 6 1974 1974 10 06 aged 76 Chapel Hill North Carolina U S Political partyDemocraticSpouse s Martha Blakeney m 1922 died 1969 wbr Louise Finlayson m 1970 wbr Children3EducationUniversity of North Carolina Chapel Hill BA Military serviceAllegiance United StatesBranch service United States ArmyBattles warsWorld War IIn 1961 he was appointed as United States Secretary of Commerce under Presidents John F Kennedy and Lyndon B Johnson serving until 1965 1 He returned to North Carolina and served as chairman of Research Triangle Park a major facility established during his tenure as governor Contents 1 Biography 2 Civil rights 3 Later years 4 Legacy 5 See also 6 ReferencesBiography EditHodges was born in Cascade 2 Pittsylvania County Virginia on March 9 1898 At the age of two he moved with his family to Spray which later merged with two other towns to become Eden North Carolina After growing up there he lived much of his life in Rockingham County North Carolina Hodges left for the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill at age 17 where he was a member of the Dialectic and Philanthropic Societies and moved back to Eden after graduation He went to work at Carolina Cotton and Woolen Mills in Leaksville In 1923 he helped form the Leaksville Rotary Club which later became known as the Eden Rotary Carolina Cotton was later purchased by Marshall Field Hodges continued to work for the company working his way up from millworker to executive positions until he retired to enter politics In the 1940s he gained gubernatorial appointments to the state Board of Education and the Highway and Public Works Commission In 1945 he served as a consultant to the U S Secretary of Agriculture and to the U S Army in occupied Germany citation needed He retired in 1950 and returned to North Carolina 3 nbsp Hodges s former residence in Washington D C Hodges ran for office as lieutenant governor in 1952 and was elected He succeeded to the position of governor in November 1954 upon the death of Governor William B Umstead in office Two years later Hodges was elected on his own account to a full four year term as governor Because North Carolina had a one term limit for governors at that time Hodges had the longest continuous tenure in the office until the state constitution was changed and Jim Hunt was elected to a second term in 1980 During his time in office Governor Hodges promoted industrialization and education 4 He helped gain support for the establishment of Research Triangle Park intended to attract innovation and industry to the North Carolina Piedmont and to strengthen connections among the three universities involved After Hodges completed his tenure in 1965 as Secretary of the Department of Commerce he returned to Chapel Hill He was appointed as Chairman of Research Triangle Park In 1967 he served a one year term as president of Rotary International Civil rights EditIn 1959 Hodges became involved in the Kissing Case where two young African American boys one aged 9 and one aged 7 had been convicted of rape because a white girl aged 8 had kissed them each on the cheek They had been sentenced to the state reformatory A range of activists civil rights organizations Eleanor Roosevelt and President Eisenhower in addition to the international press pressured Hodges for clemency After three months Hodges pardoned them but refused to apologize 5 118 6 Former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt led an international campaign on their behalf 5 118 7 118 Later years EditHe died on October 6 1974 in Chapel Hill North Carolina and is buried at the Overlook Cemetery in Eden North Carolina A monument was erected in his honor near a water fountain in Eden s Freedom Park Legacy EditHodges s son Luther H Hodges Jr was a prominent banking executive and United States Deputy Secretary of Commerce See also EditList of members of the American LegionReferences Edit Lawrence Kestenbaum ed nd Hodges Luther Hartwell 1898 1974 also known as Luther H Hodges Political Graveyard retrieved January 19 2017 NNDB Barkin Dan August 2021 A Tale of Two Legacies Business North Carolina pp 8 9 Gallery of past presidents Rotary International Archived from the original on 22 January 2012 Retrieved 22 December 2011 a b Allida M Black 1996 Championing Civil Rights Casting Her Own Shadow Eleanor Roosevelt and the Shaping of Postwar Liberalism Columbia University Press retrieved January 19 2017 Sue Sturgis April 25 2014 Remembering Southern Black freedom fighter Mabel Williams Facing South Institute of Southern Studies retrieved January 19 2017 Allida M Black 1996 Casting Her Own Shadow Eleanor Roosevelt and the Shaping of Postwar Liberalism Columbia University Press ISBN 978 0231104050 Political officesPreceded byHoyt Patrick Taylor Lieutenant Governor of North Carolina1953 1954 Succeeded byLuther E BarnhardtPreceded byWilliam B Umstead Governor of North Carolina1954 1961 Succeeded byTerry SanfordPreceded byFrederick H Mueller United States Secretary of Commerce1961 1965 Succeeded byJohn T ConnorParty political officesPreceded byWilliam B Umstead Democratic nominee for Governor of North Carolina1956 Succeeded byTerry SanfordNon profit organization positionsPreceded byRichard L Evans President of Rotary International1967 1968 Succeeded byKiyoshi Togasaki Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Luther H Hodges amp oldid 1146320188, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
