- Collection:
- Reflections on Georgia Politics oral history collection, 2006-2010
- Title:
- George T. Smith, 25 February 2009.
- Creator:
- Short, Bob, 1932
Smith, George T.(George Thornwell), 1916-2010 - Contributor to Resource:
- Short, Bob, 1932-
- Date of Original:
- 2009-02-25
- Subject:
- Georgia--General Assembly--House of Representatives
Georgia--Supreme Court
Democratic Party (Ga.)
Lawyers--Georgia--Interviews
Judges--Georgia--Interviews
Politicians--Georgia--Interviews
Political campaigns--Georgia
Capital punishment--Georgia
Capital punishment
Judges
Lawyers
Political campaigns
Politicians
Georgia - People:
- Smith, George T. (George Thornwell), 1916-2010
Smith, George Leon, 1912-1973
Sanders, Carl, 1925-2014 - Location:
- United States, Georgia, 32.75042, -83.50018
- Medium:
- oral histories (literary works)
interviews - Type:
- Moving Image
- Format:
- video/mp4
- Description:
- Related materials held in the following collections of this repository: Georgia House of Representatives Communications Office Records.
George T. Smith discusses his childhood in Mitchell, Georgia, where he walked three miles to school and he started working the farm. He recalls his return to education and enrolling in ABAC. Smith describes his time in the Navy, describing campaigns and expeditions. Smith recalls returning to America and attending law school at the University of Georgia. Smith discusses practicing law in Cairo, Ga., and recalls being elected City Attorney, County Attorney, Solicitor of the State Court, representing the EMC and also the School Board attorney. Smith discusses his first term in legislature in 1959 and recalls being elected to several prestigious committees. He discusses Carl Sanders' gubernatorial campaign. Smith explains how he became Speaker of the House of Representatives and his subsequent decision to run for Lieutenant Governor. He explains why he chose to run for lieutenant governor instead of governor. Smith recalls what the abolition of the county unit system did for Georgia politics. Smith explains the struggle to remain differentiated from George L. Smith and describes how they came to be known "George L." and "George T." Smith recalls practicing law after an unsuccessful second campaign for lieutenant governor, running for the Georgia Court of Appeals in 1976, and later serving in the Supreme Court. He also discusses the effect of the internet on appellate courts and the relevence of the death penalty. Smith mentions some cases he tried in both the Court of Appeals and Supreme Court.
Finding aid available in repository.
George Thornewell Smith was born in Camilla, Mitchell County, Georgia on October 15, 1916. He attended Middle Georgia College and Abraham Baldwin Agricultural College. In 1940, he joined the U.S. Navy, and after two years was placed on the Naval Land Force Equipment Depot. He left the military in 1945 and returned home. In 1948, he graduated from the University of Georgia Law School and went into private practice in Cairo, Ga. He served as city attorney, county attorney, solicitor of the State Court, and attorney for the Grady County Board of Education. In 1958, he was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives. In 1963, he was appointed Speaker of the House. He successfully campaigned for lieutenant governor in 1966, but was defeated for reelection by Lester Maddox in 1970. Smith went into private practice in Marietta and made an unsuccessful run for governor in 1974. In 1976, he was elected to the Georgia Court of Appeals, and in 1980, he was elected Justice of the Georgia Supreme Court. He has also served on the Executive Committee of the Appellate Judges Conference.
Interviewed by Bob Short. - Metadata URL:
- http://purl.libs.uga.edu/russell/RBRL220ROGP-074/ohms
- Language:
- eng
- Additional Rights Information:
- Resources may be used under the guidelines described by the U.S. Copyright Office in Section 107, Title 17, United States Code (Fair use). Parties interested in production or commercial use of the resources should contact the Russell Library for a fee schedule.
- Bibliographic Citation (Cite As):
- Reflections on Georgia Politics Oral History Collection, ROGP 074, Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies, University of Georgia Libraries, Athens, Georgia, 30602-1641.
- Extent:
- 1 interview (104 min.) : sd., col.
- Original Collection:
- Reflections on Georgia Politics Oral History Collection
http://sclfind.libs.uga.edu/sclfind/view?docId=ead/RBRL220ROGP.xml - Holding Institution:
- Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies
- Rights:
-
