United States, Georgia, Fulton County, Atlanta, 33.749, -84.38798Nystrom, Justin2004-04-20Encyclopedia article about Lester Maddox who was elected as Georgia's governor in 1966 by widespread dissatisfaction with desegregation, surprised many by serving as an able and unquestionably colorful chief executive. Maddox worked at Atlantic Steel, the Works Progress Administration, and various wartime industries before opening the Pickrick Cafeteria in 1947. Maddox unsuccessfully ran for Atlanta mayor and lieutenant governor between 1957 and 1962 before deciding a political career was not meant to be. After the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Act Maddox remained stubbornly segregated, making the Pickrick a target of civil rights activists seeking to test the new law. After losing a year-long legal battle which challenged the constitutionality of the public accommodations section of the 1964 Civil Rights Act, Maddox closed his restaurant rather than desegregate. After serving as governor, Maddox became the state's lieutenant governor in 1971.The Civil Rights Digital Library received support from a National Leadership Grant for Libraries awarded to the University of Georgia by the Institute of Museum and Library Services for the aggregation and enhancement of partner metadata.GSE identifier: SS8H11[Athens, Ga.] : Georgia Humanities Council and the University of Georgia Presshttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/Governors--GeorgiaGeorgia--Politics and government--1951-Businessmen--Georgia--AtlantaGeorgia--Race relations--History--20th centuryPolitical activists--Georgia--AtlantaLester Maddox (1915-2003)Text