Carl Sanders
Encyclopedia
Carl Edward Sanders Sr. is an American
politician
who served as the 74th Governor of the state of Georgia
from 1963 to 1967.
Sanders was born in Augusta, Georgia
and attended the University of Georgia
on a football
scholarship. Sanders, a backup, left-handed quarterback, received little playing time, causing coach Wally Butts
to recount years later, "Carl, if I had known you were going to be governor, I'd have played you more." He was a member of the Chi Phi
Fraternity, Order of the Greek Horsemen
, Gridiron Secret Society and the Phi Kappa Literary Society
. He left to fight in World War II
, enlisting in the U.S. Army Air Force
in 1943 and became a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber pilot. After the war, he returned to complete his bachelor's and law degrees.
In 1954, Sanders won a seat in the Georgia House of Representatives
. He won a seat in the Georgia Senate
in 1956. He served two years as president pro tempore
of the Senate.
Sanders defeated former governor Marvin Griffin
in the 1962 primary. Sanders was the first Georgia governor from an urban area since the 1920s and he was the first modern Georgia governor nominated in the Democratic Party
primary by the popular vote, following the end of the County Unit System
.
As Governor, Sanders worked to improve education and the environment. Sanders also led the transition toward racial desegregation, cooperating with John F. Kennedy
and Lyndon B. Johnson
on complying with civil rights laws.
Under the term limit
law then in effect, Sanders was ineligible to run for re-election. He left office at the peak of his popularity, and turned down several jobs from President Johnson. He returned to run an unsuccessful campaign for Governor in 1970 against future President
Jimmy Carter
, who is accused by some of employing race baiting tactics to defeat Sanders in the Democratic
primary. Carter's campaign criticized Sanders for paying tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr. and distributed grainy photographs of Sanders arm-in-arm celebrating with two black men. At the time, Sanders was part-owner of the Atlanta Hawks and the two black men were Hawks players celebrating after a victory. After the loss in the primary, Sanders left electoral politics to concentrate on the practice of law. As of 2007, he is Chairman Emeritus at the law firm of Troutman Sanders LLP.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
who served as the 74th Governor of the state of Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
from 1963 to 1967.
Sanders was born in Augusta, Georgia
Augusta, Georgia
Augusta is a consolidated city in the U.S. state of Georgia, located along the Savannah River. As of the 2010 census, the Augusta–Richmond County population was 195,844 not counting the unconsolidated cities of Hephzibah and Blythe.Augusta is the principal city of the Augusta-Richmond County...
and attended the University of Georgia
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
on a football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
scholarship. Sanders, a backup, left-handed quarterback, received little playing time, causing coach Wally Butts
Wally Butts
James Wallace "Wally" Butts, Jr. was an American football player and coach and college athletics administrator. He served as the head coach at the University of Georgia from 1939 to 1960, compiling a record of 140–86–9...
to recount years later, "Carl, if I had known you were going to be governor, I'd have played you more." He was a member of the Chi Phi
Chi Phi
The Chi Phi ' Fraternity is an American College Social Fraternity that was established as the result of the merger of three separate organizations that were each known as Chi Phi. The oldest active organization that took part in the union was originally founded in 1824 at Princeton...
Fraternity, Order of the Greek Horsemen
Order of the Greek Horsemen
Order of the Greek Horsemen is a secret society at the University of Georgia, in Athens, Georgia. Founded in 1955, the organization annually inducts five new members from among the male leaders of the Greek system at the University of Georgia...
, Gridiron Secret Society and the Phi Kappa Literary Society
Phi Kappa Literary Society
The Phi Kappa Literary Society is a college literary society, located at the University of Georgia in Athens, Georgia.The Society was founded in 1820 by Joseph Henry Lumpkin, later to become the first Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia and eponym for the , and by William Crabbe, Edwin...
. He left to fight in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, enlisting in the U.S. Army Air Force
United States Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
in 1943 and became a B-17 Flying Fortress bomber pilot. After the war, he returned to complete his bachelor's and law degrees.
In 1954, Sanders won a seat in the Georgia House of Representatives
Georgia House of Representatives
The Georgia House of Representatives is the lower house of the Georgia General Assembly of the U.S. state of Georgia.-Composition:...
. He won a seat in the Georgia Senate
Georgia Senate
The Georgia State Senate is the upper house of the Georgia General Assembly .-Composition:According to the state constitution of 1983, this body is to be composed of no more than 56 members elected for two-year terms. Current state law provides for 56 members...
in 1956. He served two years as president pro tempore
Pro tempore
Pro tempore , abbreviated pro tem or p.t., is a Latin phrase which best translates to "for the time being" in English. This phrase is often used to describe a person who acts as a locum tenens in the absence of a superior, such as the President pro tempore of the United States Senate.Legislative...
of the Senate.
Sanders defeated former governor Marvin Griffin
Marvin Griffin
Samuel Marvin Griffin, Sr. was a politician from the US state of Georgia. He served as the 72nd Governor of Georgia from 1955 to 1959.-Early life:...
in the 1962 primary. Sanders was the first Georgia governor from an urban area since the 1920s and he was the first modern Georgia governor nominated in the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
primary by the popular vote, following the end of the County Unit System
County Unit System
The County Unit System was used by the U.S. state of Georgia to determine a victor in its primary elections.Each county was given a certain number of votes and the candidate who received the highest number of votes in that county won all their 'unit votes', under a form of block voting...
.
As Governor, Sanders worked to improve education and the environment. Sanders also led the transition toward racial desegregation, cooperating with John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
and Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
on complying with civil rights laws.
Under the term limit
Term limit
A term limit is a legal restriction that limits the number of terms a person may serve in a particular elected office. When term limits are found in presidential and semi-presidential systems they act as a method to curb the potential for monopoly, where a leader effectively becomes "president for...
law then in effect, Sanders was ineligible to run for re-election. He left office at the peak of his popularity, and turned down several jobs from President Johnson. He returned to run an unsuccessful campaign for Governor in 1970 against future President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
, who is accused by some of employing race baiting tactics to defeat Sanders in the Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
primary. Carter's campaign criticized Sanders for paying tribute to Martin Luther King, Jr. and distributed grainy photographs of Sanders arm-in-arm celebrating with two black men. At the time, Sanders was part-owner of the Atlanta Hawks and the two black men were Hawks players celebrating after a victory. After the loss in the primary, Sanders left electoral politics to concentrate on the practice of law. As of 2007, he is Chairman Emeritus at the law firm of Troutman Sanders LLP.