Mickey Michaux
Encyclopedia
Henry M. "Mickey" Michaux, Jr. (born 1930) is a Democratic member of the North Carolina General Assembly
representing the state's thirty-first House district since 1983. He previously served from 1973 through 1977. His district includes constituents in Durham
County. , Michaux is the longest-serving African American member of the North Carolina General Assembly. In the 2007-2008 session
, Michaux served as senior chairman of the House Appropriations Committee and chairman of the House Select Committee on Street Gang Prevention.
and an alumnus of Durham's North Carolina Central University
. He served in the United States Army
Medical Corps from 1952–1954 and in the Army Reserves from 1954 until 1960. He was an assistant district attorney
before being elected to the North Carolina legislature in 1972. In 1977, Michaux became the first black United States Attorney
in the South since Reconstruction when he was appointed to head the office in the Middle District of North Carolina
. Leaving that post at the end of the Carter administration, Michaux ran for Congress in 1982.
with Tim Valentine
. Valentine won the runoff, and Michaux returned to the state legislature. There, he pushed for the elimination of primary runoffs, and eventually the law was changed to lower the threshold to winning 40 percent to avoid a runoff. Had that law been in place in 1982, Michaux would have been the first African-American elected to Congress from North Carolina in the twentieth century.
In 1992, Michaux lost the Democratic primary in the new 12th congressional district
to Mel Watt
.
The School of Education at North Carolina Central University
was renamed the H. M. Michaux, Jr. School of Education in his honor in 2007.
North Carolina General Assembly
The North Carolina General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of North Carolina. The General Assembly drafts and legislates the state laws of North Carolina, also known as the General Statutes...
representing the state's thirty-first House district since 1983. He previously served from 1973 through 1977. His district includes constituents in Durham
Durham County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 223,314 people, 89,015 households, and 54,032 families residing in the county. The population density was 769 people per square mile . There were 95,452 housing units at an average density of 329 per square mile...
County. , Michaux is the longest-serving African American member of the North Carolina General Assembly. In the 2007-2008 session
North Carolina General Assembly of 2007-2008
Members of the North Carolina General Assembly, 2007–2008 session were elected in November 2006. This legislature first convened in January 2007....
, Michaux served as senior chairman of the House Appropriations Committee and chairman of the House Select Committee on Street Gang Prevention.
Career
An attorney and businessman, Michaux is a native of Durham, North CarolinaDurham, North Carolina
Durham is a city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is the county seat of Durham County and also extends into Wake County. It is the fifth-largest city in the state, and the 85th-largest in the United States by population, with 228,330 residents as of the 2010 United States census...
and an alumnus of Durham's North Carolina Central University
North Carolina Central University
North Carolina Central University is a public historically black university in the University of North Carolina system, located in Durham, North Carolina, offering programs at the baccalaureate, master’s, professional and doctoral levels....
. He served in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
Medical Corps from 1952–1954 and in the Army Reserves from 1954 until 1960. He was an assistant district attorney
District attorney
In many jurisdictions in the United States, a District Attorney is an elected or appointed government official who represents the government in the prosecution of criminal offenses. The district attorney is the highest officeholder in the jurisdiction's legal department and supervises a staff of...
before being elected to the North Carolina legislature in 1972. In 1977, Michaux became the first black United States Attorney
United States Attorney
United States Attorneys represent the United States federal government in United States district court and United States court of appeals. There are 93 U.S. Attorneys stationed throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands...
in the South since Reconstruction when he was appointed to head the office in the Middle District of North Carolina
United States District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina
The U.S. District Court for the Middle District of North Carolina is a United States district court with jurisdiction over 24 counties in the center of North Carolina...
. Leaving that post at the end of the Carter administration, Michaux ran for Congress in 1982.
Runoff election threshold
Michaux polled the most votes in the first round of the Democratic primary, but because no candidate received more than 50 percent of the vote, he was forced into a runoffTwo-round system
The two-round system is a voting system used to elect a single winner where the voter casts a single vote for their chosen candidate...
with Tim Valentine
Tim Valentine
Itimous Thaddeus Valentine, Jr. , generally known as Tim Valentine, was a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from North Carolina from 1983 to 1995....
. Valentine won the runoff, and Michaux returned to the state legislature. There, he pushed for the elimination of primary runoffs, and eventually the law was changed to lower the threshold to winning 40 percent to avoid a runoff. Had that law been in place in 1982, Michaux would have been the first African-American elected to Congress from North Carolina in the twentieth century.
In 1992, Michaux lost the Democratic primary in the new 12th congressional district
North Carolina's 12th congressional district
North Carolina's 12th congressional district is located in central North Carolina and comprises portions of Charlotte, Winston-Salem, Greensboro, Lexington, Salisbury, Concord, and High Point...
to Mel Watt
Mel Watt
Melvin Luther Watt is the United States House of Representatives for , serving since 1993. He is a member of the Democratic Party.-Early life, education and career:...
.
The School of Education at North Carolina Central University
North Carolina Central University
North Carolina Central University is a public historically black university in the University of North Carolina system, located in Durham, North Carolina, offering programs at the baccalaureate, master’s, professional and doctoral levels....
was renamed the H. M. Michaux, Jr. School of Education in his honor in 2007.
External links
- North Carolina General Assembly - Representative Henry M. Michaux, Jr. official NC House website
- Raleigh News & Observer profile
- Oral History Interview with H. M. Michaux at Oral Histories of the American South
- Project Vote Smart - Representative Henry M. 'Mickey' Michaux Jr. (NC) profile
- Follow the Money - H M (Mickey) Michaux Jr