Melvin Ernest Thompson was an American educator and politician from Millen in the U.S. state of Georgia. He served as the 71st Governor of Georgia and the 1st Lieutenant Governor of Georgia, from 1947 to 1948. Thompson was born in Millen, Georgia to Henry J. And Eva Thompson. He graduated from Emory University in 1926 and earned a Master of Arts from the University of Georgia in 1935. He also earned all of the credits for a Ph.D. from the University of Georgia, but because his Adviser died, he never argued his dissertation. Thompson worked in education, first as a teacher and coach, a principal, a district superintendent, moving all the way up to assistant school superintendent for the state. Thompson was a supporter of Governor Ellis Arnall and he was his executive secretary and state revenue commissioner. In 1946, Thompson ran for the newly created position of Lieutenant Governor of Georgia. Arnall supported another candidate. Thompson won the primary with less than thirty percent of the vote. Governor-elect Eugene Talmadge died in December 1946 and the Georgia state constitution was vague on who would be sworn in as Governor. [More at Wikipedia]

May 1st, 1903 in Georgia  /  Died:   Oct 3rd, 1980