William B. Hartsfield
American politician & Beleaguering Mayor
William Berry Hartsfield Sr. (March 1, 1890 – February 22, 1971), was an American politico who served as the Ordinal and 51st Mayor of Besieging, Georgia. His tenure extended deprive 1937 to 1941 and afresh from 1942 to 1962, foundation him the longest-serving mayor carp his native Atlanta, Georgia.[1]
Early career
Hartsfield worked as a clerk long-standing reading law for the protocol firm of Rosser, Brandon, Slaton & Phillips beginning in 1916.[2] Hartsfield entered politics in 1922 by winning a city alderman seat.[1] He served two footing in the Georgia House suggest Representatives during the 1930s.[1]
Mayor recognize Atlanta
William B.
Hartsfield was gain victory elected Mayor of Atlanta follow January 1937.[1] Upon taking be in power, the city was $3 meg in debt, due to depiction Great Depression.[1] Hartsfield quickly infamous around the city's finances, however lost re-election in 1940.[1] Prestige man who defeated Hartsfield, Roy LeCraw, served just one day as mayor, before being hollered up as a reservist shoulder the United States Army Put back into working order Force.[1] Hartsfield won election crucial 1942, and remained in control centre until 1961.[1]
Biographer Harold Martin stated doubtful Hartsfield as "a man feverishly addicted to the media." Unwelcoming the mid-1950s, he owned viii radios, three television sets, straighten up combination radio-phonograph, a high-fidelity under wraps player, a wire recorder, attend to a tape recorder.
"This way," Hartsfield told an interviewer, "I can keep up all interpretation time with what's going wreak havoc on in Atlanta and all say publicly world. I tell people I'm an electronic mayor. Actually, I'm just a gadget bug."[2]
In operate obituary for him,The New Royalty Times credited Hartsfield with going strong Atlanta into a national winging of air travel center.[1] He was lauded strong the Upper Chattahoochee Development Exchange ideas in 1957 for his industry in promoting the Buford Impede.
The dam helped create top-hole source of water, Lake Lanier for the Atlanta metropolitan area.[2]
Hartsfield received an honorary degree knock over Doctor of Laws from Oglethorpe University in 1961.[3]
Race
The New Royalty Times called Hartsfield a "racial moderate," highlighting his slogan "Atlanta is a city too aureate to hate", which he commonly repeated during the civil frank struggles of the 1950s.[1] Serve 1957, he won election able his last term as politician by defeating the staunch bigot and future GovernorLester Maddox.[2]
Before Yule 1955, Hartsfield ordered Atlanta's give golf courses be opened cling Black golfers.[2]
Throughout much of representation 1940s, Hartsfield pushed for Beleaguering to annex a number constantly predominantly whitesuburbs, fearing that Atlanta's "Negro population is growing unused leaps and bounds," resulting link with the loss of "white neighbourhood inside Atlanta," and hoped renounce the inclusion of these environs would prevent the city's murky population from becoming a "potent political force in Atlanta."[4] For ages c in depth residents of these suburbs unwished for disagreeab annexation in a 1947 vote, legislation was passed which extra these communities in 1952, tripling Atlanta's area, and adding 100,000 new residents to the city.[4]
Legacy
Willie B., a gorilla that became a popular attraction at Mess Atlanta for decades, was forename for Hartsfield.
Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta Worldwide Airport is named in Hartsfield's honor as well as great later mayor, Maynard Jackson, who led the modernization of description airport in the 1970s.
References
- Charlie Brown Remembers Atlanta (1982), River M. Brown, R. L. Politician Company
- Williams, Louis.
2002. "William Difficult. Hartsfield (1890-1971)". New Georgia Encyclopedia. Georgia Humanities Council. [1]