On this day in Georgia History – September 21
In celebration of GALILEO’s 14th birthday on September 21, some noteworthy Georgia events that occurred on this day in history:
-
September 21, 1757: Birth, in England, of notable Georgia politician James Jackson. Jackson became a Whig and served in the Georgia militia during the American Revolution, afterwards practicing law and achieving the rank of major general by 1792. He served in the Georgia General Assembly in 1780s-1790s, in the U.S. House of Representatives 1789-1791, as Governor 1798-1801, and as U.S. Senator 1793-1795 and 1801-1806. Jackson fought the Yazoo land scandal, was honored with a county named for him in 1796, and helped negotiate Georgia’s cession of its western territories to the U.S. in return for $1.15 million and the federal government’s extinguishing of all Indian claims to Georgia. He died on March 19, 1806.
-
September 21, 1863: Following a defeat the previous day during the Battle of Chickamauga, the Union Army of the Cumberland retreated north to Chattanooga.
-
September 21, 1863: Birth (in South Carolina) of Georgia newspaper reporter, editor, and politician Clark Howell. Son of Evan Howell (chief editor and half-owner of the Atlanta Constitution), Clark Howell became the Constitution’s night editor at age 21, became managing editor after Henry Grady’s death in 1889, and became chief editor in 1897 when his father retired — and purchased controlling interest in the Constitution four years later. Howell was elected to the Georgia House of Representative in 1885, and served as Speaker of the House in 1890-1891. He also served in the Georgia Senate from 1900-1906 and lost a bid for governor in 1907. He was a friend of Franklin D. Roosevelt, who appointed him to several federal commissions. Howell died on November 14, 1936.
-
September 21, 1887: Kennesaw (in Cobb County) was incorporated.
-
September 21, 1903: Birth (in Calhoun) of Georgia educator William Tate. He earned a B.A. at the University of Georgia in 1924 and his M.A. in 1927. After serving as head of the English department at McCallie College in Chattanooga, Tate returned to the University of Georgia in 1936 as dean of freshmen and assistant professor of English; in 1946, he was promoted to dean of men. Tate is credited with preventing a violent student protest from becoming a riot during the integration of the University in 1961. Tate retired in 1971 and died on his birthday in 1981.
-
September 21, 1929: Former Governor Nathaniel Harris died in Macon.
-
September 21, 1944: Birth (in Charlotte, NC) of political advisor Hamilton McWhorter Jordan. Jordan managed Jimmy Carter’s governor campaign in 1970, and served as his executive secretary until 1973. Jordan also managed Carter’s presidential campaign in 1976, and served as his chief of staff from 1979-1980. Jordan failed in a bid for U.S. Senate in 1986, and managed Ross Perot’s presidential campaign in 1992.
-
September 21, 1976: Atlanta Airport became Hartsfield International Airport.
-
September 21, 1977: Bert Lance, advisor to President Carter, resigned as director of the Office of Management and Budget, following allegations of financial wrongdoing.
-
September 21, 1989: General Colin Powell, commander in chief of Army Forces Command at Fort McPherson in Atlanta, was promoted to Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
-
September 21, 1995: GeorgiA Library Learning Online (GALILEO) launched!
-
September 21, 1996: The Georgia Music Hall of Fame opened in Macon.
-
September 21, 1996: Georgia artist Lamar Dodd died.
-
September 21, 2010: GALILEO will be 15 years old!
Source: GeorgiaInfo, http://georgiainfo.galileo.usg.edu
