George W. Palmer (Virginia politician) explained

George W. Palmer
State Senate3:Virginia
District3:9th
Term Start3:January 11, 1950
Term End3:January 11, 1956
Preceded3:W. Dennis Kendig
Succeeded3:Charles R. Fenwick
Birth Name:George Washington Palmer
Birth Date:22 February 1894
Birth Place:Brunswick, Virginia, U.S.
Death Place:Sarasota, Florida, U.S.
Party:Democratic
Occupation:Dairy Farmer
Spouse:Ruth Iva Love

George Washington Palmer (February 22, 1894 – April 27, 1972)[1] was a Democratic State Senator from Prince Edward County, Virginia and was a school board member during the period of his county's massive resistance opposition to racial integration of the public schools.

Political career

Palmer was first elected to the Virginia Senate in a special election in 1948 representing the 9th district, upon the death of Senator W. Dennis Kendig. He was later reelected to a full term from 1952 – 1956.

By 1959, Palmer was on the Prince Edward County School Board when it was faced with an order to desegregate its public schools. The Prince Edward County school board closed the entire school system in September 1959 rather than integrate. Prince Edward County was the only school district in the country to resort to such extreme measures. In 1963, Palmer was the Chair of the School Board who reopened the public schools under federal court order.[2]

Notes and References

  1. Social Security Death Index
  2. https://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=1955&dat=19630815&id=MhUrAAAAIBAJ&sjid=1JsFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6749,6373111 Reading Eagle, August 13, 1963