User:Ktkvtsh/Draft/J. Thomas Jewell
J. Thomas Jewell | |
|---|---|
| Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives | |
| In office 1960–1964 | |
| Preceded by | John Sidney Garrett |
| Succeeded by | John Sidney Garrett |
| Louisiana House of Representatives | |
| In office 1936–1968 | |
| Preceded by | Ralph Herbert |
| Succeeded by | Robert "Bobby" Freeman and Esper Marionneaux, Jr. |
| Personal details | |
| Born | March 6, 1909 New Roads, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Died | December 10, 1993 (aged 84) |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Dorothy Morgan Jewell |
| Children | J. Thomas Jewell, Jr. |
| Profession | Politician |
Joseph Thomas Jewell, Sr. (March 6, 1909 – December 10, 1993), known as J. Thomas Jewell, was an American politician who served as a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives for Pointe Coupee Parish from 1936 to 1968. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1960 to 1964.
Early life and education
[edit]J. Thomas Jewell was born on March 6, 1909. Details about his early life and education are not widely documented. He lived in New Roads, Pointe Coupee Parish, Louisiana.
Political career
[edit]Jewell began his political career in 1936 when he was elected to the Louisiana House of Representatives representing Pointe Coupee Parish. He served continuously in this role until 1968, succeeding Ralph Herbert and later being succeeded by Robert "Bobby" Freeman and Esper Marionneaux, Jr., following revised districting.
During his tenure, Jewell served as Speaker of the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1960 to 1964, under Governor Jimmie Davis. In this capacity, he played a key role in legislative activities and decision-making.
Jewell was a delegate to the 1960 Democratic National Convention held in Los Angeles, California. The convention nominated the John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson ticket, which won the general election for the presidency.
Opposition to Desegregation
[edit]Like many Southern politicians of his time, Jewell opposed the federal push for school desegregation. On November 14, 1960, shortly after the election of President Kennedy, Jewell made a notable speech in the Louisiana Legislature asserting the autonomy of state legislatures against federal court rulings on desegregation issues.
Personal life
[edit]Jewell was married to Dorothy Morgan Jewell (1909–2008). They had a son, J. Thomas Jewell, Jr. (1937–2002), who worked as a landman for the Warren American Oil Company in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The family resided in New Roads, Louisiana.
Death
[edit]J. Thomas Jewell passed away on December 10, 1993, at the age of 84.>
Legacy
[edit]Jewell's political career, particularly his role as Speaker, reflects a significant period in Louisiana's legislative history marked by resistance to federal civil rights mandates and the complexities of state politics in the mid-20th century.