Aroused Citizens of Georgia film
Scope and Contents
The film in this collection depict footage related to voting and the Three Governors Controversy in Georgia. The Three Governors Controversy began with the death of Governor-elect Eugene Talmadge in 1946. After his death, a political struggle for the governor’s office ensued involving the incumbent governor Ellis Arnall, Lieutenant Governor Melvin Thompson, and Talmadge's son Herman, who was subsequently elected by the Georgia Assembly. In March of 1947 the Georgia Supreme Court ruled that Melvin Thompson was rightful governor until a special election could be held in 1948. Herman Talmadge won that election, defeating Ellis Arnall.
The bulk of this footage shows a meeting at the Piedmont Hotel on January 27, 1947, of the Aroused Citizens of Georgia, an organization which opposed Herman Talmadge's election as governor during the early months of the Three Governors Controversy in 1947. Speakers during this meeting include Harvey J. Kennedy, co-chair of the organization and mayor of Barnesville, Georgia; Dr. Paul E. Bryan, a law professor at Emory University; Grace Connally, a supporter of Herman Talmadge, who is seen disrupting the meeting and physically grabbing the arm of Judge Blanton Fortson, co-chair of the Aroused Citizens of Georgia, who is seated in the audience.
This footage also features segregated voting lines and booths at Nathan B. Forrest Elementary School, presumably for the 1940 general election.
Dates
- approximately 1940-1948
Conditions Governing Access
This collection is open for research.
Conditions Governing Use
This material is protected by copyright law. (Title 17, U.S. Code) Permission for use must be cleared through the Kenan Research Center at the Atlanta History Center. Licensing agreement may be required.
Extent
1 16 mm film(s)
Language
English
Arrangement
This collection is arranged alphabetically by titles supplied by staff.
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
This collection has been digitized and is available at: https://album.atlantahistorycenter.com/digital/collection/p17222coll102
Digitization of the films in this collection is made possible by a grant from the National Film Preservation Foundation.
Bias in Description
As archivists, we acknowledge our role as stewards of information. We choose how individuals and organizations are represented and described in our archives. We are not neutral, and bias is reflected in our descriptions, which may not accurately convey the racist or offensive aspects of collection materials. Archivists make mistakes and might use poor judgment. In working with this collection, we often re-use language used by the former owners of the material. This language provides context but often includes bias and prejudices reflective of the time in which it was created. The Kenan Research Center’s work is ongoing to implement reparative language where Library of Congress subject terms are inaccurate and obsolete.
Kenan Research Center welcomes feedback and questions regarding our archival descriptions. If you encounter harmful, offensive, or insensitive terminology or descriptions, please let us know by emailing reference@atlantahistorycenter.com. Your comments are essential to our work to create inclusive and thoughtful description.
Processing Information
This collection was processed in 2026.
- African Americans -- 1940-1950
- Aroused Citizens of Georgia
- Bryan, Paul E., 1884-1975
- Druid Hills High School (Atlanta, Ga.)
- Elections -- Georgia
- Fortson, Blanton Erwin, 1882-1968
- Georgia State Capitol (Atlanta, Ga.)
- Governors -- Georgia
- Kennedy, Harvey John, 1898-1971
- Meetings -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Nathan B. Forrest Elementary School (Atlanta, Ga.)
- Piedmont Hotel (Atlanta, Ga.)
- Political campaigns -- Georgia
- Political candidates -- Georgia
- Politicians -- Georgia
- Segregation -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- Talmadge, Herman E. (Herman Eugene), 1913-2002
- Thompson, M. E. (Melvin Ernest), 1903-1980
- Voting -- Georgia -- Atlanta
- WSB (Radio station : Atlanta, Ga.)
- Title
- Aroused Citizens of Georgia film
- Subtitle
- ahc.VIS548
- Author
- Kate Daly
- Date
- July 2026
- Description rules
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
- Language of description
- English
- Script of description
- Latin
Repository Details
Part of the Kenan Research Center at Atlanta History Center Repository
