Paul B. Johnson, Sr.

Paul Burney Johnson, Sr. ( born March 23, 1880 in Hillsboro, Scott County, Mississippi, † December 26, 1943 in Hattiesburg, Mississippi ) was an American politician and 1940-1943 Governor of the State of Mississippi. Between 1919 and 1923 he represented his state in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Early years and political rise

Paul Johnson visited the Harpersville College and then studied until 1903 at Millsaps College Jura. Then he began to work as a lawyer in Hattiesburg. In the years 1907 and 1908 he was judge of the municipal court and there from 1910 to 1919 he was a judge in the 12th District of the State of Law. Johnson was a member of the Democratic Party. Between 4 March 1919 and 3 March 1923 he was a delegate in the U.S. Congress for two terms. Another candidate, he refused in 1922. He then worked again as a lawyer and in agriculture. In the years 1931 and 1935 he applied unsuccessfully for his party's nomination for the office of governor.

Governor of Mississippi

In 1939 he made his party's nomination for top candidates for the gubernatorial elections. This was tantamount to election victory, because the Democrats were virtually unrivaled in Mississippi since 1876. Paul Johnson stepped up his new post on January 16, 1940. During his tenure, free textbooks were against massive resistance, required by law. At that time some parts of the New Deal program of the federal government were introduced at the state level. Among other things, the pension system has been improved. The second part of Johnson's tenure was overshadowed by the events of World War II when the United States since December 7, 1941, the day of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, took part. Also in Mississippi food and fuel were rationed. The production was switched to armaments and young men were called up for the military.

Governor Johnson seriously ill during his tenure. Also the heated debate surrounding the textbooks translated to his health. At Christmas 1943, his health deteriorated so rapidly that the governor died on the 26 December. His unexpired term until January 1944, graduated from Lt. Governor Dennis Murphree. Governor Paul Johnson was married to Corinne Venable, with whom he had four children, including his son Paul, who should be governor of Mississippi also 1964-1968.

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