Everything Is Pickrick

How could a man who never attended college, who believed in states rights, segregation, private property, and "Americanism," who would run for public office three times and lose, and then who would run for governorlose the electionbut become governor anyway? Lester Maddox was an anomaly as governor (1967-1971). Born in Atlanta in 1915, Maddox worked several jobs before opening the famous Pickrick Restaurant in 1947. Starting slowly, it became a huge success seating over 400 people. When President Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act, Maddox closed his restaurant rather than integrate it. This is the story of a man who vowed to chase away Martin Luther King, Jr. from the state, who was notorious for carrying a pick axe handle, who supported George Wallace for president, and who was a life-long thorn in the side of Jimmy Carter.

In 1966 Maddox ran for Governor and won the democratic nomination over Ellis Arnall, Jimmy Carter, Garland T. Byrd, James Gray, and Hoke OKelley. Maddox defeated an overconfident Arnall in a runoff two weeks later. He then ran against Howard "Bo" Callaway, the republican candidate, for the top executive office in the state. While Callaway had more popular votes, a third candidateEllis Arnall, a write-in candidategathered enough votes to keep either Maddox or Callaway from getting a majority, sending the final vote to the General Assembly, where Maddox was elected governor.

Many expected the Maddox administration to be a complete catastrophe. But in Bob Shorts revealing biography, it is shown howcontrary to expectationin the words of Bill Shipp, "he made excellent judicial appointments, instituted the most far-reaching prison reforms ever tried in Georgia, brought black officials into the government for the first time and generally showed himself to be a compassionate governor with a certain amount of wisdom concealed below that zany veneer."

Bob Short is a marketing consultant in Atlanta. He is an active campaign consultant, and has served as advisor to state and national candidates including President Jimmy Carter, Senator Sam Nunn, Governor Zell Miller, and Lester Maddox.