James G. Woodward

James G. Woodward (January 14, 1845  August 29, 1923)[1] was an American newspaperman and politician, having served as the 36th, 39th and 43rd Mayor of Atlanta, Georgia.

James G. Woodward
34th, 37th and 41st Mayor of Atlanta
In office
January 1913  January 1917
Preceded byCourtland Winn
Succeeded byAsa Griggs Candler
In office
January 1905  January 1907
Preceded byEvan Howell
Succeeded byWalthall Robertson Joyner
In office
January 1899  January 1901
Preceded byCharles Collier
Succeeded byLivingston Mims
Personal details
Born(1845-01-14)January 14, 1845
DiedAugust 29, 1923(1923-08-29) (aged 78)
Resting placeOakland Cemetery
Atlanta, Georgia
Political partyDemocratic

Woodward made his living as printer through the newsrooms of the Atlanta Journal and Constitution over the years. He won Mayor in 1899 and won again when he was eligible in 1904, but the next time he was eligible things didn't go so smoothly. Following the Atlanta race riot of 1906. he won the 1908 Democratic primary (in a virtually one party state) but was arrested for public intoxication less than a month before the December general election and was defeated by Robert Maddox.[2] He served his third and fourth terms following Courtland Winn. Trying for a fifth term as Atlanta mayor, he ran (and lost) in September 1922, a year before his death.

The Atlanta race riot of 1906 was a defining moment of Woodward's political career, for which he did not rise to the occasion.

The New York Times reported that when Woodward was asked as to the measures taken to prevent a race riot, he replied:

The best way to prevent a race riot depends entirely upon the cause. If your inquiry has anything to do with the present situation in Atlanta then I would say the only remedy is to remove the cause. As long as the black brutes assault our white women, just so long will they be unceremoniously dealt with.[3]

He had gone around the city on Saturday night trying to calm the mobs, but was generally ignored.

Notes

  1. Franklin Garrett Necrology Database - Atlanta History Center
  2. Kemp, Kathryn (2002). God's Capitalist: Asa Candler of Coca-Cola. Macon, Georgia: Mercer University. pp. 173–175. ISBN 0-86554-782-3.
  3. "THE ATLANTA RIOTS" (September 25, 1906) New York Times
Preceded by
Charles Collier
Mayor of Atlanta
January 1899  January 1901
Succeeded by
Livingston Mims
Preceded by
Evan Howell
Mayor of Atlanta
January 1905  January 1907
Succeeded by
W.R. Joyner
Preceded by
Courtland Winn
Mayor of Atlanta
January 1913  January 1917
Succeeded by
Asa Candler


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