Thomas Chipman McRae
Encyclopedia
Thomas Chipman McRae was a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives
and was the 26th Governor of Arkansas from 1921 to 1925.
in Union County, Arkansas. He attended Soule Business College and graduated with a law degree from Washington and Lee University
.
In 1874, McRae was appointed to the post of Election Commissioner. From 1877 to 1879, he served in the Arkansas House of Representatives
and was a presidential elector in 1880. In 1884, 1896, and 1900, he was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention
and served as president of the convention twice. From 1888 to 1902 he was a member of the Democratic Congressional Committee. From 1885 to 1903 McRae served in the United States House of Representatives
.
In 1917 and 1918, McRae was president of the Arkansas Bar Association
; in the latter year he took part in the Arkansas Constitutional Convention
.
In 1920 he was elected Governor of Arkansas and served for two terms. The McRae administration oversaw the establishment of the railroad commission and the establishment of a tuberculosis
sanitarium for African-Americans at a time when their survival rate was only 25%.
McRae was known as a relative liberal on racial matters and attempted to take action against lynching
. In 1921 he ordered Mississippi County sheriff's deputies to bring a black prisoner directly to Little Rock
from Texas
to avoid local hostility in the community where he was charged. The deputies ignored the order and the prisoner was killed when he arrived in Mississippi County.
After the end of his terms, McRae was appointed special Chief Justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court
. He was elected a life member of the Arkansas Democratic State Convention in 1926, and engaged in the practice of law and banking until his death in 1929.
Thomas McRae is buried at the DeAnn Cemetery in Prescott, Arkansas
. McRae was a cousin of Thomas Banks Cabaniss
, a U.S. Representative from Georgia
.He was also the grandfather of Thomas C. "Tom" McRae III, the long time President of the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation who challenged the renomination bid of Governor Bill Clinton in 1990.
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
and was the 26th Governor of Arkansas from 1921 to 1925.
Biography
Thomas Chipman McRae was born at Mount HollyMount Holly, Arkansas
Mount Holly is an unincorporated community in Union County, Arkansas, United States. Mount Holly is located at the junction of Arkansas Highway 57 and Arkansas Highway 160 west-northwest of El Dorado. Mount Holly has a post office with ZIP code 71758....
in Union County, Arkansas. He attended Soule Business College and graduated with a law degree from Washington and Lee University
Washington and Lee University
Washington and Lee University is a private liberal arts college in Lexington, Virginia, United States.The classical school from which Washington and Lee descended was established in 1749 as Augusta Academy, about north of its present location. In 1776 it was renamed Liberty Hall in a burst of...
.
In 1874, McRae was appointed to the post of Election Commissioner. From 1877 to 1879, he served in the Arkansas House of Representatives
Arkansas House of Representatives
The Arkansas House of Representatives is the lower house of the Arkansas General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The House is composed of 100 members elected from an equal amount of constituencies across the state. Each district has an average population of 26,734...
and was a presidential elector in 1880. In 1884, 1896, and 1900, he was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention
Democratic National Convention
The Democratic National Convention is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 national convention...
and served as president of the convention twice. From 1888 to 1902 he was a member of the Democratic Congressional Committee. From 1885 to 1903 McRae served in the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
.
In 1917 and 1918, McRae was president of the Arkansas Bar Association
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
; in the latter year he took part in the Arkansas Constitutional Convention
Constitutional convention (political meeting)
A constitutional convention is now a gathering for the purpose of writing a new constitution or revising an existing constitution. A general constitutional convention is called to create the first constitution of a political unit or to entirely replace an existing constitution...
.
In 1920 he was elected Governor of Arkansas and served for two terms. The McRae administration oversaw the establishment of the railroad commission and the establishment of a tuberculosis
Tuberculosis
Tuberculosis, MTB, or TB is a common, and in many cases lethal, infectious disease caused by various strains of mycobacteria, usually Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Tuberculosis usually attacks the lungs but can also affect other parts of the body...
sanitarium for African-Americans at a time when their survival rate was only 25%.
McRae was known as a relative liberal on racial matters and attempted to take action against lynching
Lynching
Lynching is an extrajudicial execution carried out by a mob, often by hanging, but also by burning at the stake or shooting, in order to punish an alleged transgressor, or to intimidate, control, or otherwise manipulate a population of people. It is related to other means of social control that...
. In 1921 he ordered Mississippi County sheriff's deputies to bring a black prisoner directly to Little Rock
Little Rock, Arkansas
Little Rock is the capital and the largest city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 699,757 people in the 2010 census...
from Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
to avoid local hostility in the community where he was charged. The deputies ignored the order and the prisoner was killed when he arrived in Mississippi County.
After the end of his terms, McRae was appointed special Chief Justice of the Arkansas Supreme Court
Arkansas Supreme Court
The Arkansas Supreme Court is the highest court in the U.S. state of Arkansas. Since 1925, it has consisted of a Chief Justice and six Associate Justices, and at times Special Justices are called upon in the absence of a regular justice...
. He was elected a life member of the Arkansas Democratic State Convention in 1926, and engaged in the practice of law and banking until his death in 1929.
Thomas McRae is buried at the DeAnn Cemetery in Prescott, Arkansas
Prescott, Arkansas
Prescott is a city and the county seat of Nevada County, Arkansas. The community had a population of 3,868 at the 2000 census. Prescott is part of the Hope Micropolitan Statistical Area....
. McRae was a cousin of Thomas Banks Cabaniss
Thomas Banks Cabaniss
Thomas Banks Cabaniss was a United States Representative from Georgia.-Biography:Born in Forsyth, Georgia, he attended private schools and Penfield College, was graduated from the University of Georgia in 1853, studied law, and was admitted to the bar in 1861...
, a U.S. Representative from Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
.He was also the grandfather of Thomas C. "Tom" McRae III, the long time President of the Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation who challenged the renomination bid of Governor Bill Clinton in 1990.