Thomas J. Pearsall (1903-1981) was an American attorney, politician and philanthropist from

North Carolina North Carolina () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the 28th largest and 9th-most populous of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, Georgia and So ...

. He served in the

North Carolina House of Representatives The North Carolina House of Representatives is one of the two houses of the North Carolina General Assembly. The House is a 120-member body led by a Speaker of the House, who holds powers similar to those of the President pro-tem in the North Ca ...

and the

North Carolina Senate The North Carolina Senate is the upper chamber of the North Carolina General Assembly, which along with the North Carolina House of Representatives—the lower chamber—comprises the state legislature of North Carolina. The term of office for e ...

. He was the main instigator of the

Pearsall Plan The Pearsall Plan to Save Our Schools, known colloquially as the Pearsall Plan, was North Carolina's 1956 attempt at a delayed approach to integrate their public schools after racial segregation of schools was ruled unconstitutional by the United ...

Early life

Thomas J. Pearsall was born on February 11, 1903, in

Rocky Mount, North Carolina Rocky Mount is a city in Edgecombe County, North Carolina, Edgecombe and Nash County, North Carolina, Nash counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The city's population was 54,341 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it ...

. Pearsall was educated in public schools in Rocky Mount. He went to

prep school Preparatory school or prep school may refer to: Schools *Preparatory school (United Kingdom), an independent school preparing children aged 8–13 for entry into fee-charging independent schools, usually public schools *College-preparatory school, ...

, the

Georgia Military Academy Woodward Academy (also known as Woodward or WA) is an independent, co-educational college-preparatory school for pre-kindergarten to 12th grade on two campuses located in College Park and Johns Creek, Georgia, United States, within the Atlanta m ...

, in his senior year. He graduated from the

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill A university () is an institution of higher (or tertiary) education and research which awards academic degrees in several academic disciplines. Universities typically offer both undergraduate and postgraduate programs. In the United States ...

in 1927, where he studied the Law.

Career

Pearsall started his career as an attorney in Rocky Mount in 1927. Pearsall served in the

from 1941 to 1947. He served as the Speaker of the House in 1947. He then served as a member of the

. In 1956, Pearsall devised the

, which meant that in the wake of mandatory desegregation of public schools, white students could receive funding to attend private schools. That same year, he was a co-founder of the

North Carolina Wesleyan College North Carolina Wesleyan University (NCWU) is a Private college, private United Methodist Church, Methodist university in Rocky Mount, North Carolina. It was founded in 1956. North Carolina Wesleyan also offers evening courses at its main Rocky Mo ...

. He served on the board of governors of the

Research Triangle Institute Research Triangle Institute, trading as RTI International, is a nonprofit organization headquartered in the Research Triangle Park in North Carolina. RTI provides research and technical services. It was founded in 1958 with $500,000 in funding f ...

. Pearsall served as the president of the Citizens Savings and Loan Association of Rocky Mount. Additionally, he served on the board of directors of the Planters National Bank and Trust Company.

Philanthropy

Pearsall served as the chairman of the board of the

Roanoke Island Roanoke Island () is an island in Dare County, North Carolina, Dare County, bordered by the Outer Banks of North Carolina, United States. It was named after the historical Roanoke (tribe), Roanoke, a Carolina Algonquian people who inhabited the ar ...

Historical Association from 1975 to 1981. Additionally, he served on the board of trustees of the Children's Home Society and the Asheville School for Boys.

Personal life

Pearsall married Emily Elizabeth Braswell, an heiress to the M. C. Braswell Company, in 1930. They had two sons, Thomas J. Jr., and Mack Braswell.

Death

Pearsall died on May 5, 1981. He was buried at the Pineview Cemetery.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Pearsall, Thomas J. 1903 births 1981 deaths People from Rocky Mount, North Carolina University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill alumni 20th-century American lawyers North Carolina state senators Speakers of the North Carolina House of Representatives 20th-century American politicians Woodward Academy alumni