Thomas Manson Norwood (April 26, 1830June 19, 1913) was a

United States senator The United States Senate is the Upper house, upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States House of Representatives, House of Representatives being the Lower house, lower chamber. Together they compose the national Bica ...

and

Representative Representative may refer to: Politics * Representative democracy, type of democracy in which elected officials represent a group of people * House of Representatives, legislative body in various countries or sub-national entities * Legislator, som ...

from

Georgia Georgia most commonly refers to: * Georgia (country), a country in the Caucasus region of Eurasia * Georgia (U.S. state), a state in the Southeast United States Georgia may also refer to: Places Historical states and entities * Related to the ...

Early years and education

Born in

Talbot County, Georgia Talbot County is a county located in the west central portion of the U.S. state of Georgia. The 2020 census showed a population of 5,733. The county seat and largest city is Talbotton. History Talbot County was created from a portion of Musco ...

, he pursued an academic course, and graduated from Emory College in 1850. He studied law under Georgia governor

James Milton Smith James Milton Smith (October 24, 1823November 25, 1890) was a Confederate infantry colonel in the American Civil War, as well as a post-war Governor of Georgia. Early life Smith was born in Twiggs County, Georgia and was educated at the Cullo ...

, and was admitted to the

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in 1852, commencing practice in

Savannah A savanna or savannah is a mixed woodland-grassland (i.e. grassy woodland) ecosystem characterised by the trees being sufficiently widely spaced so that the Canopy (forest), canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to rea ...

Political service

He was a member of the

Georgia House of Representatives The Georgia House of Representatives is the lower house of the Georgia General Assembly (the state legislature) of the U.S. state of Georgia. There are currently 180 elected members. Republicans have had a majority in the chamber since 2005. T ...

from 1861 to 1862 and was a

presidential elector The United States Electoral College is the group of presidential electors required by the Constitution to form every four years for the sole purpose of appointing the president and vice president. Each state and the District of Columbia appo ...

on the Democratic ticket in 1868. He was elected as a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...

to the U.S. Senate and served from November 14, 1871, to March 3, 1877. Norwood was the first Democrat from the South seated in the Senate after the Civil War. He was a staunch critic of the

Civil Rights Act of 1875 The Civil Rights Act of 1875, sometimes called the Enforcement Act or the Force Act, was a United States federal law enacted during the Reconstruction era in response to civil rights violations against African Americans. The bill was passed by the ...

. He resumed the practice of law in Savannah, and was elected as a Representative to the Forty-ninth and Fiftieth U.S. Congresses, serving from March 4, 1885, to March 3, 1889.

Legal career

In 1889 he again resumed the practice of law, and was appointed judge of the city court of Savannah in 1896, serving twelve years. In his last address before his retirement on December 31, 1907, Norwood called for the execution of Black men who had consensual sexual relationships with White women, accusing them of being violent and abusive. He also called for life imprisonment for White women who were involved, and subjecting Black people to chattel slavery.

Death and legacy

He returned to his country home, Harrock Hall, near Savannah, and died there in June 1913. Interment was in

Laurel Grove Cemetery Laurel Grove Cemetery is a cemetery located in midtown Savannah, Georgia. It includes the original cemetery for whites (now known as Laurel Grove North) and a companion burial ground (called Laurel Grove South) that was reserved for slaves and fr ...

, Savannah. His posthumously published book ''A True Vindication of the South'' argued that the South had been justified in its fight against the North.

References

Works

*
A true vindication of the South, in a review of American political history
' Savannah, Ga., Braid and Hutton 1917. * Norwood, Thomas M
Mother Goose carved by a commentator
Savannah: Morning News, 1900.

External links

*
Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library
Emory University
Thomas M. Norwood papers, 1859-1874Centennial Exposition: Speech of Hon. Thomas M. Norwood of Georgia, in the Senate of the United States, February 10, 1876
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Norwood, Thomas Manson 1830 births 1913 deaths Democratic Party members of the Georgia House of Representatives Georgia (U.S. state) lawyers Georgia (U.S. state) state court judges Emory University alumni People of Georgia (U.S. state) in the American Civil War Democratic Party United States senators from Georgia (U.S. state) Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Georgia (U.S. state) American slave owners 19th-century American politicians Politicians from Savannah, Georgia 19th-century American judges 19th-century American lawyers United States senators who owned slaves