Mike Thurmond facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mike Thurmond
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| Chief Executive Officer of DeKalb County | |
| In office January 1, 2017 – January 1, 2025 |
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| Preceded by | Burrell Ellis |
| Succeeded by | Lorraine Cochran- Johnson |
| Labor Commissioner of Georgia | |
| In office January 11, 1999 – January 10, 2011 |
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| Governor | Roy Barnes Sonny Perdue |
| Preceded by | Marti Fullerton |
| Succeeded by | Mark Butler |
| Member of the Georgia House of Representatives from the 67th district |
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| In office 1987–1993 |
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| Preceded by | Hugh Logan |
| Succeeded by | Mike Polak |
| Personal details | |
| Born | January 5, 1953 Athens, Georgia, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Zola Fletcher |
| Children | Mikaya |
| Education | Paine College (BA) University of South Carolina (JD) |
Michael L. Thurmond (born January 5, 1953) is an American author, lawyer, and politician. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He used to be the top leader, called the Chief Executive Officer, for DeKalb County. He also served as a representative in the Georgia General Assembly.
From 2013 to 2015, Thurmond was the temporary leader, or interim superintendent, of the DeKalb County School District. This is the third largest school district in the state of Georgia. It helps almost 99,000 students and has over 13,400 employees. In 2010, Thurmond was the Democratic Party's choice to run for the United States Senate.
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Early Life and Education
Michael Thurmond grew up in Clarke County, Georgia. His family worked as sharecroppers, meaning they farmed land owned by someone else and shared the crops.
He studied Philosophy and Religion at Paine College, graduating with honors. Later, he earned a law degree from the University of South Carolina School of Law. He also attended a special program for political leaders at Harvard University.
Political Career and Public Service
In 1986, Michael Thurmond made history. He became the first African-American person elected to the Georgia General Assembly from Clarke County since the Reconstruction period. During his time there, he helped create laws that saved over $250 million in taxes for Georgia's senior citizens and working families.
After serving in the legislature, he led Georgia's Division of Family and Children's Services. He helped the state move from a welfare system to one that encouraged people to work. He started the "Work First" program. This program helped over 90,000 Georgia families find jobs and become more independent.
In 1997, Thurmond became a special lecturer at the University of Georgia Carl Vinson Institute of Government. The next year, he was elected as Georgia's Labor Commissioner. This made him the first African American who wasn't already in office to be elected to a statewide position in Georgia.
During his three terms as Labor Commissioner, the Georgia Labor Department improved its services. His "Georgia Works" program received praise from across the country. President Barack Obama even used parts of this program as a model for his "American Jobs Act." One of Thurmond's proudest achievements was building a $20 million school. This school was for young people with disabilities at the historic Roosevelt Institute in Warm Springs, Georgia.
In 2016, Thurmond decided to run for the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) position of DeKalb County. He won the Democratic Primary election easily. Then, he won the main election in November 2016 by a large margin. Thurmond started his four-year term as CEO on January 1, 2017.
He has received two honorary doctorate degrees from Clark Atlanta University and LaGrange College. Thurmond has also given inspiring speeches to school boards in nine Southern states. He talks about important topics like leadership, diversity, and supporting public education. He currently serves on the Board of Curators for the Georgia Historical Society.
Running for U.S. Senate
In April 2010, Thurmond announced he would run for the United States Senate. He challenged the Republican senator at the time, Johnny Isakson. Thurmond easily won the Democratic primary election. However, he lost the general election to Isakson. After this, Mark Butler, a member of the Republican Party, became the new Commissioner of Labor.
Personal Life
Michael Thurmond is married to Zola Fletcher Thurmond. They have one daughter named Mikaya Thurmond.
See also
- List of African-American United States Senate candidates
