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 on January 5, 1953, is an American author, lawyer, and politician. He is a member of the Democratic Party. He used to be the Chief Executive Officer of DeKalb County and also served as a representative in the Georgia General Assembly.
From 2013 to 2015, Mr. Thurmond was the temporary leader, called an interim superintendent, for the DeKalb County School District. This is the third largest school district in the state of Georgia. It helps nearly 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. He was also one of the last Democrats to win a statewide election in Georgia until 2020. That year, Joe Biden won the state in the presidential election.
Before becoming the DeKalb Schools Superintendent, Thurmond worked as a lawyer. He was part of a well-known law firm that handled civil cases.
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Early Life and Education
Michael Thurmond grew up in Clarke County, Georgia, as the son of a sharecropper. A sharecropper is a farmer who works on land owned by someone else and gives a part of the crops as rent.
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.
Public Service Career
In 1986, Michael Thurmond made history. He became the first African-American person from Clarke County to be elected to the Georgia General Assembly since the Reconstruction period. During his time in the legislature, he helped create important laws. These laws provided over $250 million in tax relief 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 guide the state's big change from welfare to work programs. He created a program called "Work First." This program helped more than 90,000 families in Georgia move from needing welfare to finding jobs.
In 1997, Thurmond became a special lecturer at the University of Georgia's Carl Vinson Institute of Government. The next year, in November, he was elected as Georgia's Labor Commissioner. This made him the first African American who was not already in office to be elected to a statewide position in Georgia.
Achievements as Labor Commissioner
During his three terms as Labor Commissioner, the Georgia Labor Department greatly improved its customer service and how well it worked. His "Georgia Works" program received praise from across the country and support from both major political parties. President Barack Obama even used parts of the Georgia Works idea for his own "American Jobs Act."
One of Thurmond's most rewarding achievements was helping build a $20 million school. This school was for young people with disabilities at the historic Roosevelt Institute in Warm Springs, Georgia.
Leading DeKalb County
In 2016, Thurmond decided to run for the top job in DeKalb County, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO). The previous CEO, Burrell Ellis, could not run again because of term limits. Thurmond won the Democratic Primary election by a large amount. Then, in the November 2016 General Election, he won against his Republican opponent by a significant margin. Michael Thurmond started his four-year term as DeKalb County CEO on January 1, 2017.
He has received two special honorary doctorate degrees from Clark Atlanta University and LaGrange College. Thurmond has also given inspiring speeches to school board groups in nine Southern states. He spoke about important topics like leadership, diversity, and supporting public education in today's world.
Currently, he serves on the Board of Curators for the Georgia Historical Society.
Running for U.S. Senate
In April 2010, Michael Thurmond announced he would run for the United States Senate. He challenged the person already holding the position, Republican Johnny Isakson. Thurmond easily won against his opponent in the Democratic primary election on July 20. However, he lost the main 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
