Howell, Clark, 1863-1936

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Clark Howell, editor, legislator, and politician, was born September 21,1863, in Barnwell County, South Carolina, and died November 14, 1936 in Atlanta, Georgia. After his father (Evan Park Howell) retired as publisher of the Atlanta Constitution, he replaced him and bought control of the newspaper in 1901, becoming editor-in-chief for 35 years. He served as a Georgia legislator, 1885-1891 (Speaker 1891), and again 1900-1906, but his 1907 gubernatorial bid was unsuccessful. He was chairman of three national commissions, a trustee of University of Georgia (1896-1927); wrote History of Georgia (1926) and helped the Constitution win the 1931 Pulitzer Prize by exposing Atlanta city graft.

From the description of Clark Howell papers, 1864-1936. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 81980597

Clark Howell (1863-1936), journalist, politician, and owner of the Atlanta Constitution. Married Harriet G. Barrett in 1887, children included Clark Howell, Jr.

From the description of Clark Howell family papers, 1873-1946. (Unknown). WorldCat record id: 38476212

Clark Howell was a prominent state politician and, for fifty-three years, an editorial executive and owner of the Atlanta Constitution. A talented and dedicated journalist, Howell served as a bridge from Georgia to the rest of the nation in matters political and journalistic. Clark Howell was born in Erwinton, South Carolina, on September 21, 1863, to Julia A. Erwin and Evan P. Howell, a Confederate artillery captain. After the Civil War (1861-65), Howell's father cut and sold timber from his own father's land in Atlanta for two years, then entered the newspaper field as a reporter and city editor for the Atlanta Intelligencer. Leaving that newspaper briefly, he bought a half interest in the Atlanta Constitution in 1876. Evan Howell lured Henry W. Grady away from a new job at an Augusta newspaper, and Grady later recommended that Evan Howell hire Joel Chandler Harris, thus putting in place the keystones of the newspaper during that period. After graduating from the University of Georgia (UGA) in 1883, Clark Howell served a brief apprenticeship at the New York Times before moving to the Philadelphia Press. By 1884 Howell was back in Atlanta, where he worked as night editor at the Constitution under Grady and Harris. In 1887 he married Harriet Glascock Barrett of Augusta. The couple had two children, Clark Jr. and Susie. Howell's wife died in 1898. Howell was assistant managing editor of the Constitution in 1889, the year that Grady died. He soon stepped into Grady's job while continuing to be active in politics. As managing editor he campaigned against the state's notorious convict lease system, supported Atlanta's acceptance of evacuees from a yellow fever epidemic in several southern states, and stood with the governor when he vetoed a bill outlawing football at UGA in the wake of a player's death. In 1892 he became a Democratic national committeeman and in 1896 a member of the UGA Board of Trustees. Howell's final foray into public office came in 1906, when he lost a bitterly fought campaign for the governorship. The primary issue of the election was the debate over disenfranchising black Georgians, and the tensions resulting from these debates were partly responsible for the outbreak of the Atlanta race riot in September of that year. Howell's opponent, Hoke Smith, one-time Atlanta Journal owner and secretary of the interior under U.S. president Grover Cleveland, was more strident in his opposition to suffrage for blacks than Howell and won handily. Though this was his last attempt at elective office, Howell remained an active Democrat and confidant of presidents. Howell was said to be working on an editorial congratulating Roosevelt on the November 1936 reelection when he died at his Atlanta home. His papers are housed in the Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library at Emory University. Clark Howell (1863-1936) - New Georgia Encyclopedia http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org (Retrieved February 24, 2009)

From the description of Clark Howell letters, 1915-1927. (University of Georgia). WorldCat record id: 318453901

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
referencedIn Montgomery, Vincent, 1836-1903. Vincent Montgomery family papers, 1785-1903 [microform]. Emory University. Special Collections and Archives
creatorOf Bryan, William Jennings, 1860-1925. Correpondence and photographs, 1905-1925. Emory University. Special Collections and Archives
referencedIn Harris, Corra, 1869-1935. Corra Harris correspondence, 1905-1935. Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library
creatorOf Kane, Harnett Thomas, 1910-. Correspondence, 1947-1952. Emory University. Special Collections and Archives
referencedIn Smith, Francis C. Francis C. Smith Photographs, Mrs., 1948-1955. Atlanta History Center, Kenan Research Center / Cherokee Garden Library
referencedIn Palmer, Charles F. (Charles Forrest), 1892-1973. Charles F. Palmer papers, 1903-1973. Emory University. Special Collections and Archives
referencedIn Letters sent to Walter Hines Page from various correspondents, English period, 1876-1937. Houghton Library
creatorOf Murphy, Frank, 1890-1949. Frank Murphy autograph book, 1930-1942. Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn McHatton autograph collection, 1932,1936.
referencedIn Walter Hines Page letters from various correspondents, American period Houghton Library
creatorOf Howell, Clark, 1863-1936. Clark Howell letters, 1915-1927.
referencedIn Stone Mountain Commission photograph, 1924.
creatorOf Howell, Clark, 1863-1936. Clark Howell papers, 1864-1936. Emory University. Special Collections and Archives
referencedIn Roper, Daniel C. (Daniel Calhoun), 1867-1943. Papers, 1860-1985 David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library
referencedIn Price, Francis E., 1886-1928. Francis E. Price Photograph Collection, 1906-1928, undated. Atlanta History Center, Kenan Research Center / Cherokee Garden Library
creatorOf Cobb, Thomas Reade Rootes, b. 1896. Thomas Reade Rootes Cobb family papers, 1872-1961. Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Raoul, William Greene, 1843-1913. William Greene Raoul papers, 1878-1897. Emory University. Special Collections and Archives
referencedIn Reese, John C. John C. Reese papers, 1913-1914. Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Spalding, Jack Johnson, 1856-1938. Letters to Judson L. Hand, 1906. Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Arnall, Ellis Gibbs, 1907-1992,. Ellis Gibbs Arnall oral history interview, 1976 July 6. Georgia State University
creatorOf Howell, Clark, 1863-1936. Clark Howell family papers, 1873-1946. Hargrett Rare Book and Manuscript Library
referencedIn Georgia. Governor (1902-1907 : Terrell). Thomas B. Irwin papers, 188u-1904.
referencedIn Foreman, Robert L. (Robert Langdon). Howell-Foreman families papers, 1832-1955. Atlanta History Center, Kenan Research Center / Cherokee Garden Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
associatedWith Arnall, Ellis Gibbs, 1907-1992, person
associatedWith Associated Press corporateBody
associatedWith Bryan, William Jennings, 1860-1925. person
associatedWith Clay, Alexander Stephens, 1853-1910. person
associatedWith Cobb, Thomas Reade Rootes, b. 1896. person
associatedWith Democratic Party. corporateBody
correspondedWith Georgia. Governor (1902-1907 : Terrell) corporateBody
associatedWith Harris, Corra, 1869-1935. person
associatedWith Hill, David B. (David Bennett), 1843-1910. person
associatedWith Howell, Clark. person
associatedWith Howell, Evan Park, 1839-1905. person
associatedWith Howell family. family
associatedWith Howell, Harriet Barrett. person
associatedWith Howell, Hugh Comer. person
associatedWith Howell, Julia A. Erwin. person
associatedWith Howell, Rosalie, d. 1970. person
associatedWith Kane, Harnett Thomas, 1910- person
correspondedWith Martin, Frederick R. (Frederick Roy), 1871-1952 person
associatedWith Montgomery, Vincent, 1836-1903. person
associatedWith Murphy, Frank, 1890-1949. person
associatedWith Page, Walter Hines, 1855-1918 person
associatedWith Palmer, Charles F. (Charles Forrest), 1892-1973. person
associatedWith Price, Francis E., 1886-1928. person
associatedWith Raoul, William Greene, 1843-1913. person
associatedWith Reese, John C. person
correspondedWith Robb, Ellis person
associatedWith Roper, Daniel C. (Daniel Calhoun), 1867-1943 person
associatedWith Smith, Francis C. person
associatedWith Spalding, Jack Johnson, 1856-1938. person
correspondedWith University of Georgia corporateBody
Place Name Admin Code Country
Panama Canal (Panama)
United States
England
Georgia
Georgia--Atlanta
Georgia
United States
Subject
American newspapers
Governors
Journalism
Letterheads
Newspaper editors
Newspaper publishing
Newspapers editors
Stationery
World War, 1914-1918
World War, 1939-1945
Occupation
Editors
Legislators
Politicians
Activity

Person

Birth 1863-09-21

Death 1936-11-14

Information

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Ark ID: w6x35669

SNAC ID: 9057449