Bill Waller
Encyclopedia
William Lowe "Bill" Waller, Sr. (October 21, 1926 – November 30, 2011) was an American politician. A Democrat, he served as Governor of Mississippi
from 1972 to 1976. As a local prosecutor, he unsuccessfully prosecuted Byron De La Beckwith
in the murder of civil rights advocate Medgar Evers
. Both trials ended in hung juries. Because De La Beckwith was never acquitted in these trials, he was later eligible to be prosecuted again. In 1994, De La Beckwith was found guilty of the murder.
In 1971, Waller defeated Lieutenant Governor
Charles L. Sullivan
in the Democratic primary run-off. His main opponent in the general election was Evers' brother, James Charles Evers
, then the mayor of Fayette
, who ran as an independent
. Waller handily prevailed, 601,222 (77 percent) to Evers' 172,762 (22.1 percent).
Waller is credited with successfully winning elections without using racially charged or racially offensive rhetoric. He organized working class white voters and African American voters separately and usually did not merge their election efforts until it was too late in the election cycle for internal conflicts to disrupt the campaign. Waller effectively shut-down the segregationist Mississippi State Sovereignty Commission by vetoing its appropriation while he was governor. He appointed many blacks to positions in state government.
After leaving office, Waller lost the Democratic nomination for the United States Senate
in 1978 and for governor again in 1987. He practiced law in Jackson for several years.
His son is the Hon. William L. Waller, Jr., Chief Justice of the Mississippi Supreme Court.
On November 30, 2011, Waller died at St. Dominic Hospital in Jackson after being admitted the previous night. He was 85.
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
from 1972 to 1976. As a local prosecutor, he unsuccessfully prosecuted Byron De La Beckwith
Byron De La Beckwith
Byron De La Beckwith, Jr. was an American white supremacist and Klansman from Greenwood, Mississippi who was convicted in the 1994 state trial of assassinating the civil rights leader Medgar Evers on June 12, 1963....
in the murder of civil rights advocate Medgar Evers
Medgar Evers
Medgar Wiley Evers was an African American civil rights activist from Mississippi involved in efforts to overturn segregation at the University of Mississippi...
. Both trials ended in hung juries. Because De La Beckwith was never acquitted in these trials, he was later eligible to be prosecuted again. In 1994, De La Beckwith was found guilty of the murder.
In 1971, Waller defeated Lieutenant Governor
Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi
The Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi is the second-highest ranking executive officer in Mississippi, right below the governor. The office of lieutenant governor was established when Mississippi became a state, abolished for a few decades in the first half of the 19th century, and restored later...
Charles L. Sullivan
Charles L. Sullivan
Charles L. Sullivan was an American politician, attorney and military pilot. He was the 24th Lieutenant Governor of Mississippi from 1968 to 1972 and a General in the United States Air National Guard...
in the Democratic primary run-off. His main opponent in the general election was Evers' brother, James Charles Evers
Charles Evers
James Charles Evers is a prominent American civil rights advocate. The older brother of slain civil rights activist Medgar Evers, Charles Evers is a leading civil rights spokesman within the Republican Party in his native Mississippi. In 1969 he became the first African American since the...
, then the mayor of Fayette
Fayette, Mississippi
Fayette is a city in Jefferson County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 2,242 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Jefferson County.-Geography:Fayette is located at ....
, who ran as an independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
. Waller handily prevailed, 601,222 (77 percent) to Evers' 172,762 (22.1 percent).
Waller is credited with successfully winning elections without using racially charged or racially offensive rhetoric. He organized working class white voters and African American voters separately and usually did not merge their election efforts until it was too late in the election cycle for internal conflicts to disrupt the campaign. Waller effectively shut-down the segregationist Mississippi State Sovereignty Commission by vetoing its appropriation while he was governor. He appointed many blacks to positions in state government.
After leaving office, Waller lost the Democratic nomination for the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
in 1978 and for governor again in 1987. He practiced law in Jackson for several years.
His son is the Hon. William L. Waller, Jr., Chief Justice of the Mississippi Supreme Court.
On November 30, 2011, Waller died at St. Dominic Hospital in Jackson after being admitted the previous night. He was 85.
External links
- William Lowe Waller entry at the National Governors AssociationNational Governors AssociationThe National Governors Association , founded in 1908 as the National Governors' Conference, is funded primarily by state dues, federal grants and contracts and private contributions. NGA represents the governors of the fifty U.S. states and five U.S. territories The National Governors Association...