Frank T. Norman
Encyclopedia
Francis Toadvin Norman, known as Frank T. Norman (November 21, 1914 – November 20, 1994), was a Democratic
mayor
of the small city of Minden
, the seat of Webster Parish in northwestern Louisiana
, from 1958-1966. From 1952-1958, Norman had served on the Minden City Council as the then public safety commissioner under the since disbanded city commission
form of government
. He was also a high official in the Louisiana Masonic lodge
.
, the seat of nearby Claiborne Parish, to Bertram Allen Norman, M.D.
(March 5, 1886 – December 6, 1949), and the former Pearl Toadvin (January 17, 1892 – May 4, 1941). Dr. Norman was a first lieutenant
in the Louisiana Medical Corps in World War I
. Frank Norman was reared in Minden and graduated in 1931 from Minden High School
. He attended Louisiana Tech University
in Ruston
, the seat of Lincoln Parish, but did not graduate. Norman also became the first student to register at the new Ringling School of Art, a part of the Ringling Museum in Sarasota
, Florida
, where another Minden High School graduate, Ben Earl Looney
, was a member of the founding faculty. Norman's enrollment at the Ringling school was mentioned in Time
magazine
.
Norman was a first cousin
of Minden optometrist Carter B. Norman (July 1, 1922–August 29, 2009), the son of Frank Norman's uncle, Justin Carter Norman, and the former Lillie Harris. Carter Norman graduated from the Southern College of Optometry
in Memphis
, Tennessee
, and practiced in Minden for forty-five years. A United States Army
infantry
man, he was part of the World War II
occupational forces in Japan
. He was also a charter member of the Lakeview United Methodist Church in Minden. Frank Norman had two sisters, Sybil Edwina Norman (1919–1983) and Ara Juanita Norman Leach (1917–2011) of Gainesville
, Texas
, a member of the Cooke County
Democratic Executive Committee, who was a delegate to fourteen state Democratic conventions in Texas as well as the 2004 Democratic National Convention
in Boston, Massachusetts
.
In 1937, Norman married the former Mildred Bryant (born September 3, 1913), and the couple established permanent residence in 1945 near Victory Park at 901 Park Highway, where Mrs. Norman still resides. They had one daughter, Frankie Norman Thompkins (November 3, 1939 – May 23, 1975), a former teacher
from Plain Dealing
in Bossier Parish. Frankie and her son, Norman Ray Thompkins (1960–1975), perished from injuries sustained in an automobile
accident in Bunkie
in Avoyelles Parish south of Alexandria
. Frankie, the wife of E. Ray Thompkins (born ca. 1934), also had a daughter, later Janet Thompkins Burke of Shreveport
, who in turn gave birth to the Normans' two great-grandsons.
, later a state representative
, said that not all churches had evening worship and that businesses had the right to operate at the same time as church meetings.
Early in 1956, Norman made an unsuccessful race for Webster Parish clerk of court against the incumbent
Thomas Jenkins "Tom" Campbell (1895–1968) and two other challengers, Parey Branton
, later a member of the Louisiana House from Shongaloo
, and Clarence D. Wiley (1909–1976), then an employee of the parish sheriff
's department. Norman finished last, and Wiley narrowly edged Branton for a runoff slot against Campbell. Wiley then defeated Campbell by ninety-two votes.
Norman's council colleagues included future Mayor Jack Batton
as streets and parks commissioner, feed store owner Norman J. Cone (1906–1997) at finance, retail grocer Fred Thomas "Tony" Elzen (born 1922) at utilities, and businessman John McCowen (1927–1985) as sanitation commissioner. In 1958, the interim
incumbent Jasper Goodwill
(1889–1974), who had followed John T. David, Sr.
(1897–1974), declined to seek a full term. In the then closed Democratic primary
held on April 8, 1958, Norman led a four-candidate field with 809 votes (35 percent). He went into the runoff election thereafter with the second-place candidate, businessman and landowner Paul Wallace, a furniture
store owner and former council member who initially had received 788 votes (34.5 percent). Wallace was making his third unsuccessful race for mayor. Two other candidates, A. Eugene Frazier, who had lost the mayor's races in 1950 and 1952 to John T. David, and the dentist
Dr. E. Roy Sledge, shared the remaining 30.5 percent of the primary votes. In the runoff, Norman defeated Wallace, 1,286 (57 percent) to 975 (43 percent) and led in all ten municipal precinct
s.
In the mayoral primary held on April 7, 1962, Norman defeated former Mayor John T. David who was seeking to return to the office after an absence of seven years. David also served continuously as the municipal fire chief.
During the Norman administration, Minden approved the purchase of the municipal light and power plant, which it still maintains to provide city residents with electricity
. Norman initiated one-way streets running east and west through the downtown. Minden won a "Cleanest City" contest during his tenure too.
challenger, J.D. Hampton, Jr., in the Democratic primary for nomination to a third term as mayor, Hampton, on behalf of his daughter, Beverly, was a plaintiff in the school desegregation
suit against the Webster Parish School Board. The first black ever to seek the position of mayor in modern times. Hampton called for improved working conditions for city employees, more recreational facilities, and a vigorous industrial recruitment effort. Norman, who had served as president of the Louisiana Municipal Association in 1964, cited his own experience in government which extended back for a dozen years. Norman handily defeated Hampton, 2,729 (70 percent) to 1,166 (30 percent). According to the official Webster Parish historian
, John Agan, Hampton's showing was considered significant because four years earlier, prior to passage of the Voting Rights Act
of 1965, fewer than two hundred black voters had been registered in Minden. In the summer of 1965, Norman had met with James Farmer
, a cofounder of the Congress of Racial Equality
, who came to Minden to lead a civil rights march. Farmer's interest in Minden had been spurred by a dispute with the city and its sanitation
workers.
Then, Norman faced a strong Republican
opponent in Tom Colten
, the former publisher of the Minden Press and the Minden Herald, which consolidated in 1966 into the combined daily, the Minden Press-Herald
. The paper, however, endorsed neither candidate, and partisanship was not emphasized. Colten had sold the newspapers in 1965 and had been executive director of the Chamber of Commerce
until he launched his active campaign for mayor. Colten and Norman appeared at a forum hosted by the Minden Jaycees, at which Colten questioned the existence of "idle funds" not being invested by the City of Minden. Norman said that the funds in question were being invested but that there had been delays caused by the resignation of the municipal clerk. No other Republicans were listed on the Minden ballot in the November 8 general election
, as all five Democratic city council nominees, including later Mayor Jack Batton, were elected without opposition. At the time Colten and Jack Breaux
of Zachary
in East Baton Rouge Parish were the only Republican mayors in the entire state.
Colten ran a "reform" campaign, claiming that he wanted to get Minden "moving," implying that Norman was too inactive in the position. Colten never used the "R" label. In fact, the Press-Herald on the day after the general election referred to Colten merely as "the challenger," with no mention of party. Colten received 2,044 votes (55.8 percent) to Norman's 1,622 (44.2 percent).
In 1967, Colten obtained a sales tax
increase to finance public improvements, including a new municipal building and extensive street paving. Norman ran again in 1970, but Colten had the advantage because the community leadership lined up solidly behind the Republican incumbent. A Minden contractor was overheard telling Colten that he could not imagine anyone even running against him, considering how well he had performed as mayor. Yet, Colten seemed unsure as to whether he could win again and took nothing for granted. He had first considered running as an independent in the general election but chose in the end to remain a Republican. In their 1970 rematch, Colten defeated Norman 2,381 votes (58.9 percent) to 1,661 ballots (41.1 percent).
Norman did not again seek office but remained active in the lodge and as deacon of the large First Baptist
Church of Minden.
Norman died a day before his eightieth birthday. He is interred in Section G of the Minden Cemetery
.
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
mayor
Mayor
In many countries, a Mayor is the highest ranking officer in the municipal government of a town or a large urban city....
of the small city of Minden
Minden, Louisiana
Minden is a city in the American state of Louisiana. It serves as the parish seat of Webster Parish and is located twenty-eight miles east of Shreveport, the seat of Caddo Parish. The population, which has been stable since 1960, was 13,027 at the 2000 census...
, the seat of Webster Parish in northwestern Louisiana
Louisiana
Louisiana is a state located in the southern region of the United States of America. Its capital is Baton Rouge and largest city is New Orleans. Louisiana is the only state in the U.S. with political subdivisions termed parishes, which are local governments equivalent to counties...
, from 1958-1966. From 1952-1958, Norman had served on the Minden City Council as the then public safety commissioner under the since disbanded city commission
City commission government
City commission government is a form of municipal government which once was common in the United States, but many cities which were formerly governed by commission have since switched to the council-manager form of government...
form of government
Government
Government refers to the legislators, administrators, and arbitrators in the administrative bureaucracy who control a state at a given time, and to the system of government by which they are organized...
. He was also a high official in the Louisiana Masonic lodge
Masonic Lodge
This article is about the Masonic term for a membership group. For buildings named Masonic Lodge, see Masonic Lodge A Masonic Lodge, often termed a Private Lodge or Constituent Lodge, is the basic organisation of Freemasonry...
.
Early years and family
Norman was born in HomerHomer, Louisiana
Homer is present day parish seat of Claiborne Parish, Louisiana, United States. The town was named after the Greek poet Homer and was laid out around the Courthouse Square in 1850 by Frank Vaughn. The present day brick courthouse, built in the Greek Revival style of architecture, is one of only...
, the seat of nearby Claiborne Parish, to Bertram Allen Norman, M.D.
Doctor of Medicine
Doctor of Medicine is a doctoral degree for physicians. The degree is granted by medical schools...
(March 5, 1886 – December 6, 1949), and the former Pearl Toadvin (January 17, 1892 – May 4, 1941). Dr. Norman was a first lieutenant
First Lieutenant
First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...
in the Louisiana Medical Corps in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. Frank Norman was reared in Minden and graduated in 1931 from Minden High School
Minden High School (Minden, Louisiana)
Minden High School is the public secondary educational institution in Minden, a small city of 13,000 and the seat of Webster Parish located twenty-eight miles east of Shreveport in northwestern Louisiana...
. He attended Louisiana Tech University
Louisiana Tech University
Louisiana Tech University, often referred to as Louisiana Tech, LA Tech, or Tech, is a coeducational public research university located in Ruston, Louisiana. Louisiana Tech is designated as a Tier 1 school in the national universities category by the 2012 U.S. News & World Report college rankings...
in Ruston
Ruston, Louisiana
Ruston is a city in and the parish seat of Lincoln Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 20,546 at the 2000 census. Ruston is near the eastern border of the Ark-La-Tex and is the home of Louisiana Tech University. Its economy caters to its college population...
, the seat of Lincoln Parish, but did not graduate. Norman also became the first student to register at the new Ringling School of Art, a part of the Ringling Museum in Sarasota
Sarasota, Florida
Sarasota is a city located in Sarasota County on the southwestern coast of the U.S. state of Florida. It is south of the Tampa Bay Area and north of Fort Myers...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, where another Minden High School graduate, Ben Earl Looney
Ben Earl Looney
Ben Earl Looney was a Louisiana artist and author known for his Water Colors of Dixie and Cajun Country, pen and ink sketches of Acadiana....
, was a member of the founding faculty. Norman's enrollment at the Ringling school was mentioned in Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
magazine
Magazine
Magazines, periodicals, glossies or serials are publications, generally published on a regular schedule, containing a variety of articles. They are generally financed by advertising, by a purchase price, by pre-paid magazine subscriptions, or all three...
.
Norman was a first cousin
Cousin
In kinship terminology, a cousin is a relative with whom one shares one or more common ancestors. The term is rarely used when referring to a relative in one's immediate family where there is a more specific term . The term "blood relative" can be used synonymously and establishes the existence of...
of Minden optometrist Carter B. Norman (July 1, 1922–August 29, 2009), the son of Frank Norman's uncle, Justin Carter Norman, and the former Lillie Harris. Carter Norman graduated from the Southern College of Optometry
Southern College of Optometry
Southern College of Optometry is a college of optometry in the United States. It is located in Memphis, Tennessee and is dedicated to the study of optometry, the field of medicine that includes not only the performance of refractive eye examinations and the fitting of necessary corrective lenses or...
in Memphis
Memphis, Tennessee
Memphis is a city in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Tennessee, and the county seat of Shelby County. The city is located on the 4th Chickasaw Bluff, south of the confluence of the Wolf and Mississippi rivers....
, Tennessee
Tennessee
Tennessee is a U.S. state located in the Southeastern United States. It has a population of 6,346,105, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population, and covers , making it the 36th-largest by total land area...
, and practiced in Minden for forty-five years. A United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
infantry
Infantry
Infantrymen are soldiers who are specifically trained for the role of fighting on foot to engage the enemy face to face and have historically borne the brunt of the casualties of combat in wars. As the oldest branch of combat arms, they are the backbone of armies...
man, he was part of the World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
occupational forces in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
. He was also a charter member of the Lakeview United Methodist Church in Minden. Frank Norman had two sisters, Sybil Edwina Norman (1919–1983) and Ara Juanita Norman Leach (1917–2011) of Gainesville
Gainesville, Texas
Gainesville is a city in and the county seat of Cooke County, Texas, United States. The population was 15,538 at the 2000 census.-History:...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, a member of the Cooke County
Cooke County, Texas
As of the census of 2000, there were 36,363 people, 13,643 households, and 10,000 families residing in the county. The population density was 42 people per square mile . There were 15,061 housing units at an average density of 17 per square mile...
Democratic Executive Committee, who was a delegate to fourteen state Democratic conventions in Texas as well as the 2004 Democratic National Convention
2004 Democratic National Convention
The 2004 Democratic National Convention convened from July 26 to July 29, 2004 at the FleetCenter in Boston, Massachusetts, and nominated John Kerry and John Edwards as the official candidates of the Democratic Party for President and Vice President of the United States, respectively, in the 2004...
in Boston, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
.
In 1937, Norman married the former Mildred Bryant (born September 3, 1913), and the couple established permanent residence in 1945 near Victory Park at 901 Park Highway, where Mrs. Norman still resides. They had one daughter, Frankie Norman Thompkins (November 3, 1939 – May 23, 1975), a former teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
from Plain Dealing
Plain Dealing, Louisiana
Plain Dealing is a town in Bossier Parish, Louisiana, United States best known as the birthplace of former U.S. Representative Joe D. Waggonner, Jr. The population was 1,071 at the 2000 census...
in Bossier Parish. Frankie and her son, Norman Ray Thompkins (1960–1975), perished from injuries sustained in an automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
accident in Bunkie
Bunkie, Louisiana
Bunkie is a city in Avoyelles Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 4,662 at the 2000 census.Bunkie is the birthplace of jazz drummer Zutty Singleton. Sue Eakin, Louisiana historian and former publisher of the Bunkie Record, resided in Bunkie for most of her life until her death in...
in Avoyelles Parish south of Alexandria
Alexandria, Louisiana
Alexandria is a city in and the parish seat of Rapides Parish, Louisiana, United States. It lies on the south bank of the Red River in almost the exact geographic center of the state. It is the principal city of the Alexandria metropolitan area which encompasses all of Rapides and Grant parishes....
. Frankie, the wife of E. Ray Thompkins (born ca. 1934), also had a daughter, later Janet Thompkins Burke of Shreveport
Shreveport, Louisiana
Shreveport is the third largest city in Louisiana. It is the principal city of the fourth largest metropolitan area in the state of Louisiana and is the 109th-largest city in the United States....
, who in turn gave birth to the Normans' two great-grandsons.
Election as mayor
Norman owned a use-car dealership. He was elected to the city council in 1952 and 1954 and served in the capacity of public safety commissioner. In 1956, Norman opposed the council's decision to permit movie theaters in Minden to open on Sunday evenings during the time most churches were having night services. Speaking for the theaters, attorney R. Harmon Drew, Sr.R. Harmon Drew, Sr.
Richard Harmon Drew, Sr. was a fourth generation judge and a former Democratic state representative who was descended from pioneer families of Webster Parish in north Louisiana...
, later a state representative
Louisiana State Legislature
The Louisiana State Legislature is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Louisiana. It is bicameral body, comprising the lower house, the Louisiana House of Representatives with 105 representatives, and the upper house, the Louisiana Senate with 39 senators...
, said that not all churches had evening worship and that businesses had the right to operate at the same time as church meetings.
Early in 1956, Norman made an unsuccessful race for Webster Parish clerk of court against the incumbent
Incumbent
The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
Thomas Jenkins "Tom" Campbell (1895–1968) and two other challengers, Parey Branton
Parey Branton
Parey Pershing Branton, Sr. , was a businessman from Shongaloo, Louisiana, who was from 1960 to 1972 a Democratic member of the Louisiana House of Representatives from what is now District 10 in Webster Parish...
, later a member of the Louisiana House from Shongaloo
Shongaloo, Louisiana
Shongaloo is a village in Webster Parish, Louisiana, United States.West of Shongaloo on Louisiana Highway 2 is Munn Hill, a homestead of Daniel and Rebecca Munn, established on July 26, 1900....
, and Clarence D. Wiley (1909–1976), then an employee of the parish sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
's department. Norman finished last, and Wiley narrowly edged Branton for a runoff slot against Campbell. Wiley then defeated Campbell by ninety-two votes.
Norman's council colleagues included future Mayor Jack Batton
Jack Batton
Jack Batton was a small businessman who served as the Democratic mayor of the small city of Minden, the seat of Webster Parish in northwestern Louisiana, for a single term from 1978–1982.-Early years:...
as streets and parks commissioner, feed store owner Norman J. Cone (1906–1997) at finance, retail grocer Fred Thomas "Tony" Elzen (born 1922) at utilities, and businessman John McCowen (1927–1985) as sanitation commissioner. In 1958, the interim
Interim
Interim is an album by British rock band The Fall, compiled from live and studio material and released in 2004. It features the first officially released versions of "Clasp Hands", "Blindness" and "What About Us?" — all of which were later included on the band's next studio album Fall Heads Roll —...
incumbent Jasper Goodwill
Jasper Goodwill
Jasper Goodwill served from 1955 to 1958 as the Democratic mayor of the small city of Minden, the seat of Webster Parish in northwestern Louisiana...
(1889–1974), who had followed John T. David, Sr.
John T. David
John Thomas David, Sr. was the Democratic mayor of the small city of Minden, the seat of Webster Parish in northwestern Louisiana, from 1946-1955...
(1897–1974), declined to seek a full term. In the then closed Democratic primary
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
held on April 8, 1958, Norman led a four-candidate field with 809 votes (35 percent). He went into the runoff election thereafter with the second-place candidate, businessman and landowner Paul Wallace, a furniture
Furniture
Furniture is the mass noun for the movable objects intended to support various human activities such as seating and sleeping in beds, to hold objects at a convenient height for work using horizontal surfaces above the ground, or to store things...
store owner and former council member who initially had received 788 votes (34.5 percent). Wallace was making his third unsuccessful race for mayor. Two other candidates, A. Eugene Frazier, who had lost the mayor's races in 1950 and 1952 to John T. David, and the dentist
Dentist
A dentist, also known as a 'dental surgeon', is a doctor that specializes in the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of diseases and conditions of the oral cavity. The dentist's supporting team aides in providing oral health services...
Dr. E. Roy Sledge, shared the remaining 30.5 percent of the primary votes. In the runoff, Norman defeated Wallace, 1,286 (57 percent) to 975 (43 percent) and led in all ten municipal precinct
Precinct
A precinct is a space enclosed by the walls or other boundaries of a particular place or building, or by an arbitrary and imaginary line drawn around it. The term has several different uses...
s.
In the mayoral primary held on April 7, 1962, Norman defeated former Mayor John T. David who was seeking to return to the office after an absence of seven years. David also served continuously as the municipal fire chief.
During the Norman administration, Minden approved the purchase of the municipal light and power plant, which it still maintains to provide city residents with electricity
Electricity
Electricity is a general term encompassing a variety of phenomena resulting from the presence and flow of electric charge. These include many easily recognizable phenomena, such as lightning, static electricity, and the flow of electrical current in an electrical wire...
. Norman initiated one-way streets running east and west through the downtown. Minden won a "Cleanest City" contest during his tenure too.
Defeat in 1966
Norman’s political prospects began to unravel in 1966. First, he faced an African AmericanAfrican American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
challenger, J.D. Hampton, Jr., in the Democratic primary for nomination to a third term as mayor, Hampton, on behalf of his daughter, Beverly, was a plaintiff in the school desegregation
Desegregation
Desegregation is the process of ending the separation of two groups usually referring to races. This is most commonly used in reference to the United States. Desegregation was long a focus of the American Civil Rights Movement, both before and after the United States Supreme Court's decision in...
suit against the Webster Parish School Board. The first black ever to seek the position of mayor in modern times. Hampton called for improved working conditions for city employees, more recreational facilities, and a vigorous industrial recruitment effort. Norman, who had served as president of the Louisiana Municipal Association in 1964, cited his own experience in government which extended back for a dozen years. Norman handily defeated Hampton, 2,729 (70 percent) to 1,166 (30 percent). According to the official Webster Parish historian
Historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the study of all history in time. If the individual is...
, John Agan, Hampton's showing was considered significant because four years earlier, prior to passage of the Voting Rights Act
Voting Rights Act
The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is a landmark piece of national legislation in the United States that outlawed discriminatory voting practices that had been responsible for the widespread disenfranchisement of African Americans in the U.S....
of 1965, fewer than two hundred black voters had been registered in Minden. In the summer of 1965, Norman had met with James Farmer
James L. Farmer, Jr.
James Leonard Farmer, Jr. was a civil rights activist and leader in the American Civil Rights Movement. He was the initiator and organizer of the 1961 Freedom Ride, which eventually led to the desegregation of inter-state transportation in the United States.In 1942, Farmer co-founded the Committee...
, a cofounder of the Congress of Racial Equality
Congress of Racial Equality
The Congress of Racial Equality or CORE was a U.S. civil rights organization that originally played a pivotal role for African-Americans in the Civil Rights Movement...
, who came to Minden to lead a civil rights march. Farmer's interest in Minden had been spurred by a dispute with the city and its sanitation
Sanitation
Sanitation is the hygienic means of promoting health through prevention of human contact with the hazards of wastes. Hazards can be either physical, microbiological, biological or chemical agents of disease. Wastes that can cause health problems are human and animal feces, solid wastes, domestic...
workers.
Then, Norman faced a strong Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
opponent in Tom Colten
Tom Colten
Arthur Thomas Colten, known as Tom Colten , was a Louisiana politician from the 1960s to the 1990s who rose from a small-town mayoralty position to head his state's Department of Transportation and Development under three governors from both parties...
, the former publisher of the Minden Press and the Minden Herald, which consolidated in 1966 into the combined daily, the Minden Press-Herald
Minden Press-Herald
The Minden Press-Herald is a Monday-Friday daily newspaper published in Minden, the seat of Webster Parish in northwestern Louisiana, by Specht Newspapers, Inc...
. The paper, however, endorsed neither candidate, and partisanship was not emphasized. Colten had sold the newspapers in 1965 and had been executive director of the Chamber of Commerce
Chamber of commerce
A chamber of commerce is a form of business network, e.g., a local organization of businesses whose goal is to further the interests of businesses. Business owners in towns and cities form these local societies to advocate on behalf of the business community...
until he launched his active campaign for mayor. Colten and Norman appeared at a forum hosted by the Minden Jaycees, at which Colten questioned the existence of "idle funds" not being invested by the City of Minden. Norman said that the funds in question were being invested but that there had been delays caused by the resignation of the municipal clerk. No other Republicans were listed on the Minden ballot in the November 8 general election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
, as all five Democratic city council nominees, including later Mayor Jack Batton, were elected without opposition. At the time Colten and Jack Breaux
Jack Breaux
Jack Louis Breaux, Sr. was the Republican mayor of Zachary, Louisiana, in East Baton Rouge Parish for nearly fourteen years — from his first election in 1966 until his death of a brain tumor. He was also the first member of his party since Reconstruction to head the municipal government of a...
of Zachary
Zachary, Louisiana
Zachary is a city in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana, United States, in the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 11,275 at the 2000 census.-History:...
in East Baton Rouge Parish were the only Republican mayors in the entire state.
Colten ran a "reform" campaign, claiming that he wanted to get Minden "moving," implying that Norman was too inactive in the position. Colten never used the "R" label. In fact, the Press-Herald on the day after the general election referred to Colten merely as "the challenger," with no mention of party. Colten received 2,044 votes (55.8 percent) to Norman's 1,622 (44.2 percent).
The 1970 challenge
Sales tax
A sales tax is a tax, usually paid by the consumer at the point of purchase, itemized separately from the base price, for certain goods and services. The tax amount is usually calculated by applying a percentage rate to the taxable price of a sale....
increase to finance public improvements, including a new municipal building and extensive street paving. Norman ran again in 1970, but Colten had the advantage because the community leadership lined up solidly behind the Republican incumbent. A Minden contractor was overheard telling Colten that he could not imagine anyone even running against him, considering how well he had performed as mayor. Yet, Colten seemed unsure as to whether he could win again and took nothing for granted. He had first considered running as an independent in the general election but chose in the end to remain a Republican. In their 1970 rematch, Colten defeated Norman 2,381 votes (58.9 percent) to 1,661 ballots (41.1 percent).
Norman did not again seek office but remained active in the lodge and as deacon of the large First Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
Church of Minden.
Norman died a day before his eightieth birthday. He is interred in Section G of the Minden Cemetery
Minden Cemetery
The Minden Cemetery, located in Minden, the seat of Webster Parish in northwestern Louisiana, United States, has graves dating from 1843, seven years after the founding of the city in 1836...
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