Charles Weltner

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Charles Weltner (December 17, 1927 – August 31, 1992) was a politician from the U.S. state of Georgia.

Weltner was born in Atlanta, Georgia. He received a bachelor's degree from Oglethorpe University in 1948. Then, in 1950, he received a law degree from Columbia Law School. After serving 2 years in the United States Army, Weltner practiced law in Atlanta and served as an advocate for racial equality.

In 1962, Weltner was elected to represent Georgia's 5th congressional district in the House of Representatives as a Democrat. Once in office, he continued to be a strong advocate for racial equality, supporting the United States Supreme Court decision to outlaw racial segregation in Brown v. Board of Education and voting for the Civil Rights Act of 1964. In 1966, Weltner refused to run for reelection when the state Democratic Party tried to make him sign a loyalty oath that would have required him to support Lester Maddox, an ardent segregationist who was running for governor. In a speech, he stated "I love the Congress, but I will give up my office before I give up my principles." He tried to regain his seat in 1968, but lost to his Republican successor, Fletcher Thompson.

After leaving politics, Weltner continued his legal career, first serving as a judge in the Fulton County Superior Court from 1976 to 1981 and then serving as an associate justice of the Supreme Court of Georgia from 1981 to 1992. In June of 1992, he was elected as the Chief Justice of that body by his fellow justices, and he served in that role until his death in Atlanta on August 31, 1992.

In 1991, Weltner became the second individual to be honored with the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award.

[edit] References

• Charles Weltner at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress

Preceded by James C. Davis	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Georgia's 5th congressional district January 3, 1963 - January 3, 1967	Succeeded by Fletcher Thompson
Preceded by Harold G. Clarke	Chief Justices of the Supreme Court of Georgia June 1992 - August 31, 1992	Succeeded by Harold G. Clarke