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granting 18-year-olds the right to vote. "Relying on his traditionally heavy support from the off-campus community, Thomas, 56, counted on two or three active volunteers to run his campaign and never appealed to the student vote. Still, the consensus of local political sages was that his election was
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reported in 1965 about one such event, which culminated in a sit-in at city council chambers: "About 100 sign-toting students from
Michigan State University picketed East Lansing City Hall for the second straight day Tuesday, seeking 'more affirmative action' against alleged racial discrimination in
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ordinance – we had no ordinance prohibiting discrimination in housing,' Thomas said. He recalled the ordinance initially failed with a 2-3 vote, but then passed unanimously a year or two later. 'No one said anything about it – we just passed it.' Also during his term as mayor, many things were built
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editorial included the following insight: "For years, the name Gordon Thomas stood for the steady, stable foundation of East
Lansing. From 1961 to 1971, the former mayor guided the city through the turmoil of civil disruption, war protests and rights marches. In later years, he remained a trusted
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off-campus housing ... police spent an hour carrying the limp-bodied youngsters to a rear parking lot ... Midway through
Tuesday's demonstration, Mayor Gordon Thomas agreed to meet with student leaders Monday on the MSU campus to discuss the problem."
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reported. "They were wrong. Mayor Thomas, who admitted he was shocked by the results, was ousted and finished fourth behind
Council Incumbent Wilbur Brookover who, near the end of the campaign, switched signals and began speaking and debating on campus."
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adviser, a connoisseur of the city's rich history. Thomas' death this week diminishes the city. He understood the dynamics of a vibrant college town and helped lay the groundwork for nurturing a diverse community".
209:. He married Phyllis Lenzner in 1941 and they had two children, David and Kathleen. He is the grandfather of Marc Thomas, elected Ingham County commissioner representing East Lansing, Michigan, from 2003 to 2009.
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reported in 1995: "After a 10-year stint as mayor, Thomas said it was difficult to name his greatest achievement while in office. 'I think it would have to be the passing of the
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Who's Who in the
Midwest, 1976-77 (15th edition), p. 736 and "Biographical Information", Department of Information Services, Michigan State University, 1983.
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from 1968 to 1971. "Mayor Gordon L. Thomas of East
Lansing, the new President of the Michigan Municipal League, is a well-known authority on
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and served as a communications professor until he retired in 1983. In addition to teaching, Thomas served in other roles at MSU, including as
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in 1959, and served as the 17th mayor of East
Lansing from 1961 to 1971. He was preceded in office by
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Student protests in the 1960s - from local concerns such as open housing to national policy on the
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Published on behalf of the
National Communication Association 95th Anniversary in 2009.
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magazine covered the 1971 East
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185:. Young Thomas immigrated to the United States as a boy. He graduated from the
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Dr. Thomas joined the MSU faculty after returning from U.S. Army service in
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Famous Congregationalists and members of the United Church of Christ (UCC).
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and a professor of speech, in addition to being active in League affairs."
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In 1983, he received the Albion College Distinguished Alumni Award.
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461:"List of Delegates to 1961-62 Michigan Constitutional Convention"
414:), Community Development Programs, Lifelong Education Programs.
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Gordon Thomas died in 1997 in East Lansing. Upon his death, a
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of East Lansing in the 1960s was amid college-town student
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in the city, such as the library, the city garage and the
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in 1966 and 1967 and served on the Executive Board of the
118:(December 4, 1914 – October 15, 1997) was the mayor of
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Political Graveyard, Mayors of East Lansing, Michigan.
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and served as a member of the executive board of the
595:"Albion College Distinguished Alumni Award by class"
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339:Cemetery (also known as Cass City Cemetery), near
189:, high school and earned a bachelor's degree from
580:"Where are they now: East Lansing and Meridian",
406:Verburg, Kenneth; Thomas, Gordon L. (1982–1987).
532:"MSU Pickets Win Parlay with E. Lansing Mayor".
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708:United States Army personnel of World War II
550:"The Nation: Student Power in East Lansing"
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229:College of Communications Arts and Sciences
250:(1971–1975). He was also president of the
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385:Potter, David; Thomas, Gordon L. (1970).
231:from 1970 to 1973, and as secretary for
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238:Thomas was elected to the East Lansing
668:English emigrants to the United States
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274:- were common in East Lansing. The
558:. November 15, 1971. Archived from
395:Southern Illinois University Press
173:, in 1914; his forebears included
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723:20th-century American politicians
683:Michigan State University faculty
718:Mayors of East Lansing, Michigan
693:Michigan State University alumni
359:"Benjamin F. Butler, prosecutor"
688:20th-century American educators
412:Michigan State University Press
266:Role during civil-protest years
35:Mayor of East Lansing, Michigan
698:Northwestern University alumni
582:The East Lansing Towne Courier
303:The East Lansing Towne Courier
122:, from 1961 to 1971. He was a
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335:His remains were interred at
246:(1959–1961) and succeeded by
177:, Newfoundland merchant, and
126:candidate for delegate to a
713:United States Army soldiers
673:American Congregationalists
364:Quarterly Journal of Speech
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436:"Index to Politicians "T""
410:. East Lansing, Michigan:
408:Conducting Public Meetings
357:Thomas, Gordon L. (1959).
169:Gordon Thomas was born in
153:. He was president of the
134:during 1961 and 1962 from
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520:Michigan Municipal Review
377:10.1080/00335635909382362
371:(3). Routledge: 288–298.
256:National League of Cities
252:Michigan Municipal League
199:Michigan State University
159:National League of Cities
155:Michigan Municipal League
128:constitutional convention
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100:Michigan State University
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518:"Presidential Profile",
345:Tuscola County, Michigan
440:The Political Graveyard
260:parliamentary procedure
207:Northwestern University
183:Newfoundland Parliament
96:Northwestern University
120:East Lansing, Michigan
703:Albion College alumni
663:People from Orpington
621:, September 18, 1997.
618:Lansing State Journal
328:Lansing State Journal
312:water treatment plant
132:Michigan Constitution
562:on December 21, 2008
522:, June 1966, p. 151.
175:William Bevil Thomas
138:'s second district.
465:Political Graveyard
248:Wilbur B. Brookover
235:from 1973 to 1983.
233:academic governance
16:American politician
678:Michigan Democrats
535:Detroit Free Press
393:. Carbondale, IL:
389:The Colonial Idiom
277:Detroit Free Press
171:Orpington, England
66:Orpington, England
214:Congregationalist
151:anti-war protests
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615:"Our Opinions",
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321:Death and legacy
187:Oxford, Michigan
181:, member of the
116:Gordon L. Thomas
63:December 4, 1914
55:Personal details
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294:a sure thing",
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244:Harold F. Pletz
195:master's degree
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130:to rewrite the
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638:Find a Grave
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599:. Retrieved
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564:. Retrieved
560:the original
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147:civil rights
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658:1997 deaths
653:1914 births
397:. pp.
272:Vietnam War
647:Categories
420:References
124:Democratic
91:Alma mater
76:Democratic
341:Cass City
212:He was a
165:Biography
46:1961–1971
42:In office
601:June 22,
470:June 22,
445:June 22,
227:for the
566:May 23,
82:Spouse
205:from
203:Ph.D.
197:from
143:mayor
603:2012
568:2010
555:Time
472:2012
447:2012
296:Time
286:Time
193:, a
149:and
60:Born
636:at
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373:doi
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