Thelma Stovall in 1967: official portrait as Kentucky Secretary of State
47th Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky
In office December 9, 1975 – December 11, 1979
Governor
Julian Carroll
Preceded by
Julian Carroll
Succeeded by
Martha Layne Collins
70th, 72nd, & 76th Secretary of State of Kentucky
In office January 1972 – January 1976
Governor
Wendell Ford Julian Carroll
Preceded by
Kenneth F. Harper
Succeeded by
Drexell R. Davis
In office January 1964 – January 1968
Governor
Ned Breathitt Louie Nunn
Preceded by
Henry H. Carter
Succeeded by
Elmer Begley
In office January 1956 – January 1960
Governor
Happy Chandler Bert Combs
Preceded by
Charles K. O'Connell
Succeeded by
Henry H. Carter
Kentucky State Treasurer
In office 1968–1972
Governor
Louie Nunn Wendell Ford
Preceded by
Emerson Beauchamp
Succeeded by
Drexell R. Davis
In office 1960–1964
Governor
Bert Combs Ned Breathitt
Preceded by
Henry H. Carter
Succeeded by
Emerson Beauchamp
Member of the Kentucky House of Representatives
In office 1950
Personal details
Born
Thelma Loyace Hawkins
(1919-04-01)April 1, 1919 Munfordville, Kentucky, U.S.
Died
February 4, 1994(1994-02-04) (aged 74) Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.
Spouse
Lonnie Raymond Stovall
Parent(s)
Addie Mae (Goodman) and Samuel Dewey Hawkins
Occupation
Politician, labor and civil rights activist
Thelma Loyace Stovall (née Hawkins; April 1, 1919 – February 4, 1994) was a pioneering American politician in the state of Kentucky. In 1949, she won election as state representative for Louisville and served three consecutive terms. Over the next two decades, Stovall was elected Kentucky State Treasurer twice and Secretary of State of Kentucky three times. She capped her career as the 47th Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky (1975–1979) in the administration of her fellow Democrat, Governor Julian Carroll. She was the first woman to hold the office.
Stovall was known for her assertive style. Several times in her career, when she found herself in the position of acting governor, she was unafraid of exercising that power – she issued gubernatorial pardons, called the Kentucky General Assembly into session to consider bills, and, most famously, issued an executive injunction against the Assembly's attempt to repeal Kentucky's ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment. Throughout her career, Stovall was an ardent advocate of labor and women's rights.
Thelma Loyace Stovall (née Hawkins; April 1, 1919 – February 4, 1994) was a pioneering American politician in the state of Kentucky. In 1949, she won...
Stovall may refer to: Stovall, Georgia Stovall, Mississippi Stovall, North Carolina, a town in North Carolina Stovall Drive, in Clovis, California Stovall...
Kentucky governor from the state's far-western Jackson Purchase region. ThelmaStovall, who served as lieutenant governor with him, was the first woman to...
the governor was outside of the commonwealth. Lieutenant governors ThelmaStovall (1975–1979) and Happy Chandler (1931–1935) engaged in high-profile use...
11, 1979 – December 13, 1983 Governor John Y. Brown Jr. Preceded by ThelmaStovall Succeeded by Steve Beshear Personal details Born Martha Layne Hall (1936-12-07)...
Slone Lucy Harth Smith Catherine Spalding Louise Southgate Ann Stokes ThelmaStovall Carol Sutton Caroline Burnam Taylor Julia Ann Hieronymus Tevis Jeannette...
Slone Lucy Harth Smith Catherine Spalding Louise Southgate Ann Stokes ThelmaStovall Carol Sutton Caroline Burnam Taylor Julia Ann Hieronymus Tevis Jeannette...
McBrayer, former State Representative Carroll Hubbard, U.S. Representative ThelmaStovall, incumbent Lieutenant Governor Lyle L. Willis George L. Atkins, Kentucky...
(term-limited) Democratic Succeeded from lieutenant governor Vacant 1975 ThelmaStovall 55 John Y. Brown Jr. (1933–2022) December 11, 1979 – December 13, 1983...
Slone Lucy Harth Smith Catherine Spalding Louise Southgate Ann Stokes ThelmaStovall Carol Sutton Caroline Burnam Taylor Julia Ann Hieronymus Tevis Jeannette...
Alben W. Barkley (D) 1956 Happy Chandler (D) Harry Lee Waterfield (D) ThelmaStovall (D) Jo M. Ferguson (D) Henry H. Carter (D) Mary Louise Foust (D) Ben...
Kansas: Shelby Smith (Republican) Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky: ThelmaStovall (Democratic) Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana: Jimmy Fitzmorris (Democratic)...
Concurrent Resolution No. 4010) The lieutenant governor of Kentucky, ThelmaStovall, who was acting as governor in the governor's absence, vetoed the rescinding...
they would run for one statewide office and then another repeatedly. ThelmaStovall, Drexell R. Davis and Mills were the best known musical chairs officeholders...
Kansas: Shelby Smith (Republican) Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky: ThelmaStovall (Republican) Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana: Jimmy Fitzmorris (Democratic)...
Slone Lucy Harth Smith Catherine Spalding Louise Southgate Ann Stokes ThelmaStovall Carol Sutton Caroline Burnam Taylor Julia Ann Hieronymus Tevis Jeannette...
Governor and United States Senator, 1991 Bert T. Combs, Governor, 1991 ThelmaStovall, Lt. Governor, 1994 Lawrence W. Wetherby, Governor, 1994 Wilson W. Wyatt...
Slone Lucy Harth Smith Catherine Spalding Louise Southgate Ann Stokes ThelmaStovall Carol Sutton Caroline Burnam Taylor Julia Ann Hieronymus Tevis Jeannette...
capacity as acting governor of Kentucky in Julian Carroll's absence, ThelmaStovall, then-lieutenant governor, acting as governor, issued pardons, called...
Slone Lucy Harth Smith Catherine Spalding Louise Southgate Ann Stokes ThelmaStovall Carol Sutton Caroline Burnam Taylor Julia Ann Hieronymus Tevis Jeannette...
Slone Lucy Harth Smith Catherine Spalding Louise Southgate Ann Stokes ThelmaStovall Carol Sutton Caroline Burnam Taylor Julia Ann Hieronymus Tevis Jeannette...
Slone Lucy Harth Smith Catherine Spalding Louise Southgate Ann Stokes ThelmaStovall Carol Sutton Caroline Burnam Taylor Julia Ann Hieronymus Tevis Jeannette...
January 1, 1968 – September 18, 1970 Governor Louie Nunn Preceded by ThelmaStovall Succeeded by Leila Feltner Begley Personal details Born (1912-07-05)July...
Kansas: Shelby Smith (Republican) Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky: ThelmaStovall (Republican) Lieutenant Governor of Louisiana: Jimmy Fitzmorris (Democratic)...
Slone Lucy Harth Smith Catherine Spalding Louise Southgate Ann Stokes ThelmaStovall Carol Sutton Caroline Burnam Taylor Julia Ann Hieronymus Tevis Jeannette...