J. Melville Broughton

Joseph Melville Broughton (November 17, 1888 – March 6, 1949) was the 60th Governor of North Carolina from 1941 to 1945. He was born on November 17, 1888 in Raleigh, North Carolina. He attended Harvard Law School then worked as a school principal and journalist before actively entering the legal profession. As governor, one of his major legacies was the extension of the public school term from six to nine months. In 1948, Broughton was elected to the United States Senate, after defeating William B. Umstead, the appointed incumbent, in the Democratic primary. In November, Broughton won both a special election to complete the Senate term and an election for a full term. He took office on December 31, 1948, but his service in the Senate...