This Day in Georgia History: April 6, 1935

On this day in 1935, Governor Eugene Talmadge proclaimed the Brown Thrasher as the official state bird of Georgia. Thirty five years later, in 1969, the question was raised if the governor could legally designate state symbols. Later that year, on April 11, an official opinion was made by Georgia’s attorney general that designating state symbols was exclusively a legislative function. The following year, on March 20, 1970, the Brown Thrasher was designated the official state bird of Georgia after a joint resolution was signed between Governor Lester Maddox and the Georgia General Assembly.

Source image is by Jeff Bloodworth.