March 2, 2005

2005 Leah Ward Sears became the first woman elected cheif justice of the Georgia Supreme Court, and the first African-American state chief justice in the country.

March 2, 1968

1968 President Lyndon B. Johnson attended ceremonies as the first Galaxy C5A -- the world’s largest airplane -- rolled off the assembly line at Lockheed’s Marietta plant.

March 2, 1950

1950 Groundbreaking ceremonies were conducted for construction of Buford Dam, the key element in creating what would become Lake Lanier. After Georgia’s congressional delegation obtained loans of $250,00 in 1947 and $450,000 in 1948 for construction of a dam and lake, Congress appropriated $750,000 for the project in 1949. The idea of a lake and dam north of Atlanta traced to Atlanta Mayor William Hartsfield, who was interested in controlling downstream flooding, a reliable source of drinking water, hydroelectric power, and a lake for recreation purposes. Eventually, $45 million in federal funds went into creation of Buford Dam and Lake Lanier.

March 2, 1883

1883 Former Georgia congressman and Confederate general Dudley McIver DuBose died in Washington, Ga. Born Oct. 28, 1834, in Shelby County, Tenn., DuBose was admitted to the bar in 1857. After marrying the daughter of Robert Toombs, he practiced law in Memphis until 1860, when they moved to Augusta, Ga. In 1861, he joined the 15th Georgia Volunteer Infantry as a lieutenant. DuBose fought in the battles of Seven Days, Second Manassas, and Sharpsburg. Promoted to colonel in Jan.1863, he fought in the battles of Gettysburg, Chickamauga, and the Wilderness. In Nov. 1864, DuBose was promoted to brigadier general and given command of his own brigade in Kershaw’s Division, which participated in the battle of Petersburg and the Appomattox campaign. He was captured on April 6, 1865, and served several months as a prisoner of war. After the war, DuBose moved to Washington, Ga., though his wife died the following year. He resumed the practice of law, becoming a partner with Robert Toombs after Toombs’ return from exile. He represented Georgia for one term in the U.S. House of Representatives (1871-73). Failing to win reelection, he returned to Washington, Ga., where he practiced law until his death.

March 2, 2007

2007 A bus carrying members of the Bluffton (OH) University baseball team crashed off of Northside Dr. onto Interstate 75 in Atlanta, killing six people.

March 2, 1944

1944 The National Labor Relations Board announced the result of union certification elections at the Bell Aircraft plant in Marietta. Some 76 percent of the mold loft workers voted to be represented by the International Association of Machinists (AFL), while 18 percent voted no union, and 6 percent CIO. Meanwhile the United Auto Workers (CIO) became the bargaining agent for maintenance and production workers by a vote of 51.6 percent for the CIO, as opposed to 44.4 percent for the AFL and 3.6 percent for no union. (Contributed by Dr. Tom Scott, Kennesaw State University)

March 2, 1807

1807 Congress passed legislation prohibiting the importation of slaves into the U.S. as of Jan. 1, 1808.

March 2, 1867

1867 Congress passed the first Reconstruction Act, which assigned Georgia and the other seceded states into five military districts.

March 2, 1875

1875 Georgia’s General Assembly got out of the business of approving name changes. Previously, lawmakers had to pass a private act to change a person’s name. However, by an act approved by Gov. James Smith on this day, authority to approve name changes was bestowed on the superior court.

March 2, 1874

1874 Gov. James Smith approved an act allowing anyone convicted of a crime and sentenced to a fine, but who did not have the resources to pay the fine, to hire themselves out to any person willing to pay the fine. Both the convict and person paying the convict’s fine had to sign an agreement in the presence of a judge stating the kind of work the convict would have to do, the place where it would be done, and the length of time or nature of the work project that would fulfill the contract -- with the conditions of the contract approved by the judge.

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March 2, 1874

Georgia cities and towns first incorporated by acts approved by the governor on March 2:

1874 Belton (Hall and Banks counties), High Shoals (Clarke [now Oconee], Morgan, and Walton counties), Summerville (Chattooga County), and Whitesburg (Carroll County)

March 2, 1981

1981 Fifteen year old Joseph "Jo-Jo" Bell disappeared in Atlanta. Almost a month and a half later his body, probably strangled, was discovered in a river. He was the latest victim in the Atlanta Child Murders case.