J. Frank Colbert

Jefferson Franklin Colbert, known as J. Frank Colbert (May 28, 1882 – May 20, 1949), was a Democratic politician and Georgist based in Webster Parish, Louisiana. He later worked in real estate.

Background

Colbert was born in Webster Parish in 1882 to John A. Colbert and his third wife, the former Sarah Eliza Taylor.

Political career

Colbert served in the Louisiana House of Representatives from 1920 to 1925. Colbert ran unsuccessfully in 1940 for the House seat formerly held by John N. Sandlin, on whose staff Colbert had once worked.

Colbert also served from 1944 to 1946 as the mayor of the small city of Minden, the seat of government of Webster Parish in northwestern Louisiana. He had previously and later again served on the Webster Parish Police Jury.

Henry George movement

Georgism, in modern times also called Geoism, and known historically as the single tax movement, is an economic ideology holding that persons (including corporations) should own the value that they produce themselves, while the economic rent derived from land—including from all natural resources, the commons, and urban locations—should belong equally to all members of society. Developed from the writings of American economist and social reformer Henry George, the Georgist paradigm seeks solutions to social and ecological problems based on principles of land rights and public finance that attempt to integrate economic efficiency with social justice. During the Great Depression, Colbert became involved in the Georgist movement and published an article about its single tax proposal.

Mayoral service

Colbert won the primary for the mayor's office by 26 votes, 731 votes (50.9 percent) to 705 (49.1 percent). Given Democratic dominance of the state, and disenfranchisement of most African Americans, who had supported Republicans, Colbert won the general election and served for two years. He did not seek a second two-year term as mayor in 1946.

Death

Colbert died on May 20, 1949 at age 66.

References