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'''Woodrow Wilson Dumas''', known as '''W. W. Dumas''' or '''Woody Dumas''' (December 9, 1916 &ndash; November 5, 1993), was the [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] [[Mayor]]-President, a combined municipa]-parish position, of [[Baton Rouge]], [[Louisiana]], having served from 1965 to 1980.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ebr.lib.la.us/library/BatonRougeOfficials1855to2003.pdf|title=Who’s Who in City-Parish Government|publisher=ebr.lib.la.us|accessdate=November 27, 2009|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111003135432/http://www.ebr.lib.la.us/library/BatonRougeOfficials1855to2003.pdf|archivedate=October 3, 2011|df=}}</ref>

'''Woodrow Wilson Dumas''', known as '''W. W. Dumas''' or '''Woody Dumas''' (December 9, 1916 &ndash; November 5, 1993), was the [[Democratic Party|Democratic]] [[Mayor]]-President, a combined municipa]-parish position, of [[Baton Rouge]], [[Louisiana]], having served from 1965 to 1980.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ebr.lib.la.us/library/BatonRougeOfficials1855to2003.pdf|title=Who’s Who in City-Parish Government|publisher=ebr.lib.la.us|accessdate=November 27, 2009|deadurl=yes|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20111003135432/http://www.ebr.lib.la.us/library/BatonRougeOfficials1855to2003.pdf|archivedate=October 3, 2011|df=}}</ref>

==Background==​

==Background==

 

Dumas was born in Opelousas in St. Landry Parish in south Louisiana. He was named for [[Woodrow Wilson]], the [[U.S. President]] at the time of his birth. In 1924, the Dumas family moved to Baton Rouge, where he excelled in [[baseball]] and [football]] in [[high school]]. He served in the [[United States Navy]] on a [[submarine]] during [[World War II]] and the [[Korean War]] and was a member of the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. He was also active in the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Fraternal Order of Eagles, and the [[United Methodist]] Church.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/dukes-dunblazier.html#RXD187K6X|title=Woodrow Wilson Dumas|publisher=politicalgraveyard.com|accessdate=November 27, 2009}}</ref>​

Dumas was born in Opelousas in St. Landry Parish in south Louisiana. He was named for [[Woodrow Wilson]], the [[U.S. President]] at the time of his birth. In 1924, the Dumas family moved to Baton Rouge, where he excelled in [[baseball]] and [football]] in [[high school]]. He served in the [[United States Navy]] on a [[submarine]] during [[World War II]] and the [[Korean War]] and was a member of the American Legion and the Veterans of Foreign Wars. He was also active in the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, the Fraternal Order of Eagles, and the [[United Methodist]] Church.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://politicalgraveyard.com/bio/dukes-dunblazier.html#RXD187K6X|title=Woodrow Wilson Dumas|publisher=politicalgraveyard.com|accessdate=November 27, 2009}}</ref>​

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In 1952, Dumas was elected as the Ward II representative on the 12-member Metro Council and served from 1953-1964. He was succeeded on the council by Gaston Gerald of Greenwell Springs, who was later a state senator.

In 1952, Dumas was elected as the Ward II representative on the 12-member Metro Council and served from 1953-1964. He was succeeded on the council by Gaston Gerald of Greenwell Springs, who was later a state senator.

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To win the mayor-presidency, Dumas unseated the incumbent fellow Democrat [[Jack Christian]], a former automobile dealer from Vicksburg, [[Mississippi]], and later Baton Rouge. Much of Dumas' four terms as mayor-president was devoted to the development of the downtown municipal complex.<ref name=library/> On Dumas' watch, the Baton Rouge city-parish budget grew from $15.3 million to $89 million annually.<ref name=papers/> However, he was also involved in several [[civil rights]] controversies.​

To win the mayor-presidency, Dumas unseated the incumbent fellow Democrat Jack Christian, a former automobile dealer from Vicksburg, [[Mississippi]], and later Baton Rouge. Much of Dumas' four terms as mayor-president was devoted to the development of the downtown municipal complex.<ref name=library/> On Dumas' watch, the Baton Rouge city-parish budget grew from $15.3 million to $89 million annually.<ref name=papers/> However, he was also involved in several [[civil rights]] controversies.​

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In 1968, Dumas was reelected mayor, when he defeated the [[Republican Party|Republican]] nominee, Crayton Green "Sparky" Hall (c. 1925-2014), a native of Columbus, [[Georgia]], reared in Leesville, Louisiana, who was then a project engineer for the Ethyl Corporation of Baton Rouge. Hall soon left the GOP to become the founding chairman of the [[Libertarian Party]] in Louisiana. He left that chairmanship in 1985 and relocated to [[North Carolina]], where he died in Hendersonville, still active as a [[libertarian]] at the age of eighty-nine.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/blueridgenow/obituary.aspx?pid=172302243|title=Crayton Green "Sparky" Hall|publisher=''''Henderson Times-News'''|accessdate=August 31, 2014}}</ref>​

In 1968, Dumas was reelected mayor, when he defeated the [[Republican Party|Republican]] nominee, Crayton Green "Sparky" Hall (c. 1925-2014), a native of Columbus, [[Georgia]], reared in Leesville, Louisiana, who was then a project engineer for the Ethyl Corporation of Baton Rouge. Hall soon left the GOP to become the founding chairman of the [[Libertarian Party]] in Louisiana. He left that chairmanship in 1985 and relocated to [[North Carolina]], where he died in Hendersonville, still active as a [[libertarian]] at the age of eighty-nine.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/blueridgenow/obituary.aspx?pid=172302243|title=Crayton Green "Sparky" Hall|publisher=''''Henderson Times-News'''|accessdate=August 31, 2014}}</ref>​

In his last election as mayor-president in 1976, Dumas defeated the Democrat [[Pete Heine]], the mayor of Baker from 1964 to 1976 and again from 1981 to 1992, and the Republican choice, Jack Breaux, the mayor of Zachary (no relation to [[U.S. Senator]] [[John Breaux]]).​

In his last election as mayor-president in 1976, Dumas defeated the Democrat [[Pete Heine]], the mayor of Baker from 1964 to 1976 and again from 1981 to 1992, and the Republican choice, Jack Breaux, the mayor of Zachary (no relation to [[U.S. Senator]] [[John Breaux]]).​

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In 1990, Dumas was an honorary pallbearer at the funeral of Edward Grady Partin, the controversial business agent of the Teamsters Union]in Baton Rouge, who immunized testimony in 1964 had sent [[Jimmy Hoffa]] to prison for jury tampering.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.barlowgenealogy.com/Louisiana/laobituaries.html|title=Obituaries: Barlow and Related Families|publisher=''Baton Rouge State Times'', March 12, 1990, p. 6|accessdate=May 7, 2010}}</ref>​

In 1990, Dumas was an honorary pallbearer at the funeral of Edward Grady Partin, the controversial business agent of the Teamsters Union]in Baton Rouge, who immunized testimony in 1964 had sent [[Jimmy Hoffa]] to prison for jury tampering.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.barlowgenealogy.com/Louisiana/laobituaries.html|title=Obituaries: Barlow and Related Families|publisher=''Baton Rouge State-Times'', March 12, 1990, p. 6|accessdate=May 7, 2010}}</ref>​

==Failed comeback bid==​

==Failed comeback bid==​

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Dumas was succeeded as mayor in January 1981 by the Democrat James Patrick "Pat" Screen, Jr. (1943–1994), a former [[Louisiana State University]] [[quarterback]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6386506|title=Pat Screen|publisher=findagrave.com|accessdate=November 27, 2009}}</ref><ref>The author has been unable to determine if Dumas ran in 1980 and was defeated by Screen or if Dumas stepped down, only to try for a comeback eight years thereafter.</ref> In 1988, at the age of seventy-two, Dumas came out of political retirement to challenge fellow Democrat Tom Ed McHugh for the mayor-presidency. He polled 29,109 (29.9 percent to McHugh’s 38,629 (39.7 percent). In third place was state Senator Mike Cross, who received 12,741 (13.1 percent). Freshman state Representative Carl Crane, one of two Republicans in the race, polled only 4,554 votes (4.7 percent.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www400.sos.louisiana.gov:8090/cgibin/?rqstyp=elcpr&rqsdta=10018817|title=Louisiana election returns, October 1, 1988|publisher=sos.louisiana.gov|accessdate=November 27, 2009}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> In the general election which corresponded with the [[George H.W. Bush]] and [[Michael S. Dukakis]] presidential contest, McHugh defeated Dumas, 79,134 (55.5 percent) to 63,519 (44.5 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, November 8, 1988</ref> McHugh was elected again as a Democrat in 1992 and as a Republican convert in 1996.​

Dumas was succeeded as mayor in January 1981 by the Democrat James Patrick "Pat" Screen, Jr. (1943–1994), a former [[Louisiana State University]] [[quarterback]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/6386506|title=Pat Screen|publisher=findagrave.com|accessdate=November 27, 2009}}</ref><ref>The author has been unable to determine if Dumas ran in 1980 and was defeated by Screen or if Dumas stepped down, only to try for a comeback eight years thereafter.</ref> In 1988, at the age of seventy-two, Dumas came out of political retirement to challenge fellow Democrat Tom Ed McHugh for the mayor-presidency. He polled 29,109 (29.9 percent to McHugh’s 38,629 (39.7 percent). In third place was state Senator Mike Cross, who received 12,741 (13.1 percent). Freshman state Representative Carl Crane, one of two Republicans in the race, polled only 4,554 votes (4.7 percent.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www400.sos.louisiana.gov:8090/cgibin/?rqstyp=elcpr&rqsdta=10018817|title=Louisiana election returns, October 1, 1988|publisher=sos.louisiana.gov|accessdate=November 27, 2009}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}}</ref> In the general election which corresponded with the [[George H.W. Bush]] and [[Michael Dukakis]] presidential contest, McHugh defeated Dumas, 79,134 (55.5 percent) to 63,519 (44.5 percent).<ref>Louisiana Secretary of State, Election Returns, November 8, 1988</ref> McHugh was elected again as a Democrat in 1992 and as a Republican convert in 1996.​

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Dumas died at the age of seventy-six after a long struggle with [[cancer]].<ref name=library/> Dumas is remembered through the 18-hole Dumas [[Golf]] Course and the Dumas Memorial Golf Tournament held each April at Greenwood Community Park in Baker.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.brec.org/index.cfm?md=pagebuilder&tmp=home&cpid=561|title=Greenwood Community Park|publisher=brec.org|accessdate=November 27, 2009}}</ref>​

Dumas died at the age of seventy-six after a long struggle with [[cancer]].<ref name=library/> Dumas is remembered through the 18-hole Dumas [[Golf]] Course and the Dumas Memorial Golf Tournament held each April at Greenwood Community Park in Baker.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.brec.org/index.cfm?md=pagebuilder&tmp=home&cpid=561|title=Greenwood Community Park|publisher=brec.org|accessdate=November 27, 2009}}</ref>​