Changes

==Political life==

==Political life==

From 1934 to 1940, Thompson was the traveling auditor for the Louisiana Highway Commission. In 1942, he was the Louisiana representative at the National Assembly of the States in the development of the [[civil defense]] program at a convention held in [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]].<ref name=bioguide>Bioguide Search (congress.gov), accessed, August 24, 2021.</ref>

From 1934 to 1940, Thompson was the traveling auditor for the Louisiana Highway Commission. In 1942, he was the Louisiana representative at the National Assembly of the States in the development of the civil defense program at a convention held in [[Chicago]], [[Illinois]].<ref name=bioguide>Bioguide Search (congress.gov), accessed, August 24, 2021.</ref>

From 1942 to 1946, Thompson served during [[World War II]] in the [[United States Army]] Air Corps, the forerunner to the Air Force. From 1948 to 1952, during the administration of [[Governor]] [[Earl Long|Earl Kemp Long]]. Thompson was the state legislative budget officer and financial adviser.<ref name=bioguide/>

From 1942 to 1946, Thompson served during [[World War II]] in the [[United States Army]] Air Corps, the forerunner to the Air Force. From 1948 to 1952, during the administration of [[Governor]] [[Earl Long|Earl Kemp Long]]. Thompson was the state legislative budget officer and financial adviser.<ref name=bioguide/>

From 1947 to 1953, Thompson was the chairman of the board of trustees of the Louisiana State Employees Retirement System. In 1950 and 1951, he was the representative of the [[United States Department of State]] in Louisiana charged with training foreign representatives in principles of [[democracy]].

From 1947 to 1953, Thompson was the chairman of the board of trustees of the Louisiana State Employees Retirement System. In 1950 and 1951, he was the representative of the [[United States Department of State]] in Louisiana charged with training foreign representatives in principles of [[democracy]].

Thompson was elected to the U. S. House in the 1952 mid-terms<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=404947 LA District 7 Race - Nov 04, 1952]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved June 11, 2021.</ref> and re-elected six times through 1964.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=36345 Candidate - T. Ashton Thompson]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved June 11, 2021.</ref>

With Earl Long's encouragement, Thompson was elected to the U. S. House in the 1952 mid-terms<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=404947 LA District 7 Race - Nov 04, 1952]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved June 11, 2021.</ref> and re-elected six times through 1964.<ref>[https://www.ourcampaigns.com/CandidateDetail.html?CandidateID=36345 Candidate - T. Ashton Thompson]. ''Our Campaigns''. Retrieved June 11, 2021.</ref>

Along with the rest of the Louisiana congressional delegation in 1956, Thompson signed the [[Southern Manifesto]] in opposition to the [[United States Supreme Court]] ruling in ''[[Brown v. Board of Education]]'' which mandated the desegregation of public schools.<ref>[https://www.congress.gov/84/crecb/1956/03/12/GPO-CRECB-1956-pt4-3.pdf GPO-CRECB-1956-pt4-3.pdf]. ''Congressional Record''. Retrieved June 11, 2021.</ref> He voted against the [[Civil Rights Act]]s of [[Civil Rights Act of 1957|1957]],<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/85-1957/h42 HR 6127. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1957.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved June 11, 2021.</ref> 1960,<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/86-1960/h106 HR 8601. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1960. APPROVAL BY THE HOUSE OF THE SENATE'S AMENDMENTS.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved June 11, 2021.</ref> and [[Civil Rights Act of 1964|1964]]. A [[Segregation|segregationist]], as were nearly all state politicians at that time, Thompson along with [[Felix Edward Hébert]] and [[Hale Boggs]] of [[New Orleans]],  [[Joe Waggonner]] of Bossier Parish, [[Edwin Willis]] of St. Martinville, [[James H. Morrison]] of Baton Rouge, [[Gillis Long]] of [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]], and [[Otto Passman]] of [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]], voted against the [[Civil Rights Act of 1964]],<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/88-1964/h182 H.R. 7152. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964. ADOPTION OF A RESOLUTION (H. RES. 789) PROVIDING FOR HOUSE APPROVAL OF THE BILL AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved June 11, 2021.</ref>Thompson died a week before passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which Boggs, Morrison, and Willis supported.<ref>.TO PASS H.R. 6400, THE 1965 VOTING RIGHTS ACT. -- GovTrack.us, accessed August 24, 2021.</ref>

Along with the rest of the Louisiana congressional delegation in 1956, Thompson signed the [[Southern Manifesto]] in opposition to the [[United States Supreme Court]] ruling in ''[[Brown v. Board of Education]]'' which mandated the desegregation of public schools.<ref>[https://www.congress.gov/84/crecb/1956/03/12/GPO-CRECB-1956-pt4-3.pdf GPO-CRECB-1956-pt4-3.pdf]. ''Congressional Record''. Retrieved June 11, 2021.</ref> He voted against the [[Civil Rights Act]]s of [[Civil Rights Act of 1957|1957]],<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/85-1957/h42 HR 6127. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1957.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved June 11, 2021.</ref> 1960,<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/86-1960/h106 HR 8601. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1960. APPROVAL BY THE HOUSE OF THE SENATE'S AMENDMENTS.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved June 11, 2021.</ref> and [[Civil Rights Act of 1964|1964]]. A [[Segregation|segregationist]], as were nearly all state politicians at that time, Thompson along with [[Felix Edward Hébert]] and [[Hale Boggs]] of [[New Orleans]],  [[Joe Waggonner]] of Bossier Parish, [[Edwin Willis]] of St. Martinville, [[James H. Morrison]] of Baton Rouge, [[Gillis Long]] of [[Alexandria, Louisiana|Alexandria]], and [[Otto Passman]] of [[Monroe, Louisiana|Monroe]], voted against the [[Civil Rights Act of 1964]],<ref>[https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/88-1964/h182 H.R. 7152. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1964. ADOPTION OF A RESOLUTION (H. RES. 789) PROVIDING FOR HOUSE APPROVAL OF THE BILL AS AMENDED BY THE SENATE.]. ''GovTrack.us''. Retrieved June 11, 2021.</ref>Thompson died a week before passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965, which Boggs, Morrison, and Willis supported.<ref>.TO PASS H.R. 6400, THE 1965 VOTING RIGHTS ACT. -- GovTrack.us, accessed August 24, 2021.</ref>