In this July 1964 file photo, Georgia Gov. Carl Sanders sits for a portrait in Atlanta.ATLANTA - Former Georgia Gov. Carl Sanders, one of the first "New South" governors elected during the Civil Rights movement and known for his work on education and in the state's legal community, died Sunday.
Sanders developed respiratory issues after falling at his home on Friday night, according to executives of the Atlanta law firm he founded after leaving office. He was 89 and continued to be a visible presence at the firm since assuming the title of chairman emeritus in recent years.
Sanders, a Democrat, took quiet steps to eliminate segregation in state facilities during his time in office - ordering the removal of signs designating water fountains and bathrooms by race at the state Capitol at the prompting of Georgia's first elected black state senator, Leroy Johnson. In a video interview for a Senate oral history project, Sanders said he was focused on following court orders against segregation but believes the changes positioned Atlanta to become the South's dominant city.
"While I was doing that, George Wallace was over in Alabama standing in the schoolhouse door ..." Sanders said. "By doing what I did and keeping it in a fashion where we didn't have blood in the streets, Atlanta, Georgia took leadership of the South."
As the state's 74th governor from 1963 to 1967, Sanders shaped Georgia's education system, overseeing the creation of minimum standards for public schools, the addition of 10,000 teachers and development of an honors program for high-performing students.
Gov. Nathan Deal on Monday said his office was in touch with family members to discuss a tribute to Sanders.
"He was tenacious about what he believed in, and he worked very hard. He was able to get things done," Deal said. "He wasn't one of those who just made speeches and had nothing to show for it. He had a lot of accomplishments, and that's certainly something all of us need to learn."
Sanders played a key role in bringing professional sports to Atlanta, working with then-Mayor Ivan Allen. His term also saw the establishment of community colleges throughout the state and expansion of the University of Georgia School of Law. After leaving office, Sanders cemented his place in the state's legal community by founding Troutman Sanders law firm in Atlanta. The firm grew to more than 600 attorneys with offices throughout the U.S. and in Asia under his leadership.
"He was a great friend, a great leader," Robert W. Webb, Jr., chairman of the firm, said. "He had great instincts and insights."
Sanders sought political office once more after serving as governor, losing a tough primary to Jimmy Carter, who would later be elected president. Carter said in a statement that he was proud of Sanders' time as governor and pursued many of Sanders' policies during his own time leading the state.
"Carl Sanders was an outstanding governor of Georgia, a champion of education, and a courageous proponent of ending racial segregation in our state," Carter said.
An Augusta native, Sanders attended the University of Georgia on a football scholarship until enlisting in the Army Air Corps during World War II. He is survived by his wife, Betty, their two children and five grandchildren.