African-American lawyer and Democratic politician known for his two-decade career in the South Carolina General Assembly. In 1990, he ran unsuccessfully for Governor of South Carolina.
After earning a degree in biology from Fisk University and working briefly as a cancer researcher, he decided to enroll in law school at Howard University.
He established a Greenville, South Carolina law firm called Theo W. Mitchell and Associates.
His marriage to Greta Knight produced three daughters.
He and fellow democrat Kay Patterson both served on the South Carolina Senate.