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Richard Russell Jr.
66th Governor of Georgia (1931–1933), U.S. Senator from Georgia (1933–1971) / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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Richard Brevard Russell Jr. (November 2, 1897 – January 21, 1971) was an American politician. A member of the Democratic Party, he served as the 66th Governor of Georgia from 1931 to 1933 before serving in the United States Senate for almost 40 years, from 1933 to 1971. Russell was a founder and leader of the conservative coalition that dominated Congress from 1937 to 1963, and at his death was the most senior member of the Senate.[1][2] He was for decades a leader of Southern opposition to the civil rights movement.[3]
Richard Russell Jr. | |
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President pro tempore of the United States Senate | |
In office January 3, 1969 – January 21, 1971 | |
Preceded by | Carl Hayden |
Succeeded by | Allen J. Ellender |
Chair of the Senate Committee on Appropriations | |
In office January 3 , 1969 – January 21, 1971 | |
Leader | Mike Mansfield |
Preceded by | Carl Hayden |
Succeeded by | Allen Ellender |
Chair of the Senate Committee on Armed Services | |
In office January 3, 1955 – January 3, 1969 | |
Leader | |
Preceded by | Leverett Saltonstall |
Succeeded by | John C. Stennis |
In office January 3, 1951 – January 3, 1953 | |
Leader | Ernest McFarland |
Preceded by | Millard Tydings |
Succeeded by | Leverett Saltonstall |
United States Senator from Georgia | |
In office January 12, 1933 – January 21, 1971 | |
Preceded by | John S. Cohen |
Succeeded by | David H. Gambrell |
66th Governor of Georgia | |
In office June 27, 1931 – January 10, 1933 | |
Preceded by | Lamartine Griffin Hardman |
Succeeded by | Eugene Talmadge |
Member of the Georgia House of Representatives | |
In office 1921–1931 | |
Personal details | |
Born | Richard Brevard Russell Jr. (1897-11-02)November 2, 1897 Winder, Georgia, U.S. |
Died | January 21, 1971(1971-01-21) (aged 73) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
Political party | Democratic |
Parents |
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Relatives | Robert Lee Russell (brother) Alexander Brevard Russell (brother) John D. Russell (nephew) |
Alma mater | |
Profession | Attorney |
Military service | |
Allegiance | ![]() |
Branch/service | ![]() |
Unit | Reserves |
Battles/wars | World War I |
Born in Winder, Georgia, Russell established a legal practice in Winder after graduating from the University of Georgia School of Law. He served in the Georgia House of Representatives from 1921 to 1931 before becoming Governor of Georgia. Russell won a special election to succeed Senator William J. Harris and joined the Senate in 1933.[4] He supported the New Deal[5] in his Senate career but helped establish the conservative coalition of Southern Democrats. He was the chief sponsor of the National School Lunch Act, which provided free or low-cost school lunches to impoverished students.[6]
During his long tenure in the Senate, Russell served as chairman of several committees, and was the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Armed Services for most of the period between 1951 and 1969. He was a candidate for President of the United States at the 1948 Democratic National Convention and the 1952 Democratic National Convention. He was also a member of the Warren Commission.[7]
Russell supported racial segregation and co-authored the Southern Manifesto with Strom Thurmond.[8] Russell and 17 fellow Democratic Senators, along with one Republican, blocked the passage of civil rights legislation via the filibuster. After Russell's protégé, President Lyndon B. Johnson, signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964 into law,[9] Russell led a Southern boycott of the 1964 Democratic National Convention.[10] Russell served in the Senate until his death from emphysema in 1971.