John H. Bankhead II, U.S.Senator

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_H._Bankhead_II

John Hollis Bankhead II (July 8, 1872 – June 12, 1946) was a U.S. senator from the state of Alabama. Like his father, John H. Bankhead, he was elected three times to the Senate, and like his father, he died in office.

He served in the Senate from March 4, 1931, to his death on June 12, 1946. He was first elected to the Senate in 1930 by defeating J. Thomas Heflin, the man who succeeded his father. Though Bankhead won the election by 20 points, Heflin challenged the results for over a year. He served as chairman of the Committee on Irrigation and Reclamation. After his death, Bankhead was succeeded by George R. Swift, who was appointed to fill his seat until a successor, John J. Sparkman, could be elected. Bankhead is remembered as a spokesman in favor of farmers, and against civil rights for African Americans.

Biography

He was born on July 8, 1872. After earning his law degree in 1893 and practicing law for ten with his brother William, Bankhead was elected to the Alabama House of Representatives in 1903. After Alabama's grandfather clause, that disenfranchised most black voters, was declared unconstitutional, Bankhead was one of the authors of Alabama's revised voting law that effectively kept most black voters from registering, through a series of tests and poll taxes.

Following his controversial win over Heflin in 1930, the Senator from Alabama worked at the passage of various pieces of New Deal legislation to benefit cotton farmers, including the Subsistence Homestead Act of 1933, the Cotton Control Act of 1934 and the parity payment amendments to the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938. In 1943, he sponsored legislation to exempt "substantially fulltime" farm workers from the draft during World War II. Bankhead was in third place, with 98 votes, when delegates to the 1944 Democratic National Convention were considering President Roosevelt's running mate. He made a surprise withdrawal of his candidacy in favor of his Senate colleague, Harry S. Truman, who was elected Vice-President and succeeded to presidency in 1945.

On May 24, 1946, Senator Bankhead suffered a stroke while attending an evening Senate committee meeting. Three weeks later, he died at the U.S. Naval Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland. He was the brother of Speaker of the House William Brockman Bankhead, and the uncle of actress Talullah Bankhead.

John H. Bankhead II From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 (Redirected from John Hollis Bankhead II) John H. Bankhead II John H Bankhead II.jpg United States Senator from Alabama In office March 4, 1931 – June 12, 1946 Preceded by	J. Thomas Heflin Succeeded by	George R. Swift Personal details Born	John Hollis Bankhead II July 8, 1872 near Old Moscow, Lamar County, Alabama Died	June 12, 1946 (aged 73) United States Naval Hospital, Bethesda, Maryland Nationality	American Political party	Democratic Alma mater	University of Alabama Georgetown University Religion	Methodist Military service Service/branch	United States National Guard Years of service	1901-1903 Rank	Major Unit	Alabama John Hollis Bankhead II (July 8, 1872 – June 12, 1946) was a U.S. senator from the state of Alabama. Like his father, John H. Bankhead, he was elected three times to the Senate, and like his father, he died in office.[1]

He served in the Senate from March 4, 1931, to his death on June 12, 1946. He was first elected to the Senate in 1930 by defeating J. Thomas Heflin, the man who succeeded his father. Though Bankhead won the election by 20 points, Heflin challenged the results for over a year. He served as chairman of the Committee on Irrigation and Reclamation. After his death, Bankhead was succeeded by George R. Swift, who was appointed to fill his seat until a successor, John J. Sparkman, could be elected. Bankhead is remembered as a spokesman for farmers and against civil rights for African Americans.

Biography[edit] He was born on July 8, 1872 at the Bankhead plantation in Lamar County, Alabama. After earning his law degree in 1893 and practicing law for ten with his brother William, Bankhead was elected to the Alabama House of Representatives in 1903. After Alabama's grandfather clause, that disenfranchised most black voters, was declared unconstitutional, Bankhead was one of the authors of Alabama's revised voting law that effectively kept most black voters from registering, through a series of tests and poll taxes.[2]

Following his controversial win over Heflin in 1930, the Senator from Alabama worked at the passage of various pieces of New Deal legislation to benefit cotton farmers, including the Subsistence Homestead Act of 1933, the Cotton Control Act of 1934 and the parity payment amendments to the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938. In 1943, he sponsored legislation to exempt "substantially fulltime" farm workers from the draft during World War II.[3] Bankhead was in third place, with 98 votes, when delegates to the 1944 Democratic National Convention were considering President Roosevelt's running mate. He made a surprise withdrawal of his candidacy in favor of his Senate colleague, Harry S. Truman, who was elected Vice-President and succeeded to presidency in 1945.[1]

On May 24, 1946, Senator Bankhead suffered a stroke while attending an evening Senate committee meeting.[4] Three weeks later, he died at the U.S. Naval Hospital in Bethesda, Maryland.[1] He was the brother of Speaker of the House William Brockman Bankhead, and the uncle of actress Tallulah Bankhead.

References[edit] ^ Jump up to: a b c "Sen. Bankhead Succumbs". Associated Press. June 13, 1946. Retrieved 2010-11-24. Jump up ^ Current Biography 1943, pp23-26 Jump up ^ Current Biography 1943, p25 Jump up ^ "Senator Bankhead Collapses," The Milwaukee Sentinel, May 25, 1946, p1 External links[edit] John H. Bankhead II at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress John H. Bankhead II at Find a Grave United States Senate Preceded by J. Thomas Heflin U.S. Senator (Class 2) from Alabama 1931–1946 Served alongside: Hugo Black, Dixie Bibb Graves, J. Lister Hill Succeeded by George R. Swift [hide] v t e United States Senators from Alabama Class 2 King Lewis Fitzpatrick Clemens C. Claiborne Clay Warner Goldthwaite Morgan Bankhead, Sr. Comer J. Heflin Bankhead, Jr. Swift Sparkman H. Heflin Sessions United States Senate Class 3 Walker Kelly Chambers Pickens McKinley Moore McKinley C. Comer Clay Bagby King Fitzpatrick Spencer Houston Pryor Pugh Pettus Johnston White Underwood Black Graves Hill J. Allen M. Allen Stewart Denton Shelby Categories: Alabama DemocratsAmerican MethodistsBankhead familyUnited States Senators from AlabamaUnited States vice-presidential candidates, 19441872 births1946 deathsDemocratic Party United States SenatorsPeople from Lamar County, Alabama

• Reference: Find A Grave Memorial - SmartCopy: Apr 12 2016, 16:10:15 UTC