Barkley, Alben W

Barkley, Alben W

▪ vice president of United States
born Nov. 24, 1877, Graves County, Ky., U.S.
died April 30, 1956, Lexington, Va.
 35th vice president of the United States (1949–53) in the Democratic administration of President Harry S. Truman (Truman, Harry S.). He was one of the chief architects of the New Deal in the 1930s and a major symbol of Democratic Party continuity as a member of Congress for almost 40 years.

      Barkley was the son of tobacco farmers John Wilson Barkley and Electra Smith. After graduting from college, he studied law and was admitted to the Kentucky bar in 1901. Active in local Democratic politics, he won elective office as a county attorney in 1905 and a county judge four years later. In 1912 Barkley was elected to the United States House of Representatives (Representatives, House of), serving seven successive terms (1913–27) before his election to the Senate in 1926, where he served until 1949. His increasing seniority enhanced his influence on the committees on foreign affairs and finance, and he was a leading spokesman for the domestic and international policies of the administration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt (Roosevelt, Franklin D.). An able parliamentary tactician, he served from 1937 to 1947 as Senate majority leader.

      Barkley played important roles at every Democratic National Convention he attended from 1932. Passed over for the vice presidency in 1944 because of his age, he was finally nominated at the 1948 convention, though only after William O. Douglas (Douglas, William O.) declined the position. The oldest man elected vice president, Barkley served steadfastly, if unspectacularly, for the next four years, becoming known as “the Veep” after it was disclosed that his grandson had trouble pronouncing the full title. He sought the presidential nomination in 1952—and Truman initially backed his effort—but withdrew when labour leaders announced that they considered him too old. He was reelected to the Senate in 1954, the same year his autobiography, That Reminds Me, was published.

* * *


Universalium. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно решить контрольную?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Barkley, Alben William — (1877 1956)    35th vice president of the United States, 1949 1953. The son of poor tenant farmers, Alben Barkley was born and raised in Kentucky. After schooling in Kentucky, Barkley went to Emory College in Georgia, and then the University of… …   Historical Dictionary of the Roosevelt–Truman Era

  • Barkley, Alben W(illiam) — born Nov. 24, 1877, Graves county, Ky., U.S. died April 30, 1956, Lexington, Va. U.S. politician. After graduating from college, he studied law and was admitted to the Kentucky bar in 1901. He was elected as a Democrat to the U.S. House of… …   Universalium

  • Barkley, Alben W(illiam) — (24 nov. 1877, cond. Graves, Ky., EE.UU.– 30 abr. 1956, Lexington, Va.). Político estadounidense. Terminados sus estudios universitarios, ingresó a la carrera de derecho y en 1901 se tituló de abogado en Kentucky. Fue elegido miembro demócrata de …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • Alben W. Barkley — 35th Vice President of the United States In office January 20, 1949 – January 20, 1953 President Harry S. Truman Preceded by …   Wikipedia

  • Alben Barkley — Alben W. Barkley Alben William Barkley (* 24. November 1877 in Graves County, Kentucky; † 30. April 1956 in Lexington, Virginia) war ein US amerikanischer Politiker und Vizepräsident der Vereinigten Staaten von 1949 bis 1953 währ …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Alben William Barkley — Alben W. Barkley Alben William Barkley (* 24. November 1877 in Graves County, Kentucky; † 30. April 1956 in Lexington, Virginia) war ein US amerikanischer Politiker und Vizepräsident der Vereinigten Staaten von 1949 bis 1953 währ …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Alben Barkley — Saltar a navegación, búsqueda Alben Barkley 35º Vicepresidente de los Estados Unidos 20 de enero de 1949 – 20 de enero de 1953 …   Wikipedia Español

  • Alben W. Barkley — Alben William Barkley Alben Barkley (1877 1956) Alben William Barkley (1877–1956) était un homme politique américain, sénateur démocrate du Kentucky et 35ème vice président des États Unis sous la présidence d Harry Truman. Biographie Alben… …   Wikipédia en Français

  • Alben W. Barkley — Alben Barkley 35º vicepresidente de los Estados Unidos 20 de enero de 1949 –  …   Wikipedia Español

  • Alben William Barkley — Pour les articles homonymes, voir Barkley. Alben Barkley (1877 1956) Alben William Barkley (1877–1956) était un homme politique américain, sénateur démocrate du Kentucky et 35ème vice président …   Wikipédia en Français

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”