Harry F. Byrd Jr.
Harry Flood Byrd Jr. (December 20, 1914 – July 30, 2013) was an American orchardist, newspaper publisher and politician. He served in the Senate of Virginia and then represented Virginia in the United States Senate, succeeding his father, Harry F. Byrd Sr. His public service spanned thirty-six years, while he was a publisher of several Virginia newspapers. After the decline of the Byrd Organization due to its massive resistance to racial integration of public schools, he abandoned the Democratic Party in 1970, citing concern about its leftward tilt. He rehabilitated his political career, becoming the first independent in the history of the U.S. Senate to be elected by a majority of the popular vote.
Harry F. Byrd Jr. | |
|---|---|
Byrd in 1966 | |
| United States Senator from Virginia | |
| In office November 12, 1965 – January 3, 1983 | |
| Preceded by | Harry F. Byrd Sr. |
| Succeeded by | Paul Trible |
| Member of the Virginia Senate from the 24th district | |
| In office January 8, 1958 – November 12, 1965 | |
| Preceded by | George S. Aldhizer II |
| Succeeded by | J. Kenneth Robinson (redistricting) |
| Member of the Virginia Senate from the 25th district | |
| In office January 14, 1948 – January 8, 1958 | |
| Preceded by | Burgess E. Nelson |
| Succeeded by | Edward O. McCue Jr. |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Harry Flood Byrd Jr. December 20, 1914 Winchester, Virginia, U.S. |
| Died | July 30, 2013 (aged 98) Winchester, Virginia, U.S. |
| Resting place | Mount Hebron Cemetery |
| Political party | Democratic (before 1970) Independent Democrat (1970–2013) |
| Spouse |
Gretchen Bigelow Thomson
(m. 1941; died 1989) |
| Relations | Harry Flood Byrd Sr. (father) James M. Thomson (brother-in-law) |
| Children |
|
| Alma mater | Virginia Military Institute University of Virginia |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1941–1945 |
| Rank | Lieutenant Commander |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
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