Joseph N. Langan
Joseph Nicholas Langan (1912–2004) was an American lawyer, soldier and Democratic politician who served in both houses of the Alabama legislature and became known for his progressive policies in Mobile, Alabama following his military service in World War II. After becoming one of only two legislators to oppose the Boswell Amendment to restrict African-American suffrage, Langan failed to win re-election to the Alabama Senate. Undeterred, Langan won election and re-election to the Mobile City Commission, his native city's three-member governing body. Thus he also served several one-year terms as Mayor of Mobile, an office rotated among the three commissioners.
Joseph N. Langan | |
|---|---|
| Member of the Alabama Legislature | |
| In office 1939–1941 | |
| Member of the Alabama Senate | |
| In office 1946–1951 | |
| Finance Commissioner of Mobile | |
| In office 1953–1969 | |
| Preceded by | Charles A. Baumhauer |
| Succeeded by | Joseph A. Bailey |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Joseph Nicholas Langan March 11, 1912 Mobile, Alabama |
| Died | November 2, 2004 (aged 92) Mobile, Alabama |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Maude Adele Holcombe |
| Awards | Bronze Star |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Branch/service | United States Army Alabama National Guard |
| Years of service | 1931–1952 |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Unit | infantry |
| Battles/wars | World War II Korean War |
Langan opposed the Dixiecrat movement in the Democratic Party, and became a leading moderate voice in his state, working to extend voting rights for African Americans (who had been essentially disenfranchised since the turn of the century). As a Mobile commissioner, Langan also expanded the city's tax base, including through annexation, and helped found the Mobile Museum of Art.