Albertis S. Harrison, Jr.
| Albertis S. Harrison, Jr. | |
|---|---|
|
Harrison in 1962 | |
| Justice of the Supreme Court of Virginia | |
|
In office October 23, 1968 – December 31, 1981 | |
| Preceded by | Claude V. Spratley |
| Succeeded by | Charles S. Russell |
| 59th Governor of Virginia | |
|
In office January 13, 1962 – January 15, 1966 | |
| Lieutenant | Mills E. Godwin, Jr. |
| Preceded by | J. Lindsay Almond, Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Mills E. Godwin, Jr. |
| 28th Attorney General of Virginia | |
|
In office January 13, 1958 – April 20, 1961 | |
| Preceded by | Kenneth C. Patty |
| Succeeded by | Frederick R. Gray |
| Member of the Virginia Senate from the 7th district | |
|
In office January 14, 1948 – January 8, 1958 | |
| Preceded by | Y. Melvin Hodges |
| Succeeded by | Joseph C. Hutcheson |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Albertis Sydney Harrison, Jr. January 11, 1907 Alberta, Virginia, U.S. |
| Died |
January 23, 1995 (aged 88) Lawrenceville, Virginia, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Lacey Virginia Barkley[1] |
| Alma mater | University of Virginia (LL.B.) |
| Profession | Lawyer |
| Religion | Episcopalian[2] |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |
 United States |
| Service/branch | United States Navy |
| Unit | U.S. Naval Reserve |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
Albertis Sydney Harrison, Jr. (January 11, 1907 – January 23, 1995) was an American politician and jurist. A Democrat associated with Virginia's Byrd Organization, he was the 59th Governor of Virginia in 1962–66, and the first governor of Virginia to have been born in the 20th century.[3]
Early life, education
Harrison was born in Alberta, Virginia, the son of Albertis S. Harrison, Sr. and Lizzie, née Goodrich.[2] He was related to Benjamin Harrison V, signer of the Declaration of Independence, and to United States Presidents William Henry Harrison and Benjamin Harrison.[3] He received an LL.B degree from the University of Virginia Law School in 1928.[1]
Harrison married Lacey Virginia Barkley c.1940. They had two children.[1][3]
Legal and political career
Harrison went into legal practice in Lawrenceville, Virginia, where he became town attorney, before being elected commonwealth's attorney of Brunswick County.[1]
He was elected to the Senate of Virginia in 1947. He served there for ten years, before being elected Attorney General of Virginia in 1957.[1][3]
Harrison resigned as Attorney General in April 1961 to run for Governor, winning election that November with 63.84% of the vote, defeating Republican H. Clyde Pearson. His administration increased educational financing for new schools and laboratories and raised teachers' pay. He promoted the development of state-supported colleges and technical schools as well as improved vocational training. He helped to modernize state banking laws to attract investment and accelerated highway construction.[3]
He sat on the Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals, later renamed the Supreme Court of Virginia, from 1968 to 1981. In 1968 he chaired the Commission on Constitutional Revision that drafted the 1971 Constitution of Virginia.
Massive Resistance
As Attorney General, Harrison was responsible for defending the state's resistance to school integration, as part of the Massive Resistance strategy endorsed and led by the state's political leader, United States Senator Harry F. Byrd. This culminated in the closing of public schools in Prince Edward County in 1959, with white students going to a private academy at state expense while black students were left to volunteer efforts.
In 1963, a Federal court ordered the Prince Edward County Board of Supervisors to reopen the schools, a decision upheld by the United States Supreme Court. Harrison told the board to comply unless they were willing to risk prosecution. By this time, he, like a number of other Byrd Democrats, had concluded that obstinate resistance to integration could not continue.[3]
Death; legacy
Harrison died of a heart attack at his home in Lawrenceville on January 23, 1995.[3] He is buried in Oakwood Cemetery in Lawrenceville, Virginia[2]
The courthouse in Lawrenceville is named in his honor.
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 "Virginia Governor Albertis S. Harrison, Jr.". National Governors Association. Retrieved 2013-01-04.
- 1 2 3 "Harrison, Albertis Sydney, Jr.". The Political Graveyard. Retrieved 2013-01-04.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Saxon, Wolfgang (1995-01-25). "Albertis S. Harrison Jr., 88, Dies; Led Virginia as Segregation Fell". New York Times. Retrieved 2012-07-04.
| Legal offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Kenneth Cartwright Patty |
Attorney General of Virginia 1958–1961 |
Succeeded by Frederick Thomas Gray |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by J. Lindsay Almond, Jr. |
Governor of Virginia 1962–1966 |
Succeeded by Mills E. Godwin |
|