William B. Bankhead | |
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.jpg) Bankhead,c. 1917–1940 | |
| 42ndSpeaker of the United States House of Representatives | |
| In office June 4, 1936 – September 15, 1940 | |
| Preceded by | Jo Byrns |
| Succeeded by | Sam Rayburn |
| Leader of theHouse Democratic Caucus | |
| In office June 4, 1936 – September 15, 1940 | |
| Preceded by | Jo Byrns |
| Succeeded by | Sam Rayburn |
| House Majority Leader | |
| In office January 3, 1935 – June 4, 1936 | |
| Deputy | Patrick J. Boland |
| Preceded by | Jo Byrns |
| Succeeded by | Sam Rayburn |
| Chair of theHouse Rules Committee | |
| In office April 1, 1934 – January 3, 1935 | |
| Preceded by | Edward W. Pou |
| Succeeded by | John J. O'Connor |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromAlabama | |
| In office March 4, 1917 – September 15, 1940 | |
| Preceded by | Constituency established |
| Succeeded by | Zadoc L. Weatherford |
| Constituency | 10th district (1917–1933) 7th district (1933–1940) |
| Member of theAlabama House of Representatives | |
| In office 1900–1901 | |
| City Attorney ofHuntsville | |
| In office 1898–1902 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | William Brockman Bankhead (1874-04-12)April 12, 1874 Sulligent, Alabama, U.S. |
| Died | September 15, 1940(1940-09-15) (aged 66) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouses | |
| Children | 2, includingTallulah |
| Parent |
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| Relatives |
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| Education | University of Alabama (BA) Georgetown University (LLB) |
William Brockman Bankhead (April 12, 1874 – September 15, 1940) was an American politician who served as the 42ndspeaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1936 to 1940, representingAlabama's 10th and later7th congressional districts as aDemocrat from 1917 to 1940. Bankhead was a strong liberal and a prominent supporter of PresidentFranklin Roosevelt'sNew Deal of pro-labor union legislation, thus clashing with most other Southern Democrats in Congress at the time.[1] Bankhead described himself as proud to be a politician, by which he meant that he did not neglect matters that concerned his district or reelection.[2] He was the father of actressTallulah Bankhead.
Bankhead died on September 15, 1940, from anabdominal hemorrhage, while still in office.[3][4]
Bankhead was born at theBankhead plantation inLamar County, Alabama. His father,John H. Bankhead, was an active politician who had served in the Alabama legislature, and later as U.S. Representative andSenator. His mother was Tallulah James Brockman, granddaughter ofSouth Carolinastate SenatorThomas Patterson Brockman, and he was raised as aMethodist. Bankhead's brother,John H. Bankhead II, also served in the Senate.
William Bankhead attended theUniversity of Alabama, where he was a member ofPhi Delta Thetafraternity, and played on the university's firstfootball team, organized in 1892. He studied law atGeorgetown University Law Center inWashington, D.C., graduating in 1895.
He was immediately admitted to the bar in Alabama, and practiced law inHuntsville.
In 1898, he became city attorney of Huntsville, serving until 1902. In 1900, he was elected to theAlabama House of Representatives for one term, serving through 1901.
In 1905, he moved toJasper, Alabama. In 1910 he was appointed solicitor of the fourteenth judicial circuit of Alabama, serving until 1914.
In 1914, he sought the Democratic nomination for US Representative, but failed. In 1916 he was elected Representative from the newly created10th Congressional District. (Alabama was apportioned a tenth Congressional seat after the 1910 census, but the seat was filled by at-large election in 1912 and 1914.) Bankhead held the 10th District until it was abolished after the 1930 census, when Alabama lost a seat. He was the only person ever elected from the 10th District.
Afterreapportionment andredistricting following the 1930 census, Bankhead was re-elected Representative from the7th District in 1932, and was re-elected three times, serving until his death in 1940. Bankhead served as chairman of theHouse Rules Committee from April 1934 until January 1935, taking over forEdward W. Pou who died in office. In 1934, he was chosenHouse Majority Leader by his fellow Democrats. On June 4, 1936, he was chosen Speaker of the House to succeedJo Byrns, who had died that morning. Bankhead served as Speaker until his death on September 15, 1940.[5] His cause of death was a stomach hemorrhage.[6]
As Speaker, Bankhead held the second-highest political office ever attained by any Alabamian, after onlyVice PresidentWilliam R. King.
At the1940 Democratic National Convention (three months before his death), he finished second toHenry A. Wallace on the vice presidential ticket, losing the delegate count 626–329.
Bankhead's father,John H. Bankhead, was a U.S. Representative and Senator. His elder brotherJohn H. Bankhead II was also a U.S. Senator, and his nephewWalter Will Bankhead was a U.S. Representative. His daughter,Tallulah Bankhead, was the acclaimed theatrical, radio and motion-picture actress.[7]
TheWilliam B. Bankhead National Forest and sections of oldU.S. Highway 78 in northern Alabama are named in his honor. His home in Jasper has been renovated to house the Walker Area Community Foundation's "Bankhead House and Heritage Center", a history museum and arts venue.[8]
Grossman, Mark, "Speakers of the House of Representatives 1789-2009" (New York: Grey House Publishing, 2009).
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
|---|---|---|
| New constituency | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromAlabama's 10th congressional district 1917–1933 | Constituency abolished |
| Preceded by | Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromAlabama's 7th congressional district 1933–1940 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | House Majority Leader 1935–1936 | Succeeded by |
| Party political offices | ||
| Preceded by | House Democratic Deputy Leader 1935–1936 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Keynote Speaker of theDemocratic National Convention 1940 | Succeeded by |
| Political offices | ||
| Preceded by | Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives 1936–1940 | Succeeded by |
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Chairs of theU.S. House Committee on Rules (1880–present) | ||
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