"Texas Senator" Ralph Yarborough Hand Signed 3X5 Card JG Autographs COA

Description

"Texas Senator" Ralph Yarborough Hand Signed 3X5 Card Dated 1960.
This item is certified authentic by
JG Autographs
and comes with their Letter of Authenticity.
ES-2576C
Ralph Webster Yarborough
(June 8, 1903 – January 27, 1996) was an American politician and lawyer. He was a
Texas
Democratic
politician who served in the
United States Senate
from 1957 to 1971 and was a leader of the
progressive
wing of his party. Along with
Senate Majority Leader
Lyndon B. Johnson
and
Speaker of the House
Sam Rayburn
, but unlike most
Southern
congressmen, Yarborough refused to support the 1956
Southern Manifesto
, which called for resistance to the racial integration of schools and other public places. Yarborough voted in favor of the
Civil Rights Acts of 1957
,
[2]
1960
,
[3]
1964
,
[4]
and
1968
,
[5]
as well as the
24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution
,
[6]
the
Voting Rights Act of 1965
,
[7]
and the confirmation of
Thurgood Marshall
to the
U.S. Supreme Court
. Along with
Stuart Symington
of
Missouri
and
Mike Monroney
of
Oklahoma
, Yarborough was one of only three Southern senators to vote for all five bills.
Born in
Chandler, Texas
, Yarborough practiced law in
El Paso
after graduating from the
University of Texas School of Law
. He became an assistant to Texas Attorney General
James V. Allred
in 1931 and specialized in prosecuting major oil companies. Allred was later elected
governor of Texas
and appointed Yarborough to a judgeship in
Travis County
. After serving in the
United States Army
during
World War II
, Yarborough repeatedly ran for governor, opposing the conservative faction of Democrats led by
Allan Shivers
.
Price Daniel
resigned from the Senate after winning the 1956 gubernatorial election, and Yarborough won the special election to serve the remainder of Daniel's term. He won election to a full term in 1958 and was reelected again in 1964, defeating
Harris County
Republican Party Chairman
George H. W. Bush
in the latter race. Yarborough was known as "Smilin' Ralph" and used the slogan "Let's put the jam on the lower shelf so the little people can reach it" in his campaigns. He staunchly supported the "
Great Society
" legislation that encompassed
Medicare
and
Medicaid
, the
War on Poverty
, federal support for higher education and veterans, and other programs. He also co-wrote the
Endangered Species Act
and was the most powerful proponent of the
Big Thicket National Preserve
.
[10]
Yarborough criticized the
Vietnam War
and supported
Robert F. Kennedy
in the
1968 presidential election
until the latter's assassination. In 1970, Yarborough lost re-nomination to
Lloyd Bentsen
, who campaigned to Yarborough's right. He attempted to win the 1972 Democratic primary for Texas's other Senate seat, but lost the primary to
Barefoot Sanders
. Yarborough did not seek public office after 1972.