Richard Crawford White (April 29, 1923 – February 18, 1998) was an American lawyer, World War II veteran, and Democratic politician from El Paso, Texas, who served in the Texas House of Representatives from 1955 to 1959 and in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1965 to 1983.
Early life and career
Born in El Paso, Texas, White graduated from Dudley Primary School, El Paso High School, and the Citizens' Military Training Camp at San Antonio, Texas. Subsequently, from 1940 to 1942, he attended the University of Texas at El Paso, then known as Texas Western College.
World War II
After his second year of college, White began his World War II service from 1942 to 1945 in the United States Marine Corps as a rifleman and Japanese-English interpreter in the Pacific Theater. As a result of injuries suffered, he was awarded the Purple Heart.[1]
Tenure
He actually received more votes than Johnson did in the 16th District.[2]
During his first term, White represented a monstrous district stretching from El Paso all the way to the Permian Basin—an area of over 42,000 square miles. However, after Texas' congressional map was thrown out in Wesberry v. Sanders, his district was cut down to El Paso and a few inner-ring suburbs. He was reelected eight times from this district with almost no difficulty.
As a U.S. representative, White developed a reputation as a moderate Democrat. White voted in favor the Voting Rights Act of 1965 and the Civil Rights Act of 1968.[3][4] He also chaired the Democratic Research Organization, a group within the party that distributed information from the leadership relevant to pending votes.[5] Having Fort Bliss in the 16th Congressional District made White a natural choice for his place on the House Armed Services Committee. There he chaired the Military Personnel Subcommittee and was also instrumental in reorganization of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He also served for a while on the Interior, Post Office & Civil Service, and Science & Technology committees. White was described as a 'cautious conservative'.[6] Choosing not to run again in 1982, White returned to his hometown of El Paso to resume his law practice.[1]
Personal life
White was married twice. His first marriage in 1949 to Katherine Huffman produced three sons, Rodrick, Richard, and Raymond. After her death in 1972, White married the former Kathleen Fitzgerald in 1973. The second marriage produced one daughter, Bonnie, two sons, Sean and Brian, and one step-son, Kenneth.
Death and burial
White died on February 18, 1998. He was interred at Arlington National Cemetery, in Arlington, Virginia.[7]
References
- ^ a b "Bioguide Search".
- ^ Communications, Emmis (May 1965). Sue Watkins, The Alcade, 1965. Retrieved March 13, 2011.
- ^ "To Pass H.R. 6400, The 1965 Voting Rights Act".
- ^ "To Pass H.R. 2516, A Bill to Establish Penalties for Interference with Civil Rights. Interference with a Person Engaged in One of the 8 Activities Protected Under this Bill Must be Racially Motivated to Incur the Bill's Penalties".
- ^ Hammond, Susan Webb (2001). Congressional Caucuses in National Policymaking. JHU Press. ISBN 978-0801868177.
- ^ Barone, Michael; Ujifusa, Grant (1983). The Almanac of American Politics 1984. National Journal. p. 1158.
- ^ "Burial detail: White, Richard C". ANC Explorer. Retrieved March 27, 2023.
External links
- United States Congress. "Richard Crawford White (id: W000390)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
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