Ralph W. Yarborough, the People's Senator (Focus on American History) [Hardcover]

Patrick L. Cox (Author), Edward M. Kennedy (Foreword)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 029271243X | ISBN-13: 978-0292712430 | Publication Date: February 2002 | Edition: 1

Revered by many Texans and other Americans as 'the People's Senator', Ralph Webster Yarborough (1903-1996) fought for 'the little people' in a political career that places him in the ranks of the most influential leaders in Texas history. The only U.S. Senator representing a former Confederate state to vote for every significant piece of modern civil rights legislation, Yarborough became a cornerstone of Lyndon Johnson's Great Society programs in the areas of education, environmental preservation, and health care.In doing so, he played a major role in the social and economic modernisation of Texas and the American South. He often defied conventional political wisdom with his stands against powerful political interests and with his vocal opposition to the Vietnam War. To this day, his admirers speak of Yarborough as an inspiration for public service and a model of political independence and integrity. This biography offers the first in-depth look at the life and career of Ralph Yarborough.Patrick L. Cox draws on Yarborough's personal and professional papers, as well as on extensive interviews with the Senator and his associates, to follow Yarborough from his formative years in East Texas through his legal and judicial career in the 1930s, decorated military service in World War II, unsuccessful campaigns for Texas governor in the 1950s, distinguished tenure in the United States Senate from 1957 to 1970, and return to legal practice through the 1980s. Although Yarborough's liberal politics set him at odds with most of the Texas power brokers of his time, including Lyndon Johnson, his accomplishments have become part of the national fabric. Medicare recipients, beneficiaries of the Cold War G. I. Bill, and even beachcombers on Padre Island National Seashore all share in the lasting legacy of Senator Ralph Yarborough. Patrick L. Cox is a historian at the Centre for American History at the University of Texas at Austin.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

In Ralph W. Yarborough: The People's Senator, University of Texas historian Patrick Cox explores just what the Texas congressman (1903-1996) did to earn that honorable nickname. From his legal and judicial career in the 1930s and his service in WWII to his failed gubernatorial campaigns and his successful years in the U.S. Senate, Yarborough was, Cox writes, "a man of the people who fought for the people." A champion of civil rights, education, historical preservation and health care, Yarborough was a defiant, dedicated liberal in the face of conservative Southern politics, and inspired a "living legacy of Texas officeholders" to emulate him. Sen. Edward M. Kennedy contributes a foreword. Illus.

Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Review

"Ralph Yarborough was a loyal friend and a tower of integrity. He was a shining example to all of us who serve in public office. 'Discouraged' was not in his vocabulary. He taught us never to give up or give in and that, with a courageous attitude, victory was always possible next time or next year. In his biography of this greatly respected and much beloved giant of our time, Patrick Cox shows us why Ralph Yarborough truly was 'the People's Senator.'" - Senator Edward M. Kennedy

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 368 pages
• Publisher: University of Texas Press; 1 edition (February 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 029271243X
• ISBN-13: 978-0292712430
• Product Dimensions: 9.5 x 6.5 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.8 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,251,891 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Discover books, learn about writers, read author blogs, and more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bio of Texas Legend Long Overdue, January 7, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Ralph W. Yarborough, the People's Senator (Focus on American History) (Hardcover)

My only regret about this book is that it didn't get published while Yarborough was still alive to enjoy it.
Yarborough was LBJ's peer & frequent rival but they buried the hatchet when JFK was killed and, together, created a massive record in civil rights, education and the environment. To understand the legacy of the 60's it is essential to understand Yarborough. It is doubtful that there will ever be a more thorough or more readable treatment of Yarborough's amazing roller coaster career than this one. Highly recommended.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Feuding Giants. Lasting Legacy., January 14, 2002

By 

Larry Landaker (Wimberley, TX) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Ralph W. Yarborough, the People's Senator (Focus on American History) (Hardcover)

Vice President Lyndon B. Johnson, with Senator Ralph W. Yarborough riding shotgun in a limousine through the streets of Dallas on November 22, 1963 were both ordered by a secret service agent to hit the deck. History-altering shots were being fired at the motorcade into the lead car carrying President John F. Kennedy, Governor John Connally and their wives. Together they arrived at Parkland Hospital where they witnessed the horrific scene of the bodies of President Kennedy and Governor Connally being wheeled inside.

After the assassination, stories about how Yarborough and "refused" to ride with Johnson the day prior due to their ongoing "feud" became legendary. This feud among these giants of Texas Democratic politics of the 1960's--Yarborough, Johnson and Connally--serves as the fuel to power Dr. Patrick Cox's compelling story. Cox deftly applies his storytelling skills, honed as a former Texas newspaper editor, to weave a taut and fascinating tale of Yarborough and the other giants before and after the assassination.

Known in the U.S. Senate as "Mr. Education", Yarborough's fingerprints can be found on such landmark Great Society legislation as the Higher Education Act, the National Science Foundation, Head Start, Job Corps, Vista and many others. But Ralph Yarborough:The People's Senator is more than an academic treatise about the legislative accomplishments of Ralph Yarborough. He was a profile in political courage, the only southern senator from either party to vote for all the major civil rights bills from 1957 to 1970, including the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

This reader is left to conclude that LBJ's fall in 1968 and Yarborough's political defeat in 1970 market a turning point in American history. With protests over Civil Rights and Vietnam dividing America, Republicans began hacking away at the "ills" of the Great Society. Yet, the lynchpins of the Great Society and much of Ralph Yarborough's contribution still survive and thrive.

This book was a delight to read from start to finish. For political junkies this is pure 100% oxygen. But the novice should enjoy the ride as well. In Ralph Yarborough: The People's Senator, Patrick Cox has unearthed a giant of the 1960's and breathed life into a great American. Ralph Yarborough deserves our attention and appreciation.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Maverick Senator, January 14, 2002

By 

Lonn Taylor (Fort Davis, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Ralph W. Yarborough, the People's Senator (Focus on American History) (Hardcover)

This is a great book about a Texan who refused to compromise with big oil, big banks, and big business - the forces that shaped politics in Texas in the 50s and 60s - and was still elected to the US Senate. In the Senate he devoted his career to "putting the jam jar on the lower shelf," so that the little people could reach it. He came from populist East Texas and remained true to the Populist tradition long after it had died in the rest of the country. Dr. Cox has made use of Yarborough's personal papers and his public papers to tell the lively story of an American who had the courage to go against the grain. The book is well-written and is essential for anyone who wants to gain a deeper understanding of natiuon politics in the '60s.