C. Farris Bryant

C. Farris Bryant

Cecil Farris Bryant (born July 26, 1914 in Marion County , Florida , † March 1, 2002 in Jacksonville , Florida) was an American politician and from 1961 to 1965 the 34th governor of Florida.

Early years and political advancement

Farris Bryant attended the University of Florida and then studied law at Harvard University until 1938 . He then worked at the Florida State Audit Office before moving into the Florida House of Representatives in 1942 . However, he did not exercise this mandate for long because he served as a marine in various areas of operation during the Second World War . In 1946 he was re-elected to the state parliament. He held this mandate until 1956, in the meantime he was also President of the House. In 1956 he aspired to the office of governor, but he could not prevail within his Democratic Party against LeRoy Collins . Four years later he was more successful. After receiving his party's nomination, he also won the election with almost 60 percent of the vote against the Republican George C. Petersen.

Florida governor

Bryant began his four-year term on January 3, 1961. He was very committed to the preservation of nature and the environment and bought land to create nature reserves and nature parks. He continued the educational policy of his predecessor. At that time, new schools and universities were being built in Florida. He also focused on expanding the country's road and motorway network. His reign was the time of the civil rights movement in the United States, and Bryant himself was a segregationist . Even so, he sent his daughters to integrated schools and supported the civil rights law of President Lyndon B. Johnson's administration . In this way, Florida was spared from major racial riots during his tenure.

Further life

After his term in office on January 5, 1965, he remained politically active. President Johnson appointed him to the US National Security Council. He was also a member of the White House Emergency Commission. In 1970 he ran unsuccessfully for a seat in the US Senate . In his final years he practiced as a lawyer in Jacksonville, where he passed away in 2002. Farris Bryant was married to Julia Burnett, with whom he had three daughters.

literature

• Robert Sobel and John Raimo (Eds.): Biographical Directory of the Governors of the United States, 1789–1978. Volume 1, Meckler Books, Westport Conn. 1978. 4 volumes.

Web links

• C. Farris Bryant in the National Governors Association (English)

• C. Farris Bryant in the database of Find a Grave (English)
• Florida Governor Portraits (English)