Pat Brown
Edmund Gerald "Pat" Brown (April 21, 1905 – February 16, 1996) was an American lawyer and politician who served as the 32nd governor of California from 1959 to 1967. His first elected office was as district attorney for San Francisco, and he was later elected Attorney General of California in 1950, before becoming the state's governor after the 1958 California gubernatorial election.
Pat Brown | |
|---|---|
Brown in 1966 | |
| 32nd Governor of California | |
| In office January 5, 1959 – January 2, 1967 | |
| Lieutenant | Glenn M. Anderson |
| Preceded by | Goodwin Knight |
| Succeeded by | Ronald Reagan |
| 23rd Attorney General of California | |
| In office January 8, 1951 – January 5, 1959 | |
| Governor | Earl Warren Goodwin Knight |
| Preceded by | Frederick N. Howser |
| Succeeded by | Stanley Mosk |
| 21st District Attorney of San Francisco | |
| In office 1943–1950 | |
| Preceded by | Matthew Brady |
| Succeeded by | Thomas C. Lynch |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Edmund Gerald Brown April 21, 1905 San Francisco, California, U.S. |
| Died | February 16, 1996 (aged 90) Beverly Hills, California |
| Resting place | Holy Cross Cemetery (Colma, California) |
| Political party | Democratic (1932–1996) |
| Other political affiliations | Republican (before 1932) |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 4, including Jerry and Kathleen |
| Alma mater | San Francisco Law School (LLB) |
| Profession | Lawyer |
Born in San Francisco, Brown had an early interest in speaking and politics. He skipped college and he earned an LL.B. law degree in 1927. In his first term as governor, Brown delivered on major legislation, including a tax increase and the California Master Plan for Higher Education. The California State Water Project was a major and highly complex achievement. He also pushed through civil-rights legislation. In a second term, troubles mounted, including the defeat of a fair housing law (1964 California Proposition 14), the 1960s Berkeley protests, the Watts riots, and internal battles among Democrats over support or opposition to the Vietnam War. He lost the 1966 California gubernatorial election for a third term to future president Ronald Reagan; his legacy has since earned him regard as the builder of modern California.
His son Jerry Brown was the 34th and 39th Governor of California, as well as the 31st Attorney General of California, holding two offices he once held. His daughter, Kathleen Brown, was the 29th California State Treasurer.