Sam Rayburn
Sam Rayburn was a prominent American politician, born on January 6, 1882, in Kingston, Tennessee, and later moving to Texas, where he began his political career. He served nearly five decades in the U.S. Congress, becoming one of the most respected figures in American legislative history. Initially elected to the Texas House of Representatives in 1906, Rayburn quickly established a reputation for integrity and competence, eventually becoming the House Speaker. His leadership was instrumental in advancing key progressive reforms, including consumer protections and improvements in public education.
Rayburn played a significant role in the New Deal era, working closely with President Franklin D. Roosevelt to pass vital legislation aimed at economic recovery during the Great Depression. He served as House Majority Leader before taking on the role of Speaker of the House in 1940, where he continued to advocate for liberal policies, especially in response to World War II and the Cold War. Known for his mentorship of younger politicians, including Lyndon B. Johnson, Rayburn's legacy emphasizes the importance of compromise and integrity in governance. Despite his significant influence and accomplishments, he lived modestly and passed away with little personal wealth, reflecting his commitment to public service over personal gain.
Subject Terms
Sam Rayburn
Speaker
- Born: January 6, 1882
- Birthplace: Roane County, Tennessee
- Died: November 16, 1961
- Place of death: Bonham, Texas
American politician
One of America’s most prominent politicians of the twentieth century, Rayburn generally is regarded as one of the most successful leaders in the history of the U.S. House of Representatives. Of particular note was his integral role in securing legislative approval of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s New Deal programs.
Area of achievement Government and politics
Early Life
Sam Rayburn was born in Kingston, Roane County, Tennessee. He was the eighth of eleven children of William Marion and Martha Clementine Rayburn, poor farmers struggling to make a decent living in rural Tennessee. Seeking to improve themselves financially, in 1887 the family moved to Flag Springs, a small community near Bonham in northeast Texas. The Rayburn children attended rural schools.
In 1900, Rayburn enrolled at East Texas Normal College, more popularly known then as Mayo College, in Commerce, Texas. He graduated in 1903 with an undergraduate degree in education and subsequently taught three years in nearby public schools. He completed his formal education by taking classes at the University of Texas Law School and passing the state’s bar examination in 1908. He joined a small law firm in Bonham and worked there throughout his early years in politics.
Life’s Work
Rayburn began his lengthy political career in 1906 when he won a seat in the Texas House of Representatives. His successful campaign reportedly was built upon the high personal regard of farmers in the region for Rayburn and his many relatives. He continued this winning formula through reelection campaigns in 1908 and 1910. In the state legislature, Rayburn became a follower and ally of one of the state’s dominant political power brokers, U.S. senator Joseph W. Bailey. Rayburn, not long after winning his third term, was elected House Speaker, a post he held for three terms.
As House Speaker, Rayburn based his leadership on a reputation of nearly flawless personal integrity, which he used to help win passage of a largely progressive agenda. For example, Rayburn was instrumental in getting the state to regulate utilities, establish pure food standards, limit hours for working women, protect consumers making deposits in state banks, and improve public schools. His gentle demeanor, intense attention to detail, and personal integrity helped him win numerous friends and allies and almost assured the passage of most any legislation he publicly championed.
One of the most important tasks Rayburn confronted during those early leadership years was redrawing the boundary lines of the state’s congressional delegation following the completion of the 1910 U.S. Census. Rayburn used his position and legislative skill to influence the redrawing of the lines to favor Democrats in general and himself in particular. His maneuvering took advantage of a series of changes in the state’s political lineup, changes that stemmed from the resignation of Bailey from the U.S. Senate. The representative from Rayburn’s northeast Texas House district immediately filed for Bailey’s Senate seat, which Rayburn wanted as well. With the region’s congressional seat soon to be vacated, Rayburn made certain that the residence of his likely opponent was excluded from the district’s boundaries. This, together with his name recognition and sterling reputation, helped ensure Rayburn’s easy victory in 1912. Soon thereafter he began one of the most distinguished and widely respected Capitol Hill careers, which was to extend to nearly forty-nine years.
Rayburn’s early years on Capitol Hill were spent largely under the tutelage of another Texan who was a strong follower and admirer of Bailey, John Nance Garner. By the time of Rayburn’s arrival in the House, Garner had already worked his way into a position of influence. Garner quickly became a friend, ally, and mentor to Rayburn. An early important product of this relationship was Garner’s help in getting Rayburn a seat on the Interstate and Foreign Commerce Committee (IFCC), one of the chamber’s most important panels in 1913. However, not long after, the Democrats lost their House majority and Rayburn and Garner were forced to the political periphery. The Republicans were to dominate both Congress and the presidency throughout the 1920’s.
The Democrats’ major electoral triumphs in the 1930’s changed everything for Rayburn, as the party first captured the House. This ignited numerous political and personal opportunities for Rayburn. He was elected to chair the IFCC, and Garner was selected Speaker of the House. Rayburn was now included in the meetings of House leaders at the end of each day to discuss and plan legislative strategies.
In 1933, Franklin D. Roosevelt was elected president of the United States and Garner his vice president. Rayburn served as Garner’s national campaign manager. All the key elements were now in place for the subsequent passage of Roosevelt’s New Deal. Rayburn and Garner would play integral roles in winning quick approval of New Deal programs. The bulk of the legislation, particularly the highly publicized domestic relief programs, went though Rayburn’s committee. Key programs that Rayburn helped shepherd through the House included the Federal Securities Act of 1933, the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934, the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935, and the Rural Electrification Act of 1936.
Rayburn’s key role in winning passage of such important legislation, along with the widespread admiration of his personal integrity and his reputation for working hard and not grandstanding, helped him take the next step on the political ladder. In 1937 he was elected House majority leader, second only to the House speaker in significance. This lofty position assured Rayburn a seat at most of the important government strategy sessions involving the president, Capitol Hill leaders, and key cabinet members. Rayburn now was among the elite of U.S. government. His skills at leading the House and in maneuvering during the critical strategy sessions in the often stormy days during the last few years of the decade helped assure yet another climb up the political ladder. In 1940, Rayburn was elected Speaker following the death of William Bankhead of Alabama.
As House Speaker, Rayburn continued his strong support of the New Deal legislative agenda and eagerly expanded his policy goals to help prepare the nation for likely entry into World War II. In 1941, Rayburn coyly helped maneuver legislation through the House to extend the draft during a time when the nation’s public opinion strongly opposed entering the war. The extension subsequently assured the nation of a standing military force many times what it would have been at the time the Japanese struck Hawaii in December, 1941.
Following Roosevelt’s death and the end of World War II, Rayburn maintained his strong leadership role working with President Harry S. Truman to develop post-New Deal legislation and Cold War strategies against the Soviet Union. Throughout this time Rayburn continued to readjust his Capitol Hill position as the Democrats held, lost, and regained majority status in the House. He also retained a good, if not warm, working relationship with his Republican counterpart, Joseph Martin of Massachusetts.
Likely inspired by his tutelage under Garner, Rayburn often worked to mentor younger members of Congress, such as Richard Bolling of Missouri and a fellow Texan, Lyndon B. Johnson. The working relationship between Rayburn and Johnson had become particularly strong by the 1950’s, when both headed their own respective chamber of Congress. They worked particularly well when dealing with popular Republican president Dwight D. Eisenhower. Later, although a strong supporter of Johnson’s presidential bid, Rayburn worked closely with the new president, John F. Kennedy. In one of his last, and most spectacular, maneuvers on Capitol Hill, Rayburn deftly worked to “pack” the House Rules Committee with additional members committed to approving a growing liberal agenda, particularly on civil rights issues.
Rayburn lived in relatively modest circumstances and died with little personal wealth. He was married only briefly, for a few months spanning 1927 and 1928, before a divorce was finalized.
Significance
Rayburn was one among the most respected, effective, and important legislators in U.S. history. His legacy underscored the importance of compromise, examining all details of public policies, and finding a common denominator on which all parties to an issue could agree. Allies and rivals alike agreed that he had personal integrity, particularly when dealing with other politicians and interest groups.
Further Reading
Champagne, Anthony. Congressman Sam Rayburn. New Brunswick, N.J.: Rutgers University Press, 1984. This book focuses on Rayburn’s personal and political relationships with the constituents in his northeast Texas district. Based upon numerous interviews, personal papers, and local oral histories that help explain the “down home” side of the Washington power broker.
Dorough, C. Dwight. Mr. Sam: A Biography of Samuel T. Rayburn, Speaker of the House, 1940-1946, 1949-1952, 1955-1961. New York: Random House, 1962. The product of nearly fifteen years of work, this book is an official biography written with the cooperation of Rayburn. The friendly, personal relationship between the author and his subject point to several exceptionally flattering assessments of Rayburn.
Hardeman, D. B., and Donald C. Bacon. Rayburn: A Biography. Austin: Texas Monthly Press, 1987. Perhaps the most comprehensive biography of Rayburn. Particularly strong in exploring his private life.
Steinberg, Alfred. Sam Rayburn: A Biography. New York: Hawthorne Books, 1975. The story of the Speaker’s life and Capitol Hill struggles, told primarily from Rayburn’s viewpoint.
Winkler, Allan M. Franklin D. Roosevelt and the Making of Modern America. New York: Pearson/Longman, 2006. A study of Roosevelt’s administration, which included the unfailing help of Rayburn. Argues that the administration’s transformation of the federal government defined its role and functions in American life for the rest of the century and beyond.