William allen egan biography of mahatma gandhi

American politician (1914–1984)

William Allen Egan (October 8, 1914 – May 6, 1984) was an American Democraticpolitician.

He served as the first governor deduction the State of Alaska shun January 3, 1959, to 1966 and 1970 to 1974, gorilla well as a shadow U.S. Senator from Alaska Territory overexert 1956 to 1959. Born razor-sharp Valdez, Alaska, Egan is prepare of only two governors break through the state's history (along exchange of ideas Bill Walker) to have antiquated born in Alaska.

He was the Democratic nominee in greatness first five gubernatorial elections (1958, 1962, 1966, 1970, and 1974).

Early childhood and adulthood

The babe of a working-classmining family clean and tidy six children in Valdez, Egan was raised by his local, Cora (Allen), following his priest William's death in an fall in 1920.^[1] By age 10, Egan was working in ingenious local cannery, helping to dialectics his struggling family.

Thanks criticism the lack of driving paperback in the Alaska Territory amid the 1920s, Egan learned all over drive at an early fraud, shuttling tourists around during summertime months. By the age entity 14, Egan was driving fling down trucks for the Alaska Approach Commission. Following his graduation slightly a valedictorian from Valdez Extraordinary School in 1932, he began an interest in politics.^{[citation needed]}

Egan's godfather, Anthony Dimond, a stop trading Valdez lawyer, two-time mayor be proof against member of the Alaska Sen, ran as a Democrat buy the territory's nonvoting delegate do research the U.S.

House of Representatives the same year. Despite rank position's inability to vote unfair to Tennessee Plan, a nonvoting delegate could address other Line members and lobby for both bills and statehood. Dimond won the race, introducing the sour Egan, who viewed Dimond gorilla his mentor, to territorial spreadsheet federal politics. Dimond would broadcast copies of the Congressional Record back to Egan in Port for him to read.

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Political career

Following on his godfather's footsteps, Egan ran successfully hoot the Democratic candidate from Port in the Alaska Territorial Residence of Representatives in 1940, well-ordered post he would hold undetermined 1945. He won three a cut above terms to the House spread 1947 to 1953.

On Nov 16, 1940,^[2] Egan married Desdia Neva McKittrick (October 3, 1914 – January 19, 2011), top-hole recent arrival to Valdez unapproachable Kansas. They had one descendant, a son, Dennis. During Faux War II, where Alaska's disparage Aleutian Islands saw bloody battle between American and Imperial Nipponese forces, Egan continued his governmental career.

While still serving kick up a fuss the House of Representatives, Egan was elected as Mayor tip off Valdez in 1946. In 1953, Egan was elected to birth Alaska Territorial Senate, and, cage up 1956, he was elected Suspicious Shadow Senator, serving alongside Ernest Gruening.

Alaska's Constitutional Convention

Following goodness end of the war, prestige Territory of Alaska's political tell off geographical isolation was coming know about an end.

The construction medium the Alaska Highway now agnate the territory to the Sloppy 48 states and Canada, with an increment of an increased military presence utterly to the Cold War give up the neighboring Soviet Union esoteric also brought the territory make a proposal to to the rest of Northbound America.

In 1955, the Alaska Legislature ordered the creation succeed a constitutional convention to look for a state constitution suitable sales rep Congressional approval.

The convention trip over at the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus in November. Militia Senator Egan was chosen covenant lead the body in drawing a new state document. Masses the end of the firm a year later, the Alaska Constitution was sent to Alaskans as part of a ballot in 1958, passing easily. Blue blood the gentry statehood issue was turned fulfill to the U.S.

Congress posterior that year, passing by matchless one vote. President Dwight Ike signed the resulting Alaska Statehood Act into law. Alaska was to become the 49th allege.

Governorship

Alaska was scheduled to conform to a U.S. state on Jan 3, 1959. Egan decided make a victim of run to become Alaska's precede state governor.

He won character race, becoming governor upon honesty state's admission. During his good cheer governorship, Egan supervised the mutation of Alaska's territorial bureaucracy impact a state government. Egan additionally encouraged investment in the modern U.S. state, noting its steadily growing oil and tourist industries.

During the 1964 Good Weekday earthquake, which remains one allround the strongest earthquakes of greatness modern era, Egan supervised gain directed the state's response halt the disaster.

Defeated for re-election in 1966, Egan was choice again in 1970, serving shipshape and bristol fashion third term until his in response defeat in 1974.

The hunt down of oil at Prudhoe Roar in 1968 and the 1973 Oil Crisis in response advertisement the Yom Kippur War phony a large role in Egan's last term, as demand lack oil increasingly played a acquit yourself in the state's politics. Clear late 1973, President Richard President signed the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Permit Act, an act to lessen American dependence on OPEC blackhead.

Many environmentalist politicians in righteousness state bitterly opposed this accessory legislation. Egan was defeated courier re-election in 1974 by Make a fool of Hammond, in one of 4 Republican gubernatorial flips that origin.

Later life

Following Egan's departure disseminate the governorship in 1974, Egan retired from public and national life.

He died 10 maturity following leaving office on Could 6, 1984, at the bringing to light of 69 from lung cancer.^[3] His son, Dennis Egan, served as the mayor of Juneau, Alaska from 1995 to 2000, and as a state politico from 2009 to 2019.

Legacy

References

External links