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 election.
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.
Background
Brown was born in San Francisco, California, one of four children of Ida (née Schuckman) and Edmund Joseph Brown. His father came from an Irish Catholic family, with his grandfather Joseph immigrating from County Tipperary, Ireland. His mother Ida was from a German Protestant family. He acquired the nickname "Pat" during his school years; the nickname was a reference to his Patrick Henry–like oratory. When he was 12 and selling Liberty Bonds on street corners, he would end his spiel with, "Give me liberty, or give me death."
Brown was a debate champion as a member of the Lowell Forensic Society at San Francisco's Lowell High School, where he held twelve offices of student government; he graduated from Lowell in 1923. Rather than pursue an undergraduate degree, he instead worked in his father's cigar store, which doubled as a gambling shop. He studied law at night, while working part-time for attorney Milton Schmitt, receiving an LL.B. degree from San Francisco Law School in spring 1927. After passing the California bar exam the following fall, he began full-time employment in Schmitt's office.
Brown ran as a Republican Party candidate for the State Assembly in 1928, but lost badly; he moved to the Democratic Party in 1934, as the Great Depression had made him lose confidence in the pro-business Republican Party. He quickly became a New Dealer, and an active party participant. His second attempt at election to public office came in 1939, running for District Attorney of San Francisco against Matthew Brady, an incumbent of twenty-two years, who beat him handily.
First term as governor, 1959-1963
In the 1958 California gubernatorial election, he was the Democratic nominee for governor, running on a campaign of "responsible liberalism," with support for labor, and forcing the ballot name change of Proposition 18 from "Right-to-Work" to "Employer and Employee Relations," whereas Brown's opponent campaigned for such right-to-work laws as Proposition 18 provided. In the general election, Brown defeated Republican U.S. Senator William F. Knowland with a near three-fifths majority, Proposition 18 and other anti-labor ballot measures were voted down, and Democrats were elected to a majority in both houses of the legislature, and to all statewide offices, excepting Secretary of State.
Brown was known for his cheerful personality, and his championing of building an infrastructure to meet the needs of the rapidly growing state. As journalist Adam Nagourney reports: "With a jubilant Mr. Brown officiating, California commemorated the moment it became the nation's largest state, in 1962, with a church-bell-ringing, four-day celebration. He was the boom-boom governor for a boom-boom time: championing highways, universities and, most consequential, a sprawling water network to feed the explosion of agriculture and development in the dry reaches of central and Southern California." Brown appointed Fred Dutton as chief of staff as a reward for his enormously energetic and effective row last campaign manager. Bert Levitt, a Republican friend, was named director of finance to draw up a state budget. The role of press secretary went to reporter Hale Champion. Further down the ladder, Brown cleaned house, replacing all of Knight's political appointees. His team worked hard in preparation for the governor's inauguration. Although he was basically a moderate, Brown reached out to the powerful left wing in his party by emphasizing the word “liberal” repeatedly, He proclaimed: "Offered government by retreat, the people preferred progress." Newcomers were arriving at 500,000 a year, and there was no time to be lost in responding to the needs they created.
He set up a Fair Employment Practices Commission that helped African Americans break through the informal barriers that it kept them out of white collar positions. Numerous other reforms were passed, largely thanks to cooperation with the Democratic leaders in the state legislature, including George Miller Jr. in the Senate, and Bill Munnell and Jesse Unruh in the assembly.
Personal Life
Brown's wife, Bernice Layne, was a fellow student at Lowell High School, but it was not until the completion of his law degree, and her teaching credential, that they began a courtship. Following his loss in the Assembly election, he and Bernice eloped in 1930.[8] They had four children, who were all born in San Francisco:
- Barbara Layne Brown (born July 13, 1931)
- Cynthia Arden Brown (born October 19, 1933 – died March 29, 2015)
- Edmund Gerald "Jerry" Brown Jr. (born April 7, 1938)
- Kathleen Lynn Brown (born September 25, 1945)
In 1958, as governor-elect, Brown appeared as a guest challenger on the TV panel show What's My Line?
After leaving office, Brown returned to the practice of law and also experienced success in business, investing in a company involved with the Indonesian petroleum industry.
Brown died from a heart attack at his home in the Beverly Canyon section of Los Angeles on February 16, 1996, at the age of 90. He was interred at Holy Cross Cemetery in Colma.
If you want to read a lot more, go here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pat_Brown
- SERVES
- 4
- COOK TIME
- 10 Min
These meatless slider burgers come packing lots of flavor from portabella mushrooms marinated in an easy store-bought vinaigrette. Our Mushroom Sliders are a welcome change of pace from traditional burgers on the grill.
- 2 large portabella mushrooms, stems removed
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinaigrette
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/2 cup garlic herb spread
- 8 small slider rolls, split and toasted
- 8 tomato slices
- 8 red onion slices
- In a large resealable plastic bag, combine mushrooms and vinaigrette. Close bag and gently toss until evenly coated. Marinate 30 to 60 minutes. Remove mushrooms to a plate and season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Heat a grill pan over medium heat then coat with cooking spray.
- Place mushrooms on grill pan and cook 8 to 10 minutes, turning halfway through cooking, or until mushrooms are heated through.
- Remove from pan and drain on paper towels. Cut each mushroom into quarters.
- Spread garlic herb spread evenly on both sides of rolls. Top with mushrooms, tomato, and onion. Serve immediately.
These also can be cooked on the grill. And for more of a kick, top with fresh salsa or pepper Jack cheese.
1919 – Marge Champion, American actress (d.2020)
