Born into a wealthy family in St. Louis, Missouri to Judge Thomas Carey Hennings, his father was an influential member of the Jefferson Club, an organization dedicated to overthrowing the bossism of the city's Democratic Political Machine. Hennings Jr. attended Soldan High School, and displayed talents in athletics, going on to run track and field at Cornell University.[1] After graduating from Cornell in 1924, he finished his education at the law school of Washington University in St. Louis in 1926. He was admitted to the bar in 1926 and commenced practice in St. Louis, and served as assistant circuit attorney for that city from 1929 to 1934. He served as a colonel on the Governor's staff from 1932 to 1936 and was a lecturer on criminal jurisprudence at the Benton College of Law in St. Louis from 1934 to 1938.
Congressional careeredit
House of Representativesedit
Hennings was elected to the Seventy-fourth, Seventy-fifth, and Seventy-sixth Congresses and served from January 3, 1935, to December 31, 1940. He was the first Democrat in 22 years to represent Missouri's 11th congressional district.[2] Hennings enjoyed support from St. Louis' growing African American population. Hennings regularly hired African Americans to his offices in Washington D.C. and St. Louis. During the Second New Deal, he worked towards establishing an African American branch of the Civilian Conservation Corps at Poplar Bluff, Missouri. Within the New Deal's Federal Emergency Relief Act (FERA), Hennings advocated for a "Negro Federal Employment Office" with all black staff. Hennings also sponsored anti-lynching bills while in the House. His work secured him the endorsements of two of St. Louis' black newspapers, the Argus and the American and the city's NAACP chapter.[3] Hennings resigned in 1940 to become a candidate for circuit attorney of St. Louis.
Time out of Officeedit
Hennings was circuit attorney from 1941 to 1944, taking leave of absence in September, 1941 to volunteer in active duty in the United States Naval Reserve. Serving in the Pacific and Caribbean as a lieutenant commander for three years, he was discharged from active duty due to physical disability incurred in the line of duty.[2] After which, he resumed the practice of law in the St. Louis firm of Green, Hennings, Henry and Evans.
Senateedit
He was elected as a Democrat to the U.S. Senate in 1950 over Republican incumbent and former governor Forrest Donnell in the only senate election that year where Democrats took a seat from Republicans, was reelected in 1956, and served from January 3, 1951, until his death from abdominal cancer in Washington, D.C. in 1960.[4] Hennings did not sign the 1956 Southern Manifesto, and voted in favor of the Civil Rights Acts of 1957 and 1960.[5][6] While in the Senate, he was chairman of the Committee on Rules and Administration (Eighty-fifth and Eighty-sixth Congresses).
Hennings' daughter Karla Ann was briefly married to White House CounselJohn Dean who would later be deeply involved in events leading up to the Watergate burglaries and the subsequent cover-up.
^Kemper, Donald J., 1929- (1965). Decade of fear; Senator Hennings and civil liberties. University of Missouri Press. pp. 1–4. OCLC 497581.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
^Day, John (April 2020). "Senator Thomas C. Hennings Jr. of Missouri: Political Champion of the Black Freedom Struggle". Missouri Historical Review. 114: 188 – via Print.
^"Cancer Takes Solon, 57, Of Missouri". Salt Lake Tribune. September 14, 1960.
^"HR. 6127. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1957". GovTrack.us.
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This article includes a list of general references but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations September 2018 Learn how and when to remove this message Thomas Carey Hennings Jr June 25 1903 September 13 1960 was an American political figure from Missouri He was a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from 1935 until 1940 and the United States Senate from 1951 until 1960 Thomas HenningsOfficial portrait 1952Chair of the Senate Rules CommitteeIn office January 3 1957 September 13 1960Preceded byTheodore F GreenSucceeded byMike MansfieldSecretary of the Senate Democratic CaucusIn office January 3 1953 September 13 1960LeaderLyndon B JohnsonPreceded byBrien McMahonSucceeded byGeorge SmathersUnited States Senatorfrom MissouriIn office January 3 1951 September 13 1960Preceded byForrest C DonnellSucceeded byEdward V LongMember of the U S House of Representatives from Missouri s 11th districtIn office January 3 1935 December 31 1940Preceded byJames Edward RuffinSucceeded byJohn B SullivanPersonal detailsBornThomas Carey Hennings Jr 1903 06 25 June 25 1903St Louis Missouri U S DiedSeptember 13 1960 1960 09 13 aged 57 Washington D C U S Resting placeArlington National CemeteryPolitical partyDemocraticEducationCornell University BA Washington University LLB Contents 1 Early life 2 Congressional career 2 1 House of Representatives 2 2 Time out of Office 2 3 Senate 3 Personal life 4 See also 5 ReferencesEarly life editBorn into a wealthy family in St Louis Missouri to Judge Thomas Carey Hennings his father was an influential member of the Jefferson Club an organization dedicated to overthrowing the bossism of the city s Democratic Political Machine Hennings Jr attended Soldan High School and displayed talents in athletics going on to run track and field at Cornell University 1 After graduating from Cornell in 1924 he finished his education at the law school of Washington University in St Louis in 1926 He was admitted to the bar in 1926 and commenced practice in St Louis and served as assistant circuit attorney for that city from 1929 to 1934 He served as a colonel on the Governor s staff from 1932 to 1936 and was a lecturer on criminal jurisprudence at the Benton College of Law in St Louis from 1934 to 1938 Congressional career editHouse of Representatives edit Hennings was elected to the Seventy fourth Seventy fifth and Seventy sixth Congresses and served from January 3 1935 to December 31 1940 He was the first Democrat in 22 years to represent Missouri s 11th congressional district 2 Hennings enjoyed support from St Louis growing African American population Hennings regularly hired African Americans to his offices in Washington D C and St Louis During the Second New Deal he worked towards establishing an African American branch of the Civilian Conservation Corps at Poplar Bluff Missouri Within the New Deal s Federal Emergency Relief Act FERA Hennings advocated for a Negro Federal Employment Office with all black staff Hennings also sponsored anti lynching bills while in the House His work secured him the endorsements of two of St Louis black newspapers the Argus and the American and the city s NAACP chapter 3 Hennings resigned in 1940 to become a candidate for circuit attorney of St Louis Time out of Office edit Hennings was circuit attorney from 1941 to 1944 taking leave of absence in September 1941 to volunteer in active duty in the United States Naval Reserve Serving in the Pacific and Caribbean as a lieutenant commander for three years he was discharged from active duty due to physical disability incurred in the line of duty 2 After which he resumed the practice of law in the St Louis firm of Green Hennings Henry and Evans Senate edit He was elected as a Democrat to the U S Senate in 1950 over Republican incumbent and former governor Forrest Donnell in the only senate election that year where Democrats took a seat from Republicans was reelected in 1956 and served from January 3 1951 until his death from abdominal cancer in Washington D C in 1960 4 Hennings did not sign the 1956 Southern Manifesto and voted in favor of the Civil Rights Acts of 1957 and 1960 5 6 While in the Senate he was chairman of the Committee on Rules and Administration Eighty fifth and Eighty sixth Congresses Personal life editHennings died on September 13 1960 and is buried Arlington National Cemetery Hennings daughter Karla Ann was briefly married to White House Counsel John Dean who would later be deeply involved in events leading up to the Watergate burglaries and the subsequent cover up See also editList of United States Congress members who died in office 1950 1999 References edit Kemper Donald J 1929 1965 Decade of fear Senator Hennings and civil liberties University of Missouri Press pp 1 4 OCLC 497581 a href Template Cite book html title Template Cite book cite book a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link CS1 maint numeric names authors list link a b Edward V Long Tom Hennings The Man from Missouri 26 MO L REV 1961 Available at https scholarship law missouri edu mlr vol26 iss4 3 Day John April 2020 Senator Thomas C Hennings Jr of Missouri Political Champion of the Black Freedom Struggle Missouri Historical Review 114 188 via Print Cancer Takes Solon 57 Of Missouri Salt Lake Tribune September 14 1960 HR 6127 CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1957 GovTrack us HR 8601 PASSAGE OF AMENDED BILL United States Congress Thomas C Hennings Jr id H000502 Biographical Directory of the United States Congress Kemper Donald 1965 Decade of Fear Senator Hennings and Civil Liberties Columbia University of Missouri Press U S House of Representatives Preceded byJames Edward Ruffin Member of the U S House of Representativesfrom Missouri s 11th congressional district1935 1940 Succeeded byJohn B Sullivan Party political offices Preceded byRoy McKittrick Democratic nominee for U S Senator from Missouri Class 3 1950 1956 Succeeded byEdward V Long Preceded byBrien McMahon Secretary of the Senate Democratic Caucus1953 1960 Succeeded byGeorge Smathers U S Senate Preceded byForrest C Donnell U S Senator Class 3 from Missouri1951 1960 Served alongside James P Kem Stuart Symington Succeeded byEdward V Long Preceded byTheodore F Green Chair of the Senate Rules Committee1957 1960 Succeeded byMike Mansfield Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Thomas C Hennings Jr amp oldid 1196064880, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
