Sam Rayburn

Sam Rayburn
Rayburn in 1950
43rd Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
In office January 3, 1955 – November 16, 1961
Preceded by	Joseph W. Martin Jr.
Succeeded by	John W. McCormack
In office January 3, 1949 – January 3, 1953
Preceded by	Joseph W. Martin Jr.
Succeeded by	Joseph W. Martin Jr.
In office September 16, 1940 – January 3, 1947
Preceded by	William B. Bankhead
Succeeded by	Joseph W. Martin Jr.
37th Dean of the United States House of Representatives
In office January 3, 1953 – November 16, 1961
Preceded by	Robert L. Doughton
Succeeded by	Carl Vinson
House Minority Leader
In office January 3, 1953 – January 3, 1955
Deputy	John W. McCormack
Preceded by	Joseph W. Martin Jr.
Succeeded by	Joseph W. Martin Jr.
In office January 3, 1947 – January 3, 1949
Deputy	John W. McCormack
Preceded by	Joseph W. Martin Jr.
Succeeded by	Joseph W. Martin Jr.
Leader of the House Democratic Caucus
In office September 16, 1940 – November 16, 1961
Preceded by	William B. Bankhead
Succeeded by	John W. McCormack
House Majority Leader
In office January 3, 1937 – September 16, 1940
Deputy	Patrick J. Boland
Preceded by	William B. Bankhead
Succeeded by	John W. McCormack
Chair of the Committee on Interstate and Foreign Commerce
In office March 4, 1931 – January 3, 1937
Preceded by	James S. Parker
Succeeded by	Clarence F. Lea
Chair of the House Democratic Caucus
In office March 4, 1921 – March 4, 1923
Leader	Claude Kitchin
Preceded by	Arthur G. DeWalt
Succeeded by	Henry T. Rainey
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas's 4th district
In office March 4, 1913 – November 16, 1961
Preceded by	Choice B. Randell
Succeeded by	Ray Roberts
Speaker of the Texas House of Representatives
In office January 10, 1911 – January 14, 1913
Preceded by	John Wesley Marshall
Succeeded by	Chester H. Terrell
Member of the Texas House of Representatives from the 34th district
In office January 8, 1907 – January 14, 1913
Preceded by	Rosser Thomas
Succeeded by	Robert Reuben Williams
Personal details
Born	Samuel Taliaferro Rayburn (1882-01-06)January 6, 1882 Kingston, Tennessee, U.S.
Died	November 16, 1961(1961-11-16) (aged 79) Bonham, Texas, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Metze Jones ​ ​ (m. 1927; div. 1927)​
Alma mater	East Texas Normal College University of Texas School of Law
Profession	Lawyer

Samuel Taliaferro Rayburn (January 6, 1882 – November 16, 1961) was an American politician who served as the 43rd speaker of the United States House of Representatives. He was a three-time House speaker, former House majority leader, two-time House minority leader, and a 24-term congressman, representing Texas's 4th congressional district as a Democrat from 1913 to 1961. He holds the record for the longest tenure as Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, serving for over 17 years (among his three separate stints).

Born in Roane County, Tennessee, Rayburn moved with his family to Windom, Texas, in 1887. After a period as a school teacher, Rayburn won election to the Texas House of Representatives and graduated from the University of Texas School of Law. He won election to the United States House of Representatives in 1912 and continuously won re-election until his death in 1961, serving a total of 25 terms. Rayburn was a protégé of John Nance Garner and a mentor to Lyndon B. Johnson.

Rayburn was elected House Majority Leader in 1937 and was elevated to the position of Speaker of the House after the death of William B. Bankhead. He led the House Democrats from 1940 to 1961, and served as Speaker of the House from 1940 to 1947, 1949 to 1953, and 1955 to 1961. Rayburn also served twice as House Minority Leader (1947 to 1949 and 1953 to 1955) during periods of Republican House control. He preferred to work quietly in the background and successfully used his power of persuasion and charisma to get his bills passed due to having to navigate the post-Joseph Cannon era when each individual committee chairman had immense power in the House.

Along with Senate Majority Leader Lyndon Johnson, Rayburn refused to sign the 1956 Southern Manifesto and helped shepherd the passage of the Civil Rights Acts of 1957 and 1960, the first civil rights bills passed by the U.S. Congress since the Enforcement Acts and the Civil Rights Act of 1875 during Reconstruction (1865–1877).^[1][2][3] Rayburn was also influential in the construction of U.S. Route 66. He served as Speaker until his death in 1961, and was succeeded by John W. McCormack. He is the most recent Speaker of the House to die in office.