Sac History Happenings: In History's Spotlight: Edmund G. "Pat" Brown Sr.

Sac History Happenings

News and developments in Sacramento and California history

October 9, 2011

In History's Spotlight: Edmund G. "Pat" Brown Sr.

Born: April 21, 1905
Died: Feb. 16, 1996

Known for: The 32nd governor of California, Edmund G. "Pat" Brown Sr. also was the patriarch of a Democratic political family that has played a large role (i.e., son Jerry, the state attorney general, and former state Treasurer Kathleen Brown) in shaping the state.

Background: Governor from 1959 to 1966, his political career intersected with future presidents: Richard Nixon, whom he defeated in 1962 to win re-election, and Ronald Reagan, whom he lost to in 1966. His son Jerry sought the Democratic Party's presidential nomination while governor in 1976. Brown ushered California into the modern era, developing the California Aqueduct and the California Master Plan for Higher Education. He also was a staunch opponent of the death penalty.

A highlight: The nickname comes from his Patrick Henry-esque pitch to sell Liberty Bonds during World War II.

In History's Spotlight profiles of Sacramento newsmakers were published originally in 2007 to commemorate the 150th anniversary of The Sacramento Bee. They were written by Anthony Sorci. Look for them every Sunday in Sac History Happenings.

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California and Sacramento have a long, rich, vibrant history. And our region is blessed with an abundance of historical resources maintained by museums, libraries, archives and societies. This blog aims to alert readers to the latest developments in local/state historical education and research.

Send tips concerning upcoming exhibits, tours, lectures and meetings, as well as new books, magazine articles and online collections to the blog's contributors.

The Contributors:

Michael Dolgushkin

Michael Dolgushkin is Manuscript Librarian at the California State Library History Section. He is co-author of San Francisco's California Street Cable Cars and is a frequent contributor to the California State Library Foundation Bulletin. Contact him at mdolgushkin@library.ca.gov.

Amanda Graham is a Certified Archivist working in the Sacramento Room of the Sacramento Public Library. She earned a BS in History from Southern Oregon University and a MS in Information Studies with an emphasis in archives from The University of Texas at Austin. Contact her at agraham@saclibrary.org.

Pete Basofin is Director of Editorial Research at The Sacramento Bee. He previously worked at The St. Petersburg Times and Columbia (Mo.) Daily Tribune. Contact him at pbasofin@sacbee.com.

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