Hubert
Horatio Humphrey, Jr. was the thirty-eighth Vice President of the United States,
serving two terms under President Lyndon Johnson. With a political career that
spanned nearly 35 years, Hubert Humphrey had a major influence on the ideals of
liberalism in American politics. He began his political career in 1945 as Mayor
of Minneapolis, working hard to reform the city's government and fought against
discrimination. Under his leadership, Minneapolis became the first American city
to pass fair employment laws. In 1948 he gained national attention with a powerful
speech at the Democratic National Convention that called for a strong stand for
civil rights. That November he was elected to represent Minnesota in the US Senate
- the first Democrat in Minnesota ever to become a US Senator. He easily won re-election
in 1954 and in 1960 and served until he was chosen as Lyndon Johnson's running
mate in the 1964 Presidential election.
After
serving two terms as Vice President, Hubert Humphrey was chosen as the Democratic
candidate for the 1968 Presidential election. He lost to Richard Nixon by a mere
1% of the popular vote! Humphrey was re-elected to the Senate in 1970 and 1976,
serving until he died in office from cancer. During his Senate career his colleagues
and the media dubbed Humphrey, "The Happy Warrior" because of his constant
upbeat attitude as he forcefully advocated for legislation for liberal causes
like civil rights, voting rights, fair employment, arms limitations, organized
labor, agriculture, and the Peace Corps. He was posthumously awarded the Congressional
Gold Medal in 1979 and the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1980.
