A. L. Philpott

A. L. Philpott
51st Speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates
In office
January 9, 1980 – September 28, 1991
Preceded by John Warren Cooke
Succeeded by Thomas W. Moss, Jr.
Member of the Virginia House of Delegates
from the 11th district
In office
January 8, 1958 – September 28, 1991
Succeeded by Ward Armstrong
Personal details
Born ( 1919 -07-29)July 29, 1919
Philpott, Virginia
Died September 28, 1991 ( 1991 -09-28) (aged 72)
Bassett, Virginia
Resting place Roselawn Burial Park, Martinsville, Virginia
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) Katherine A. Spencer
Children Albert L. Philpott, Jr., Judy Philpott Divers, Carole A. Philpott
Alma mater University of Richmond
University of Richmond School of Law
Profession Lawyer
Religion Methodist
Military service
Service/branch United States Army Air Forces
Unit Ordnance Department
Battles/wars World War II

Albert Lee 'A. L.' Philpott (July 29, 1919 – September 28, 1991) was an American politician of the Democratic Party. He served in the Virginia House of Delegates for 33 years starting in 1958, and was its Speaker from 1980 until his death.[1]

Early life; career outside politics

Philpott was born in Philpott, Henry County, Virginia to John Elkanah Philpott and Mary Gertrude Prillaman Philpott.[2] He attended public schools in Henry County, graduating from Bassett High School. He went on to the University of Richmond, getting a BA degree in 1941. After service in the United States Army Air Forces in World War II, he resumed legal studies at Richmond, obtaining a JD degree in 1947.[1]

In August 1941 Philpott married Katherine Apperson Spencer of Lynchburg, Virginia. They had three children, Albert Jr., Judy and Carole. Carole Philpott died in 1955.[3][4]

Political career

Philpott was elected to two terms as Commonwealth's Attorney of Henry County, in 1951 and 1955.[1] In 1957, midway through his second term, he won election to the House of Delegates. Philpott and another freshman, Robert L. Clark, were elected to a two-member district representing Henry and Patrick Counties and the city of Martinsville, replacing two two-term veterans, William F. Stone (who was elected to the Senate of Virginia) and William F. Carter.[5][6][7][8] This election took place during the period of massive resistance to racial desegregation in Virginia, led by United States Senator Harry F. Byrd. Philpott established himself as a supporter of continued segregation.[3]

In 1972, Philpott's district, now numbered the 13th, was expanded to a three-member district that also included Pittsylvania County. In 1978, he became Majority Leader and chair of the Corporations, Insurance and Banking Committee.[9] Two years later, he succeeded the retiring John Warren Cooke as Speaker.

Speaker of the House

Philpott blocked a 1982 bill by Senator Douglas Wilder of Richmond to create a state holiday to honor the birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr.. Later that year, he publicly referred to five African-American legislators as "boys", a statement for which he apologized the next day.[10] In 1985, when Wilder was elected the state's first African-American Lieutenant Governor, Philpott provided an early endorsement that Wilder later called a "turning point" in the campaign.[3][11]

Death

Philpott suffered from various forms of cancer for nearly twenty years. On September 24, 1991 he announced he would not continue serving in the House of Delegates. He died at his home on September 28 at the age of 72.[3][12] He was buried in Roselawn Burial Park in Martinsville.[2]

In 1992, the Virginia General Assembly created the A. L. Philpott Manufacturing Center, initially charged with various responsibilities for retraining displaced workers and developing manufacturing technologies in Southside Virginia. In 1997, it was renamed Virginia's A. L. Philpott Manufacturing Extension Partnership (VPMEP) and its mission was expanded to help create and maintain industrial and manufacturing jobs throughout the Commonwealth as part of the NIST MEP network.[13]

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 "Session 1991; Philpott, Albert Lee (A.L.)". Virginia House of Delegates. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
  2. 1 2 Political Graveyard
  3. 1 2 3 4 Daniels, New York Times obituary
  4. ↑ Jamerson, p. 147
  5. ↑ "Session 1958; Philpott, Albert Lee (A.L.)". Virginia House of Delegates. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
  6. ↑ "Session 1958; Clark, Robert L.". Virginia House of Delegates. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
  7. ↑ "Session 1956; Carter, William F.". Virginia House of Delegates. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
  8. ↑ "Session 1956; Stone, William F.". Virginia House of Delegates. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
  9. ↑ "Session 1978; Philpott, Albert Lee (A.L.)". Virginia House of Delegates. Retrieved 2008-11-23.
  10. ↑ Isikoff, Michael (1982-04-24). "House Speaker Apologizes to Va. Black Delegates; Speaker Regrets Remark On Va. Black Legislators". Washington Post. p. A1.
  11. ↑ United Press International (1986-08-19). "Wilder Honors A.L. Philpott For Key Role in Campaign". Washington Post.
  12. ↑ Bauer, Patricia E. (1982-02-21). "Mr Speaker; A Scrapper Controls Helm Of Va. House". Washington Post. p. C1.
  13. ↑ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-12-22. Retrieved 2011-11-28.

References

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