Irvis, K. Leroy, 1919-2006

Kirkland Leroy Irvis was born in Saugerties, N.Y., December 27, 1919, son of Francis H. and Harriet Ten Broeck(Cantine) Irvis. His education includes an A.B. summa cum laude in 1938 and an M.A. in 1939 from N.Y. State Teacher's College (now SUNY) in Albany. Irvis received an LL.B in 1954 and a J.D. in 1969 from University of Pittsburgh Law School. K. Leroy Irvis was awarded the title of Doctor of Laws from both Lincoln University and The State University of New York at Albany. He also received the Owens Fellowship in Law, The Order of the Coif, and was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa. Prior to his successful political career Irvis worked as a teacher, Pittsburgh steel worker, editor, civil rights worker, news commentator, law clerk, assistant district attorney, civilian attache to the War Department, and author. Irvis was a member of the Urban League of Pittsburgh, a life member of NAACP, served on the Board of Trustees of the University of Pittsburgh, and has served on the Advisory Board of the University of Pittsburgh Medical School. After his 1957 appointment as Assistant District Attorney in Pittsburgh, K. Leroy Irvis began his state political career. In 1958, he was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from Pittsburgh's Hill District. During his third term, Irvis became the Democratic Caucus Chairman. He continued to rise through the ranks of leadership as Majority Caucus Chairman, Minority Whip, and Majority Leader. In May 1977 the House unanimously elected him Speaker - the only African-American to hold the position in the United States at that time. In January 1979 the Democratic Caucus elected Irvis to serve as the Democratic Leader for the 1979-1980 session. He was re-elected to the same post for the 1981-82 session. He served again as speaker from 1983 until his retirement in 1988. Irvis was a delegate to the 1967-1968 Pennsylvania Constitutional Convention and a delegate to the Democratic National Conventions in 1968, 1972, 1976, 1980, and 1984. During the 1980 Democratic National Convention he served as Vice Chairman of the Pennsylvania Delegation and as Convention Co-Chairman. In 1982 Irvis was elected to serve as a member of the Democratic National Committee. K. Leroy Irvis sponsored thousands of pieces of legislation addressing his concerns for education, civil rights, health, consumer protection, prison reform, housing, and governmental reform. His most noted achievements include the sponsorship and passage of legislation creating the Pennsylvania Human Relations Commission, Pennsylvania Higher Education Equal Opportunity Program, Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency, Minority Business Development Authority, House Ethics Committee, Lobbyist Registration Act, Legislative Audit Advisory Commission, House Bipartisan Management Committee, and the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts. Irvis is also credited with suggesting the creation of the Community College System in the Commonwealth. Other noteworthy education legislation Irvis sponsored included the 1966 bill that made the University of Pittsburgh, Penn State, Lincoln, and Temple state-related universities. Among the organizations to have formally honored Irvis are the NAACP, University of Pennsylvania, Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, and Dominion Resources. The University of Pittsburgh has a K. Leroy Irvis Reading Room in Hillman Library. In 2003, the South Office Building within the Pennsylvania Capitol Complex was renamed the Speaker K. Leroy Irvis Office Building. Pennsylvania Democratic Party Chairman T. J. Rooney described Rep. Irvis as, "one of greatest legislative giants that the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania has ever seen ... [and] one of the most admired and respected Pennsylvanians we'll ever know." Away from politics, Irvis was an accomplished artist and author. In the same year he retired (1988), Irvis wrote a book of poems called, This Land of Fire, published by Temple University. His wood sculptures have been displayed in exhibits throughout the country. Irvis died at age 86 of cancer.