Gruening, Ernest, 1887-1974

Alaska Governor, 1939-1953, who supported statehood ; U.S. Senator, 1959-1968, who was one of the earliest opponents of U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War.

Ernest Gruening was born in New York City, February 6, 1887. He graduated from Harvard College in 1907 and from Harvard Medical School in 1912. He began as a reporter for Boston American in 1912, served as the managing editor of the New York Tribune in 1917 and was editor at several other newspapers until 1933, when he was appointed adviser to the United States delegation to the Seventh Inter-American Conference in Chile. Gruening served as director of the Division of Territories and Island Possessions of the Dept. of Interior from 1934-1939, was a member of the Alaska International Highway Commission from 1938-1942, and was appointed Governor of Alaska in 1939 serving until 1953. Gruening was elected to the United States Senate in 1958, serving through 1962. He died in Washington, D.C. in 1974.

U.S. Senator for the State of Alaska, 1958-1968.

Ernest H. Gruening was born in New York City on February 6, 1887. He graduated from Harvard Medical School in 1912 but gave up his medical career to enter journalism. Gruening became managing editor of the New York Tribune in 1917 and served in the field Artillary Corps during World War I. He was editor of the Nation from 1920-1923 and editor of the New York Post from 1932-1933.

Gruening's political career included directorship of the Division of Territories and Island Possessions of the Department of the Interior from 1934-1939; he was administrator of the Puetor Rico Reconstruction Administration from 1935-1937, member of the Alaska Internation Highway Commission from 1938-1842, and was appointed Territorial Governor of Alaska in 1939 and reappointed twice, serving until 1953. Gruening was known as "the father of Alaska statehood." He was elected as a Democrat to the United States Senate in 1958 and served until 1969. While a Senator, Guening supported civil rights legislation, government funding for distribution of birth control information, and economic foreign aid. He was opposed to foreign military aid and to the war in Vietnam.

Gruening died in Washington, D.C. on June 26, 1974