Whitener, Basil Lee, 1915-1989

U.S. Representative, from Gastonia, N.C.

From the description of Papers, 1889-1968. (Duke University Library). WorldCat record id: 20273757

• May 14, 1915: Born in York County, South Carolina.
• 1931: Graduated from Lowell High School.
• 1933: Graduated from Rutherford Junior College.
• 1933 - 1935 : Student at University of South Carolina.
• 1937: Received LL. B. degree from Duke University.
• Aug., 1937: Admitted to the North Carolina Bar and entered general practice in Gastonia, North Carolina.
• 1938: Organizer and first President, Gastonia Junior Chamber of Commerce.
• 1938 - 1940 : Instructor of business law at Belmont Abbey College.
• 1940 - 1941 : Vice President, North Carolina Junior Chamber of Commerce.
• 1941: Member of the North Carolina House of Representatives. Re-nominated in 1942, but resigned to enter the U. S. Navy.
• 1941 - 1942 : President, North Carolina Junior Chamber of Commerce.
• Sept. 26, 1942: Married Harriet Priscilla Morgan. Their children are John Morgan (1945), Laura Lee (1950), Basil Lee, Jr. (1952), and Barrett Simpson (1960).
• Oct. 5, 1942 - Nov. 6, 1945 : Served as gunnery officer in U. S. Navy during World War II, and was separated from service with the rank of Lieutenant USNR.
• 1946: Member, North Carolina General Statutes Commission.
• 1946 - 1956 : Solicitor of the 14th Solicitorial District.
• 1946 - 1947 : President, Young Democratic Clubs of North Carolina.
• 1947 - 1949 : Member of Commission to Study Improvement of Administration of Justice.
• 1948: Delegate, Democratic National Convention.
• 1948 - 1949 : Chairman, Speakers' Bureau, Young Democratic Clubs of America.
• Nov., 1949: Permanent Chairman, Young Democratic National Convention.
• 1949 - 1951 : Chairman of Advisory Committee of Young Democratic Clubs of America.
• 1950: President of Gaston County Bar Association.
• 1951: Chairman of the Board of Regional Directors of the Young Democratic Clubs of America.
• 1957 - 1968 : Elected to the 85th - 87th Congresses as Representative for the Eleventh District of North Carolina, and to the 88th - 90th Congresses as Representative for the Tenth District of North Carolina.
• June 4, 1959: Admitted to District of Columbia Bar.
• 1960: Delegate, Democratic National Convention. Honorary LL. D. degree from Belmont Abbey College.
• 1965: Honorary LL. D. degree from Pfeiffer College.
• 1968: Returned to the practice of law in Gastonia, North Carolina.

Commmittee on Veteran's Affairs (Jan. 3, 1957 - Jan. 16, 1958)

Committee on the District of Columbia (87th Congress, 1st Session, 1961 - 90th Congress, 2nd Session, 1968)

Special Subcommittee on Metropolitan Police Department, Chairman

Special Subcommittee to Study Revenue Procedures in the District of Columbia, Chairman

Special Subcommittee on Traffic, Streets, and Highways, Chairman

Committee on the Judiciary (86th Congress, 1st Session, 1959 - 90th Congress, 2nd Session, 1968)

Special Subcommittee on State Taxation of Interstate Commerce, Appointed in 1961

In addition, Whitener served on several special committees investigating such matters as interstate taxation, the Chinese refugee problem, the International Police organization, and the International Court of Justice.

From the guide to the Basil Lee Whitener Papers, 1889-1968, (Duke University. David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library)