Hawkins, Augustus F.

Augustus Freeman Hawkins was born in Shreveport, LA, on Aug. 31, 1907; his family moved to Los Angeles in 1918; AB, UCLA, 1931; graduated from USC, 1932; member, CA State Assembly, 1935-63; Democrat, US Congress, 1963-91; Chairman, Committee on House Administration, 1981-84; Chairman, Committee on Education and Labor (98th-101st Congresses); member, Joint Economic Committee, 1984-90; member, Joint Committee on Printing, 1977-84; member, Joint Committee on the Library, 1981-84; retired from public service in 1990.

From the description of Papers, 1935-1990. (University of California, Los Angeles). WorldCat record id: 38273452

Biography

Augustus Freeman Hawkins was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, on August 31, 1907; his family moved to Los Angeles in 1918; AB, UCLA, 1931; graduated from USC, 1932; member, California State Assembly, 1935-63; Democrat, U.S. Congress, 1963-91; Chairman, Committee on House Administration, 1981-84; Chairman, Committee on Education and Labor (98th-101st Congresses); member, Joint Economic Committee, 1984-90; member, Joint Committee on Printing, 1977-84; member, Joint Committee on the Library, 1981-84; retired from public service in 1990.

Biographical Narrative

Augustus F. Hawkins was born August 31, 1907, in Shreveport, Louisiana. At age eleven his family moved to Los Angeles, California, where he later attended Jefferson High School, graduated from the University of California at Los Angeles with a degree in Economics, and attended graduate school at the University of Southern California.

Congressman Hawkins represented south, central Los Angeles for fifty-six years. He served from 1935 to 1962 in the California State Assembly before coming to Washington in 1963 as a member of the United States House of Representatives. He will retire from elected public service at the end of 1990.

He has compiled a remarkable record of legislative achievement. As a State Assemblyman he authored over 100 laws, including many important social welfare and anti-discrimination bills. As a United States Congressman, he has enacted legislation in the areas of child care; elementary, secondary, vocational and higher education; job training and employment; and Civil Rights. Significant bills passed into public law include the Civil Rights Act Amendment establishing the Equal Employment opportunity Commission, 1975; the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act Amendments, 1978; the Full Employment and Balanced Growth (Humphrey-Hawkins) Act, 1978; the Job Training partnership Act, 1982; the School Improvement (Hawkins-Stafford) Act, 1988; and the Civil Rights Restoration Act, 1988.

Prior to his chairmanship of the Education and Labor Committee, Congressman Hawkins served as chairman of the House Administration Committee from 1981 to 1984, where he was responsible for House of Representatives procurement, personnel, printing, elections, and automation issues. Additionally, he served as a member of the Joint Economic Committee from 1984 to 1990, the Joint Committee on Printing from 1977 to 1984, and the Joint Committee on the Library from 1981 to 1984.

Congressman Hawkins' view of public service is best expressed by his own words: The leadership belongs not to the loudest, not to those who beat the drums or blow the trumpets, but to those who day in and day out, in all seasons, work for the practical realization of a better world --those who have the stamina to persist and to remain dedicated. To those belong the leadership.

From the guide to the Augustus F. Hawkins Papers, 1935-1990, (University of California, Los Angeles. Library. Department of Special Collections.)

Augustus "Gus" Hawkins was born in Shreveport, Louisiana, on August 31, 1907. Moving to Los Angeles with his family in 1918 to escape prejudice, Hawkins attended public schools. After graduating high school in 1926, Hawkins attended the University of California, Los Angeles, earning his A.B. degree in economics in 1931. He went on to take graduate level courses from the University of Southern California's Institute of Government.

In his first attempt at political office, Hawkins won election to the California State Assembly in 1934, upsetting an incumbent of sixteen years. During the twenty-eight years he served, he authored more than 100 laws and rose to the position of chairman of the Rules Committee. His legislation resulted in African Americans being appointed as judges and state commissioners, and he also championed for the rights of the poor, such as his Fair Housing Act and old age pensions. In 1962, Hawkins was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives, where he would serve until 1990. During his tenure, he continued to champion equal rights and also pressed for legislation to protect youth with the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act. Hawkins also helped push through the Minority Institutional Aid Act, which gave financial aid to traditional minority colleges, and was the author of the Full Employment Act.

Over the course of his career, Hawkins authored more than 300 laws and succeeded in restoring an honorable discharge to the 170 black soldiers of the 25th Infantry Regiment who were falsely accused of a public disturbance in Brownsville, Texas, in 1906, and removed from the U.S. Army.

Hawkins and his wife, Elsie, lived in Los Angeles until his death on November 10, 2007. Hawkins was 100 years old.