Sparkman, John

Sparkman, John (Jackson)

(1899–1985) U.S. representative/senator; born in Hartselle, Ala. A farmer's son and a lawyer, he represented Alabama in Congress (Dem., 1937–46) before being elected in 1946 to the Senate, where he served until 1979. A Southern conservative when it came to civil rights, he was moderate enough to be the Democrats' candidate for vice-president in 1952 and he chaired the Foreign Relations Committee (1975–79).