(biography linked from the archived RCHC Web Site)

Source: Microsoft® Encarta® Online Encyclopedia, 2000

Rayburn, Sam (1882-1961), American politician, a Democrat, active in the United States House of Representatives for 25 consecutive terms.

He was born Samuel Taliaferro Rayburn on January 6, 1882, in Roane County, Tennessee.  After receiving his B.S. degree from East Texas Normal College in 1903, he taught school and aimed for a political career.

In 1906 he was elected to the Texas House of Representatives and simultaneously attended law school at the University of Texas in Austin.  During the last two years of his 6-year term he served as Speaker of the state House.

Rayburn won election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1912, the beginning of a distinguished and continuous career in national politics.  His ensuing 25 consecutive terms marked one of the longest tenures (48 years, 8 months) of any representative in American history.  He first became Speaker of the House in 1940, an office he held until 1947, and later from 1949 to 1953 and from 1955 to his death.

In addition to being a House member during the period of the 63rd through the 87th Congresses, he was Democratic majority leader of the 75th, 76th, 77th, 80th, and 83rd Congresses; he was elected Democratic minority leader in 1947 and in 1953. In 1948, 1952, and in 1956 he acted as chairman at the Democratic National Convention.

He died in Bonham, Texas, on November 16, 1961.