William Jennings Bryan Dorn

William Jennings Bryan Dorn
Chairman of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee
In office January 3, 1973 – December 31, 1974
Speaker	Carl Albert
Preceded by	Olin E. Teague
Succeeded by	Ray Roberts
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from South Carolina's 3rd district
In office January 3, 1947 – January 3, 1949
Preceded by	Butler B. Hare
Succeeded by	James Butler Hare
In office January 3, 1951 – December 31, 1974
Preceded by	James Butler Hare
Succeeded by	Butler Derrick
Member of the South Carolina Senate from Greenwood County
In office January 14, 1941 – June 20, 1942
Member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from Greenwood County
In office January 10, 1939 – June 8, 1940
Personal details
Born	April 14, 1916 Greenwood County, South Carolina
Died	August 13, 2005(2005-08-13) (aged 89) Greenwood, South Carolina
Political party	Democratic
Spouse(s)	Mildred Johnson
Military service
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Army Air Corps
Years of service	1942 – 1945
Rank	Corporal
Battles/wars	World War II European Theater

William Jennings Bryan Dorn (April 14, 1916 – August 13, 2005) was a United States politician from South Carolina who represented the western part of the state in the United States House of Representatives from 1947 to 1949 and from 1951 to 1975 as a Democrat.

Early life

Dorn was born near Greenwood, South Carolina on April 14, 1916. He attended the local public schools and became a farmer. He was elected to the South Carolina House of Representatives in 1938 and to the South Carolina Senate in 1940. He served in the United States Army Air Forces in Europe during World War II.^[1]

Congressional career

Dorn was first elected to Congress in the 1946 election. In the 1948 election, he unsuccessfully challenged incumbent Burnet R. Maybank for the United States Senate seat that was later held by Strom Thurmond.

William Jennings Bryan Dorn (second from left)

Dorn returned to the House in the 1950 election, and became known for his work on issues related to the military and the expansion of civil rights. In 1966, journalist Drew Pearson reported that Dorn was one of a group of Congressman who had received the "Statesman of the Republic" award from Liberty Lobby for his "right-wing activities".^[2] In his final term he was chairman of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee.

Candidacy for governor

He left Congress to run for Governor of South Carolina in 1974. He lost the Democratic primary to Charles D. Ravenel, who the South Carolina Supreme Court later ruled ineligible on residency grounds required by the state constitution.^[3] A special state convention then chose Dorn as the Democratic candidate. He was defeated in the general election by Republican James B. Edwards, one of the few disappointments in what was generally a big year for Democrats. In 1978, Dorn again sought the Democratic nomination for Governor but was eliminated in a three way race won by Richard Riley. In 1980, he was elected chairman of the South Carolina Democratic Party, and he served until 1984.

Death and burial

Dorn died in Greenwood on August 13, 2005. He was buried at Bethel Methodist Church Cemetery in Callison, Greenwood County, South Carolina.

Autobiography

• Dorn, William Jennings Bryan, and Scott Derks. Dorn: Of the People, A Political Way of Life. Columbia and Orangeburg, S.C.: Bruccoli Clark Layman/Sandlapper Publishing, 1988

References

External links

• William Jennings Bryan Dorn at Find a Grave

• United States Congress. "William Jennings Bryan Dorn (id: D000434)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. 
• A film clip "Longines Chronoscope with William Jennings Bryan Dorn" is available at the Internet Archive
• William Jennings Bryan Dorn: In His Own Words Audio clips from the Papers of William Jennings Bryan Dorn at South Carolina Political Collections

Chairmen of the United States House Committee on Veterans' Affairs
Rogers Rankin Rogers Teague Dorn Roberts Montgomery Stump Smith Buyer Filner Miller Roe (Designate)