Howard Baker Jr. (1925- )
Howard Baker, Jr., born in Huntsville, Tennessee, was one of the most prominent Tennesseans in this era. He received his law degree from the University of Tennessee after serving in World War II as a PT boat commander.
During the 1950s, he ran a successful law practice. When his father, a U.S. congressman and also named Howard Baker, died in 1964, Baker Jr. entered politics.
After being defeated in 1964, Howard defeated Frank Clement for Senate in 1966. He became the first popularly elected Republican senator in state history. He was reelected in 1972, receiving a great deal of support from African Americans.
During the Watergate trials, he served as vice chairman of the Senate Watergate Committee. Despite his Republican political affiliation, Baker received praise from both Democrats and Republicans for his performance during the hearings.
Baker became the Senate majority leader under Republican President Ronald Reagan and later served as the president’s chief of staff. Baker considered running for the presidency, but never made the commitment to do so.
After his resignation in 1988, Baker returned to private life where he again practiced law and developed a personal interest in photography and outdoor recreation in the state.
To learn more about the Watergate scandal, click here for an online exhibit.
Picture Credits:
- Photograph of Senator Howard H. Baker, Jr. United States Senate official photograph
- Photograph by Senator and amateur photographer, Howard Baker, Jr. Besides being a formidable political opponent to the Democrats, Baker’s hobby was photography. Here, the Senator has captured a man outside his vintage blacksmith shop. Tennessee State Museum Collection, 2006.89.3
Civil Rights / Cold War >> Everyday Life >> How They Worked >>
Sponsored by: National Endowment for the Humanities