Ralph Yarborough
Ralph Webster Yarborough (June 8, 1903- January 27, 1996) was a Texas politician who served in the United States Senate and was a leader of the progressive or liberal wing of the Democratic party in Texas in his many races for statewide office. As a U.S. senator, he was a staunch supporter of "Great Society" legislation that encompassed Medicare and Medicaid, federal support for higher education and veterans. He co-wrote the Endangered Species Act and was the only southern senator to vote for all civil rights bills from 1957 to 1970 (including the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act). Yarborough was known as "Smilin' Ralph" Yarborough and used the slogan "Let's put the jam on the lower shelf so the little people can reach it" in his campaigns.
Yarborough was born in Chandler, Texas as the seventh of nine children. He served in World War II. He attended the University of Texas. Yarborough served as a judge and ran for state attorney general and lost in 1938.
He died in 1996 in Austin, Texas.
