Description

Benjamin Bentley Blackburn was born in Atlanta, Georgia, on February 14, 1927. He graduated from the University of North Carolina in 1947 and from Emory University School of Law in 1954. During World War II, Blackburn served in the United States Navy, 1944 to 1946, and again during the Korean Conflict. He retired as a lieutenant commander in the United States Naval Reserve. After returning to Georgia, Blackburn served in the state attorney general's office from 1955 to 1956. From 1956 until 1966, Blackburn had his own private law practice. He was elected as a Republican to the Ninetieth and to the three succeeding US Congresses (1967 to 1975) from Georgia's fourth district. While in Congress, Blackburn served on several committees, including Banking and Currency, the Housing Subcommittee, the Joint Economic Committee, the Subcommittee on International Trade of the Bank and Currency Committee, and the Housing and Domestic Finance Committee. In 1974, he was defeated in the general election. Blackburn served as president of the Southeastern Legal Foundation from 1976 until 1985. In 1980, Blackburn served as Team Captain of the Reagan Presidential Transition Team. He later served as regional representative for the United States Department of Transportation from 1985 to 1989. Blackburn has been a member of the American, Georgia, and Decatur-DeKalb Bar Associations, the Atlanta and Federal Bar Associations, and the Heritage Foundation. He served as chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Heritage Foundation from 1974 until 1982. In 1952, Blackburn married Mary A. Pandora and...

Record Contributed By

Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies

Record Harvested From

Digital Library of Georgia