Albert Richard Thomas
Encyclopedia
This article is about the US Congressman. For the article on the French Socialist and First Director of the International Labour Organisation see Albert Thomas (minister)
.
Albert Richard Thomas (April 12, 1898 - February 15, 1966) was a Democratic
Congressman from Houston, Texas
for 29 years and was responsible for bringing the Johnson Space Center to Houston.
on April 12, 1898 to Lonnie (Langston) and James Thomas. He attended local schools, worked in his father’s store, and served as a Lieutenant
in the United States Army during World War I
before graduating from the Rice Institute
and the University of Texas Law School. He married Lera Millard
. Thomas was admitted to the bar in 1927, and he practiced law and served as Nacogdoches County Attorney before moving to Houston in 1930 to become Assistant United States Attorney
for the Southern District of Texas.
did not seek reelection in 1936, so he could run for the United States Senate
, Thomas sought and won the Democratic nomination, which was tantamount to election. In that primary, Thomas beat Houston Mayor Oscar F. Holcombe
in what was something of an upset. The Eighth District of Texas
at that time comprised all of Harris County
, which includes the state's largest city, Houston.
In Congress, Thomas was a protégé of Texas Senator (later President) Lyndon B. Johnson
but maintained a generally conservative voting record. In 1949, he became chairman of the House subcommittee on independent office appropriations. He also served on the subcommittee on defense appropriations and on the joint committee on Texas House delegation. He was a typical Southern Democrat who through seniority rose to be the Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee's, subcommittee on defense. In that capacity, he was able to steer projects to Texas including supporting Johnson's proposal to build the Corpus Christi Naval Air Station. Thomas also served on the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy and was instrumental in securing the location of the United States National Aeronautics & Space Administration's Manned Spacecraft Center (later named after Lyndon Johnson) in Houston in 1961. Since its inception, Johnson Space Center has served as mission control for every U.S. manned space flight including Apollo 11
, the first lunar landing. "Houston" became the first word addressed to earth from the moon, in reference to the Johnson Space Center mission control.
Thomas was one of the members of the Suite 8F Group
, which included his college roommate at Rice University, George R. Brown
. Brown's company Brown and Root donated the land on which the Johnson Space Center would be located to Rice University. Then-Vice-President Lyndon Johnson was chairman of the Space Council, and Thomas, a member of the NASA board, played leading roles in the eventual acceptance of Rice University's offer.
and Vice-President Lyndon B. Johnson
who both spoke of Thomas's leadership. Kennedy said, "Next month, when the United States of America. Fires the largest booster in the history of the world, of the State, in the first time, giving us the lead, fires the largest, payroll, payload, and give us the lead,...." here the President paused a second and grinned. "It would be the largest payroll, too," he quipped. The crowd roared. "The firing of that shot will give us the lead in space," the President resumed in a serious vein. "And our leadership in space could not have been achieved without Congressman Albert Thomas."
Thomas accompanied the Presidential party as it traveled to Dallas, where the next day President Kennedy was assassinated
. He witnessed the swearing in of President Lyndon Baines Johnson on Air Force One
which included the 'infamous wink' to Lyndon B. Johnson.
In 1964, Thomas was named Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus
.
By the time of his death on February 15, 1966, at the age of 67, Thomas ranked eleventh in seniority in the House. The voters of Harris County elected his wife Lera to complete his term. Some time after he died, Houston's Albert Thomas Convention and Exhibit Center was named in his honor. He is interred in Houston National Cemetery
.
Albert Thomas (minister)
Albert Thomas was a prominent French Socialist and the first Minister of Armament for the French Third Republic during World War I. Following the Treaty of Versailles, he was nominated as the first Director General of the International Labour Office, a position he held until his death in 1932.-...
.
Albert Richard Thomas (April 12, 1898 - February 15, 1966) was a Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
Congressman from Houston, Texas
Houston, Texas
Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ...
for 29 years and was responsible for bringing the Johnson Space Center to Houston.
Early life
Thomas was born in Nacogdoches, TexasNacogdoches, Texas
Nacogdoches is a city in Nacogdoches County, Texas, in the United States. The 2010 census recorded the city's population to be 32,996. It is the county seat of Nacogdoches County and is situated in East Texas. Nacogdoches is a sister city of Natchitoches, Louisiana.Nacogdoches is the home of...
on April 12, 1898 to Lonnie (Langston) and James Thomas. He attended local schools, worked in his father’s store, and served as a Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in the United States Army during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
before graduating from the Rice Institute
Rice University
William Marsh Rice University, commonly referred to as Rice University or Rice, is a private research university located on a heavily wooded campus in Houston, Texas, United States...
and the University of Texas Law School. He married Lera Millard
Lera Millard Thomas
Lera Millard Thomas was the wife of Congressman Albert Thomas and briefly succeeded her husband as the Representative in Congress representing the Eighth District of Texas from 1966 to 1967...
. Thomas was admitted to the bar in 1927, and he practiced law and served as Nacogdoches County Attorney before moving to Houston in 1930 to become Assistant United States Attorney
United States Attorney
United States Attorneys represent the United States federal government in United States district court and United States court of appeals. There are 93 U.S. Attorneys stationed throughout the United States, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands...
for the Southern District of Texas.
Congressional career
When long-time congressman Joe H. EagleJoe H. Eagle
Joe Henry Eagle was a U.S. Representative from Texas.Born in Tompkinsville, Kentucky, Eagle was graduated from the local high school in 1883 and obtained a teacher's certificate in 1884....
did not seek reelection in 1936, so he could run for the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
, Thomas sought and won the Democratic nomination, which was tantamount to election. In that primary, Thomas beat Houston Mayor Oscar F. Holcombe
Oscar F. Holcombe
Oscar Fitzallen Holcombe served as the mayor of Houston, Texas for 22 years, in 11 non-consecutive terms....
in what was something of an upset. The Eighth District of Texas
Texas's 8th congressional district
Texas District 8 of the United States House of Representatives is a Congressional district that stretches from Montgomery County and Walker County to the Louisiana border. It includes much of the northern outlying areas of metro Houston and Beaumont. As of the 2000 census, District 8 represents...
at that time comprised all of Harris County
Harris County, Texas
As of the 2010 Census, the population of the county was 4,092,459, White Americans made up 56.6% of Harris County's population; non-Hispanic whites represented 33.0% of the population. Black Americans made up 18.9% of the population. Native Americans made up 0.7% of Harris County's population...
, which includes the state's largest city, Houston.
In Congress, Thomas was a protégé of Texas Senator (later President) Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
but maintained a generally conservative voting record. In 1949, he became chairman of the House subcommittee on independent office appropriations. He also served on the subcommittee on defense appropriations and on the joint committee on Texas House delegation. He was a typical Southern Democrat who through seniority rose to be the Chairman of the House Appropriations Committee's, subcommittee on defense. In that capacity, he was able to steer projects to Texas including supporting Johnson's proposal to build the Corpus Christi Naval Air Station. Thomas also served on the Joint Committee on Atomic Energy and was instrumental in securing the location of the United States National Aeronautics & Space Administration's Manned Spacecraft Center (later named after Lyndon Johnson) in Houston in 1961. Since its inception, Johnson Space Center has served as mission control for every U.S. manned space flight including Apollo 11
Apollo 11
In early 1969, Bill Anders accepted a job with the National Space Council effective in August 1969 and announced his retirement as an astronaut. At that point Ken Mattingly was moved from the support crew into parallel training with Anders as backup Command Module Pilot in case Apollo 11 was...
, the first lunar landing. "Houston" became the first word addressed to earth from the moon, in reference to the Johnson Space Center mission control.
Suite 8F Group
The Suite 8F Group was a network of politically active businessman in Texas and other southern states in the early 1960s. The name comes from the room in the Lamar Hotel in Houston, Texas where they held their meetings.- Membership :...
, which included his college roommate at Rice University, George R. Brown
George R. Brown
George Rufus Brown was a prominent Houstonian entrepreneur. Brown led Brown & Root Inc. to become one of the largest construction companies in the world and helped to foster the political career of Lyndon B. Johnson. The George R. Brown Convention Center and the George R...
. Brown's company Brown and Root donated the land on which the Johnson Space Center would be located to Rice University. Then-Vice-President Lyndon Johnson was chairman of the Space Council, and Thomas, a member of the NASA board, played leading roles in the eventual acceptance of Rice University's offer.
Appreciation dinner in 1963
In 1963, Thomas was seriously considering not running for a fifteenth term. Local Democrats organized an appreciation dinner on November 21, 1963 with over 3200 attendees to persuade him to run for another term. The most visible attendees were President John F. KennedyJohn F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
and Vice-President Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon B. Johnson
Lyndon Baines Johnson , often referred to as LBJ, was the 36th President of the United States after his service as the 37th Vice President of the United States...
who both spoke of Thomas's leadership. Kennedy said, "Next month, when the United States of America. Fires the largest booster in the history of the world, of the State, in the first time, giving us the lead, fires the largest, payroll, payload, and give us the lead,...." here the President paused a second and grinned. "It would be the largest payroll, too," he quipped. The crowd roared. "The firing of that shot will give us the lead in space," the President resumed in a serious vein. "And our leadership in space could not have been achieved without Congressman Albert Thomas."
Thomas accompanied the Presidential party as it traveled to Dallas, where the next day President Kennedy was assassinated
John F. Kennedy assassination
John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the thirty-fifth President of the United States, was assassinated at 12:30 p.m. Central Standard Time on Friday, November 22, 1963, in Dealey Plaza, Dallas, Texas...
. He witnessed the swearing in of President Lyndon Baines Johnson on Air Force One
Air Force One
Air Force One is the official air traffic control call sign of any United States Air Force aircraft carrying the President of the United States. In common parlance the term refers to those Air Force aircraft whose primary mission is to transport the president; however, any U.S. Air Force aircraft...
which included the 'infamous wink' to Lyndon B. Johnson.
In 1964, Thomas was named Chairman of the House Democratic Caucus
Democratic Caucus of the United States House of Representatives
The House Democratic Caucus nominates and elects the Democratic Party leadership in the United States House of Representatives. The group is composed of all Democratic Representatives in the House...
.
By the time of his death on February 15, 1966, at the age of 67, Thomas ranked eleventh in seniority in the House. The voters of Harris County elected his wife Lera to complete his term. Some time after he died, Houston's Albert Thomas Convention and Exhibit Center was named in his honor. He is interred in Houston National Cemetery
Houston National Cemetery
Houston National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery in the city of Houston in Harris County, Texas. It encompasses only about half of which is developed...
.