Charles G. Oakman
Encyclopedia
Charles Gibb Oakman was a politician from the U.S. state
of Michigan
.
Oakman was born in Detroit, Michigan
; attended the public schools and Wayne State University
. He graduated from the University of Michigan
at Ann Arbor in 1926 and engaged in the real estate and transportation business 1927-1940. He was also a member of the Wayne County
Board of Supervisors 1941-1952; served as executive secretary to the mayor of Detroit in 1941 and 1942; city controller 1942-1945; served four terms as city councilman 1947-1952; secretary of the Detroit-Wayne Joint Building Authority 1948-1954 and general manager 1955-1973.
In 1952, Oakman defeated Democrat Martha W. Griffiths to be elected as a Republican
from Michigan's 17th congressional district
to the 83rd Congress
, serving from January 3, 1953 to January 3, 1955 in the U.S. House. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1954 to the 84th Congress, losing to Martha W. Griffiths.
On February 8, 1954, Oakman introduced a bill to the U.S. House that would add the words "under God" to the Pledge of Allegiance
. U.S. Senator from Michigan
Homer S. Ferguson
introduced the bill to the U.S. Senate. The bill became law on Flag Day, June 14, 1954.
Oakman was a Presbyterian and a member of Freemasons, Knights Templar, Shriners
, Elks
, and Alpha Sigma Phi
. He died in Dearborn, Michigan
and is interred at Roseland Park Cemetery of Berkley, Michigan
.
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
.
Oakman was born in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
; attended the public schools and Wayne State University
Wayne State University
Wayne State University is a public research university located in Detroit, Michigan, United States, in the city's Midtown Cultural Center Historic District. Founded in 1868, WSU consists of 13 schools and colleges offering more than 400 major subject areas to over 32,000 graduate and...
. He graduated from the University of Michigan
University of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
at Ann Arbor in 1926 and engaged in the real estate and transportation business 1927-1940. He was also a member of the Wayne County
Wayne County, Michigan
-History:Wayne County was one of the first counties formed when the Northwest Territory was organized. It was named for the American general "Mad Anthony" Wayne. It originally encompassed the entire area of the Lower Peninsula of Michigan, as well as small sections that are now part of northern...
Board of Supervisors 1941-1952; served as executive secretary to the mayor of Detroit in 1941 and 1942; city controller 1942-1945; served four terms as city councilman 1947-1952; secretary of the Detroit-Wayne Joint Building Authority 1948-1954 and general manager 1955-1973.
In 1952, Oakman defeated Democrat Martha W. Griffiths to be elected as a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
from Michigan's 17th congressional district
Michigan's 17th congressional district
Michigan's 17th congressional district is an obsolete United States congressional district in Michigan. The first Representative to Congress elected from the 17th district, George Anthony Dondero, took office in 1933, after reapportionment due to the 1930 census. The district was dissolved...
to the 83rd Congress
83rd United States Congress
The Eighty-third United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, DC from January 3, 1953 to January 3, 1955, during the first two years...
, serving from January 3, 1953 to January 3, 1955 in the U.S. House. He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1954 to the 84th Congress, losing to Martha W. Griffiths.
On February 8, 1954, Oakman introduced a bill to the U.S. House that would add the words "under God" to the Pledge of Allegiance
Pledge of Allegiance
The Pledge of Allegiance of the United States is an expression of loyalty to the federal flag and the republic of the United States of America, originally composed by Christian Socialist Francis Bellamy in 1892 and formally adopted by Congress as the pledge in 1942...
. U.S. Senator from Michigan
Michigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
Homer S. Ferguson
Homer S. Ferguson
Homer Samuel Ferguson was a United States Senator from Michigan. He was born in the Pittsburgh suburb of Harrison City, Pennsylvania to parents Samuel Ferguson and Margaret Bush Homer Samuel Ferguson (February 25, 1889 December 17, 1982) was a United States Senator from Michigan. He was born in...
introduced the bill to the U.S. Senate. The bill became law on Flag Day, June 14, 1954.
Oakman was a Presbyterian and a member of Freemasons, Knights Templar, Shriners
Shriners
The Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine, also commonly known as Shriners and abbreviated A.A.O.N.M.S., established in 1870, is an appendant body to Freemasonry, based in the United States...
, Elks
Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks
The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks is an American fraternal order and social club founded in 1868...
, and Alpha Sigma Phi
Alpha Sigma Phi
Alpha Sigma Phi Fraternity is a social fraternity with 71 active chapters and 9 colonies. Founded at Yale in 1845, it is the 10th oldest fraternity in the United States....
. He died in Dearborn, Michigan
Dearborn, Michigan
-Economy:Ford Motor Company has its world headquarters in Dearborn. In addition its Dearborn campus contains many research, testing, finance and some production facilities. Ford Land controls the numerous properties owned by Ford including sales and leasing to unrelated businesses such as the...
and is interred at Roseland Park Cemetery of Berkley, Michigan
Berkley, Michigan
Berkley is a city in Oakland County of the U.S. state of Michigan. It is an inner suburb of Detroit. As of the 2010 census, the total population was 14,970.-Downtown, Dream Cruise, etc.:...
.