George Christian
Encyclopedia
George Eastland Christian (January 1, 1927 - November 27, 2002) was a U.S. journalist
and White House press secretary
from 1966 to 1969.
, Texas
. After graduating from Austin High School
in 1944, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps
and saw duty in the Pacific theater and in Japan
during the occupation.
Upon his discharge from the military, Christian returned to Austin and studied journalism at The University of Texas at Austin under the G.I. Bill. He subsequently spent seven years covering Texas state government for the International News Service.
He left journalism for politics, serving as press secretary first for Governors
Price Daniel
and then for John B. Connally, Jr., before moving to Washington, D.C.
, to join the staff of U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson
. Replacing Bill Moyers
, Christian held the post of White House press secretary
during the turbulent period from 1966 to 1969.
At the close of President Johnson's term of office, Christian returned to Austin and established a public relations, consulting, and lobbying firm, which he continued to operate until his passing.
In 1978 his son John, then 13 years old, shot his English teacher, Wilbur Grayson, to death with his father's .22. For this offense of murder, John served no time and was allowed to return to the Austin public education system, eventually graduating and going on to complete law school at the University of Texas.
Christian served as vice chairman of the Lyndon Baines Johnson Foundation, member and chairman of the Texas Historical Commission
, member of the Texas State Cemetery
Committee, and member of the boards of the Headliners Foundation, McDonald Observatory
, Texas A&M
College of Medicine, and Scott and White Memorial Hospital in Temple, Texas
.
His awards include selection as a Distinguished Alumnus of The University of Texas at Austin
and as an Outstanding Alumnus
of the UT College of Communication. He also received the Texas Award for Historical Preservation from the Texas Historical Commission
and the Harvey Penick
Award from Caritas of Austin. Also in 1982, a centennial professorship in journalism
was established in his name at UT-Austin.
He is interred at the Texas State Cemetery
in Austin, beside his father and mother and near his great-grandfather, Brigadier General
Adam Rankin Johnson
of the Confederate States Army
.
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and White House press secretary
White House Press Secretary
The White House Press Secretary is a senior White House official whose primary responsibility is to act as spokesperson for the government administration....
from 1966 to 1969.
Career
Christian was born in AustinAustin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. After graduating from Austin High School
Austin High School (Austin, Texas)
Stephen F. Austin High School, or more commonly Austin High, founded in 1881, is one of the oldest public high schools west of the Mississippi River, and was the first public high school in the state of Texas....
in 1944, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
and saw duty in the Pacific theater and in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
during the occupation.
Upon his discharge from the military, Christian returned to Austin and studied journalism at The University of Texas at Austin under the G.I. Bill. He subsequently spent seven years covering Texas state government for the International News Service.
He left journalism for politics, serving as press secretary first for Governors
Governor of Texas
The governor of Texas is the head of the executive branch of Texas's government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military forces. The governor has the power to either approve or veto bills passed by the Texas Legislature, and to convene the legislature...
Price Daniel
Price Daniel
Marion Price Daniel, Sr. , was a Democratic U.S. Senator and the 38th Governor of the state of Texas. He was appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson to be a member of the National Security Council, Director of the Office of Emergency Preparedness, and Assistant to the President for Federal-State...
and then for John B. Connally, Jr., before moving to Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, to join the staff of U.S. 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...
. Replacing Bill Moyers
Bill Moyers
Bill Moyers is an American journalist and public commentator. He served as White House Press Secretary in the United States President Lyndon B. Johnson Administration from 1965 to 1967. He worked as a news commentator on television for ten years. Moyers has had an extensive involvement with public...
, Christian held the post of White House press secretary
White House Press Secretary
The White House Press Secretary is a senior White House official whose primary responsibility is to act as spokesperson for the government administration....
during the turbulent period from 1966 to 1969.
At the close of President Johnson's term of office, Christian returned to Austin and established a public relations, consulting, and lobbying firm, which he continued to operate until his passing.
In 1978 his son John, then 13 years old, shot his English teacher, Wilbur Grayson, to death with his father's .22. For this offense of murder, John served no time and was allowed to return to the Austin public education system, eventually graduating and going on to complete law school at the University of Texas.
Christian served as vice chairman of the Lyndon Baines Johnson Foundation, member and chairman of the Texas Historical Commission
Texas Historical Commission
The Texas Historical Commission is an agency dedicated to historic preservation within the state of Texas. It administers the National Register of Historic Places for sites in Texas....
, member of the Texas State Cemetery
Texas State Cemetery
The Texas State Cemetery is a cemetery located on about just east of downtown Austin, the capital of Texas. Originally the burial place of Edward Burleson, Texas Revolutionary general and Vice-President of the Republic of Texas, it was expanded into a Confederate cemetery during the Civil War...
Committee, and member of the boards of the Headliners Foundation, McDonald Observatory
McDonald Observatory
The McDonald Observatory is an astronomical observatory located near the unincorporated community of Fort Davis in Jeff Davis County, Texas, United States. The facility is located on Mount Fowlkes and Mount Locke in the Davis Mountains of West Texas...
, Texas A&M
Texas A&M University
Texas A&M University is a coeducational public research university located in College Station, Texas . It is the flagship institution of the Texas A&M University System. The sixth-largest university in the United States, A&M's enrollment for Fall 2011 was over 50,000 for the first time in school...
College of Medicine, and Scott and White Memorial Hospital in Temple, Texas
Temple, Texas
Temple is a city in Bell County, Texas, United States. Located near the county seat of Belton, Temple lies in the region referred to as Central Texas. Located off Interstate 35, Temple is 65 miles north of Austin and 34 miles south of Waco. In the 2010 Census, Temple's population was 66,102, an...
.
His awards include selection as a Distinguished Alumnus of The University of Texas at Austin
Austin
Austin is the capital of the U.S. state of Texas.Austin may also refer to:-In the United States:*Austin, Arkansas*Austin, Colorado*Austin, Chicago, Illinois*Austin, Indiana*Austin, Minnesota*Austin, Nevada*Austin, Oregon...
and as an Outstanding Alumnus
Alumnus
An alumnus , according to the American Heritage Dictionary, is "a graduate of a school, college, or university." An alumnus can also be a former member, employee, contributor or inmate as well as a former student. In addition, an alumna is "a female graduate or former student of a school, college,...
of the UT College of Communication. He also received the Texas Award for Historical Preservation from the Texas Historical Commission
Texas Historical Commission
The Texas Historical Commission is an agency dedicated to historic preservation within the state of Texas. It administers the National Register of Historic Places for sites in Texas....
and the Harvey Penick
Harvey Penick
Harvey Morrison Penick was an American golf professional and coach, who coached many Hall of Fame players. Late in life, he became a best-selling writer. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2002, seven years after his death.-Golf career:Penick was born in Austin, Texas...
Award from Caritas of Austin. Also in 1982, a centennial professorship in journalism
Journalism
Journalism is the practice of investigation and reporting of events, issues and trends to a broad audience in a timely fashion. Though there are many variations of journalism, the ideal is to inform the intended audience. Along with covering organizations and institutions such as government and...
was established in his name at UT-Austin.
He is interred at the Texas State Cemetery
Texas State Cemetery
The Texas State Cemetery is a cemetery located on about just east of downtown Austin, the capital of Texas. Originally the burial place of Edward Burleson, Texas Revolutionary general and Vice-President of the Republic of Texas, it was expanded into a Confederate cemetery during the Civil War...
in Austin, beside his father and mother and near his great-grandfather, Brigadier General
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
Adam Rankin Johnson
Adam Johnson (colonel)
Adam Rankin "Stovepipe" Johnson was an antebellum Western frontiersman and later an officer in the Confederate States Army during the American Civil War....
of the Confederate States Army
Confederate States Army
The Confederate States Army was the army of the Confederate States of America while the Confederacy existed during the American Civil War. On February 8, 1861, delegates from the seven Deep South states which had already declared their secession from the United States of America adopted the...
.