Nick Coleman
Encyclopedia
This article is about the Minnesota politician. For the former Minneapolis Star Tribune
columnist, see: Nick Coleman
Nicholas David "Nick" Coleman (February 23, 1925 – March 5, 1981) was a Minnesota
politician and a former member and majority leader
of the Minnesota Senate
. A Democrat
, he was first elected in 1962 and reelected in 1966, 1970, 1972, and 1976. He represented the old districts 45, 46, and 65, which changed through the years due to legislative redistricting
, and included portions of the city of Saint Paul
in Ramsey County
.
Born in Saint Paul, Coleman served as a Signalman 2nd Class in the United States Navy
during World War II. He entered politics as a volunteer for the 1948 congressional campaign of Eugene McCarthy
, then a professor at the College of St. Thomas (now the University of St. Thomas
), where Coleman was a student. He was later Minnesota chair for the 1964 presidential campaign of Lyndon Johnson.
While in the Senate, Coleman served as an assistant minority leader
from 1967 to 1970, as minority leader
during the 1971–1972 biennium, and as the first Democrat in 114 years to become majority leader—a position he held from 1973 until leaving the Senate in 1981. The Democrats have held the majority in that chamber of the Minnesota Legislature
until January, 2011. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the DFL Party's endorsement for governor in 1970, and for the U.S. Senate in 1978.
Coleman was a founder and partner of the advertising agency Coleman-Goff Advertising, later known as Coleman and Christison. He was the father of Chris Coleman
, the current mayor of St. Paul, of Minnesota journalist Nick Coleman
, and of the longtime Head of Acquisitions at the Minnesota Historical Society Library and 2009 Kay Sexton Award winner, Patrick K. Coleman. Prior to his career in advertising, he was a high school teacher for two years in the rural town of Tyler, MN.
Coleman died of leukemia on March 5, 1981. His body lay in state
in the Minnesota State Capitol
before burial in Fort Snelling National Cemetery
in Minneapolis.
Milton, John Watson, "Five Sons of Erin at the State Capitol," 'Ramsey County History' Magazine, Spring 2009
Milton, John Watson, "How the Adman Became the Senator from Ramsey," Ramsey County History Magazine, Spring 2011
Milton, John Watson, For the Good of the Order, the life and times of Minnesota's Senator Nick Coleman, to be published in 2011
Star Tribune
The Star Tribune is the largest newspaper in the U.S. state of Minnesota and is published seven days each week in an edition for the Minneapolis-Saint Paul metropolitan area. A statewide version is also available across Minnesota and parts of Wisconsin, Iowa, South Dakota, and North Dakota. The...
columnist, see: Nick Coleman
Nick Coleman (columnist)
Disambiguation: for the Minnesota politician, see Nicholas D. Coleman.Nicholas J. Coleman is a veteran Minnesota journalist and columnist for the Star Tribune, the daily newspaper published in Minneapolis, Minnesota...
Nicholas David "Nick" Coleman (February 23, 1925 – March 5, 1981) was a Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
politician and a former member and majority leader
Majority leader
In U.S. politics, the majority floor leader is a partisan position in a legislative body.In the federal Congress, the role differs slightly in the two houses. In the House of Representatives, which chooses its own presiding officer, the leader of the majority party is elected the Speaker of the...
of the Minnesota Senate
Minnesota Senate
The Minnesota Senate is the upper house in the Minnesota Legislature. There are 67 members, half as many as are in the Minnesota House of Representatives. In terms of membership, it is the largest upper house of any state legislature. Each Senate district in the state includes an A and B House...
. A Democrat
Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party
The Minnesota Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party is a major political party in the state of Minnesota and the state affiliate of the Democratic Party. It was created on April 15, 1944, with the merger of the Minnesota Democratic Party and the Farmer–Labor Party...
, he was first elected in 1962 and reelected in 1966, 1970, 1972, and 1976. He represented the old districts 45, 46, and 65, which changed through the years due to legislative redistricting
Redistricting
Redistricting is the process of drawing United States electoral district boundaries, often in response to population changes determined by the results of the decennial census. In 36 states, the state legislature has primary responsibility for creating a redistricting plan, in many cases subject to...
, and included portions of the city of Saint Paul
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
in Ramsey County
Ramsey County, Minnesota
Ramsey County is a county located in the U.S. state of Minnesota, founded in 1849. As of 2010, the population was 508,640. Its county seat is St. Paul, which is also Minnesota's state capital. The county is named for Alexander Ramsey , the first governor of the Minnesota Territory...
.
Born in Saint Paul, Coleman served as a Signalman 2nd Class in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
during World War II. He entered politics as a volunteer for the 1948 congressional campaign of Eugene McCarthy
Eugene McCarthy
Eugene Joseph "Gene" McCarthy was an American politician, poet, and a long-time member of the United States Congress from Minnesota. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1949 to 1959 and the U.S. Senate from 1959 to 1971.In the 1968 presidential election, McCarthy was the first...
, then a professor at the College of St. Thomas (now the University of St. Thomas
University of St. Thomas (Minnesota)
The University of St. Thomas is a private, Catholic, liberal arts, and archdiocesan university located in St. Paul and Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States...
), where Coleman was a student. He was later Minnesota chair for the 1964 presidential campaign of Lyndon Johnson.
While in the Senate, Coleman served as an assistant minority leader
Minority leader
In U.S. politics, the minority leader is the floor leader of the second largest caucus in a legislative body. Given the two-party nature of the U.S. system, the minority leader is almost inevitably either a Republican or a Democrat, with their counterpart being of the opposite party. The position...
from 1967 to 1970, as minority leader
Minority leader
In U.S. politics, the minority leader is the floor leader of the second largest caucus in a legislative body. Given the two-party nature of the U.S. system, the minority leader is almost inevitably either a Republican or a Democrat, with their counterpart being of the opposite party. The position...
during the 1971–1972 biennium, and as the first Democrat in 114 years to become majority leader—a position he held from 1973 until leaving the Senate in 1981. The Democrats have held the majority in that chamber of the Minnesota Legislature
Minnesota Legislature
The Minnesota Legislature is the legislative branch of government in the U.S. state of Minnesota. It is a bicameral legislature located at the Minnesota Capitol in Saint Paul and it consists of two houses: the lower Minnesota House of Representatives and the Minnesota Senate...
until January, 2011. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the DFL Party's endorsement for governor in 1970, and for the U.S. Senate in 1978.
Coleman was a founder and partner of the advertising agency Coleman-Goff Advertising, later known as Coleman and Christison. He was the father of Chris Coleman
Chris Coleman (politician)
Christopher "Chris" B. Coleman is a Minnesota politician and the mayor of St. Paul. He defeated incumbent mayor Randy Kelly in 2005 and took office on January 3, 2006.- Family and early career :...
, the current mayor of St. Paul, of Minnesota journalist Nick Coleman
Nick Coleman (columnist)
Disambiguation: for the Minnesota politician, see Nicholas D. Coleman.Nicholas J. Coleman is a veteran Minnesota journalist and columnist for the Star Tribune, the daily newspaper published in Minneapolis, Minnesota...
, and of the longtime Head of Acquisitions at the Minnesota Historical Society Library and 2009 Kay Sexton Award winner, Patrick K. Coleman. Prior to his career in advertising, he was a high school teacher for two years in the rural town of Tyler, MN.
Coleman died of leukemia on March 5, 1981. His body lay in state
Lying in state
Lying in state is a term used to describe the tradition in which a coffin is placed on view to allow the public at large to pay their respects to the deceased. It traditionally takes place in the principal government building of a country or city...
in the Minnesota State Capitol
Minnesota State Capitol
The Minnesota State Capitol is located in Minnesota's capital city, Saint Paul, and houses the Minnesota Senate, Minnesota House of Representatives, the Office of the Attorney General and the Office of the Governor...
before burial in Fort Snelling National Cemetery
Fort Snelling National Cemetery
Fort Snelling National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery located in the city of Minneapolis in Hennepin County, Minnesota. It encompasses , and as of April 24, 2007 had 172,001 interments.- History :...
in Minneapolis.
See also
Lacy, Robert. "A Very Fine Fellow from Frogtown. Remembering Nick Coleman – from Many Viewpoints." Minnesota Law and Politics, February/March 2009, p. 12–16.Milton, John Watson, "Five Sons of Erin at the State Capitol," 'Ramsey County History' Magazine, Spring 2009
Milton, John Watson, "How the Adman Became the Senator from Ramsey," Ramsey County History Magazine, Spring 2011
Milton, John Watson, For the Good of the Order, the life and times of Minnesota's Senator Nick Coleman, to be published in 2011