26 Facts About Ernest Gruening

Ernest Henry Gruening was an American journalist and politician.

Ernest Gruening was appointed as Governor of Alaska in 1939 and became a prominent advocate of Alaska statehood; known as "the Father of Alaska statehood".

Ernest Gruening became one of Alaska's inaugural pair of senators, along with Bob Bartlett, after Alaska gained statehood in 1959.

Ernest Gruening was a prominent opponent of the Vietnam War, and with Oregon's Wayne Morse, was one of just two senators to vote against the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution which allowed the bombing of North Vietnam.

Ernest Gruening attended The Hotchkiss School, and he graduated from Harvard University in 1907 and from Harvard Medical School in 1912 at the age of 25.

Ernest Gruening then forsook medicine to pursue journalism, finding it more exciting.

Ernest Gruening worked for the Boston Herald and the Boston Journal at various points.

For four years, Ernest Gruening was, consecutively, managing editor of the Boston Evening Traveller and the New York Tribune.

Ernest Gruening was a member of the Alaska International Highway Commission from 1938 to 1942.

Ernest Gruening was a delegate to the Democratic National Conventions of 1952,1956, and 1960, and was elected to the United States Senate in 1958, serving for 10 years.

Ernest Gruening's argument was that Alaska had been a colony of the US, but one that, from its purchase, had been promised statehood.

Ernest Gruening served as the 7th governor of the Alaskan territory from 1939 to 1953.

Ernest Gruening's letter included information on the steps taken by his territorial government benefiting veterans in the state.

Ernest Gruening had been pushing for defense facilities in Alaska since his appointment to the governorship, and because of recent actions from Germany and Japan, Congress designated funds to build army forts and airfields in the territory.

Ernest Gruening was instrumental in passing America's first anti-discrimination law, the Alaska Equal Rights Act of 1945.

Ernest Gruening served Alaska in the United States Senate from January 3,1959 to January 3,1969, defeating Territorial Governor Mike Stepovich for the seat in 1958.

Ernest Gruening then defeated future US Senator Ted Stevens in 1962, winning re-election to a full term.

Ernest Gruening was defeated for re-election in 1968 by fellow Democrat Mike Gravel.

Ernest Gruening continued his active political involvement as president of an investment firm and as a legislative consultant.

Ernest Gruening was responsible for introducing a set of congressional resolutions to establish the nationwide 911 number.

When Ernest Gruening left, he was given the option to buy his seat, and he did.

Ernest Gruening's negative opinion on the Vietnam War is clearly summarized here; he was a vocal opponent of the war throughout US presence in Southeast Asia at the time.

Ernest Gruening was against the bloodshed, against the expense, against the number of refugees resulting from combat, and against how it had changed the worldview on the morality of the United States.

Ernest Gruening focused on combatting the mindset that since the US was involved in Vietnam, it might as well stay.

Ernest Gruening suggested that the US entrance into the Southeast Asian theatre was misguided and called for an apology.

The Ernest Gruening Building, a classroom building on the University of Alaska Fairbanks campus, is named in his honor.