Wendell Harris (politician)
Wendell P. Harris (March 13, 1917 - February 5, 1994) was a state legislator in Louisiana. He served in the Louisiana Senate. He was involved with the Louisiana Un-American Activities Committe (LUAC) and the Louisiana Sovereignty Commission.[1] His son was Wendell Preston Harris Jr. an American football player.[2]
Harris won a seat on the Louisiana Senate in early 1960 representing East Baton Rouge Parish as a Democrat beating the Republican nominee Dr. Roger E. Peak by a large margin.[3] At the start of the session he put forward two bills to alter the election process in the state.[4] He was known as an ardent segregationist.[5] In 1961 he was indicted with two others for wiretapping ministers who denounced segregation.[6] [7] August 1963 he announced that he would stand for another term in the senate,[8] but he lost to J. D. Deblieux.[9] The wiretapping charges were dismissed in 1964 by a district judge, but new federal charges were filed a few days later.[7] The case was abandoned against Harris and the two others involved December 1966.[10]
He died February 5, 1994, aged 76 at the Lake regional Medical Center in Louisiana.[11]
References
[edit ]- ^ "Jerry P. Shinley Archive: Origins of Louisiana Un-American Activities Committee (LUAC): JFK assassination investigation: Jim Garrison New Orleans investigation of the John F. Kennedy assassination". www.jfk-online.com.
- ^ "Legislative Orders LSU Investigation, Censure of McNeir". The Times. December 16, 1960. p. 1. Retrieved February 9, 2025.
- ^ "Harris Wins". The Town Talk. April 20, 1960. p. 2. Retrieved February 5, 2025. Open access icon
- ^ "Louisiana Election Curbs Asked in Bill". The Town Talk. May 9, 1960. p. 2. Retrieved February 9, 2025. Open access icon
- ^ "School Board Bill Passed by Senate". The Town Talk. February 20, 1961. p. 3. Retrieved February 9, 2025. Open access icon
- ^ "Three Plead Innocent in Wiretapping". The Times. January 18, 1962. p. 1. Retrieved February 9, 2025. Open access icon
- ^ a b "New Wire-Tap Charges Filed". Daily World. April 8, 1964. p. 10. Retrieved February 9, 2025. Open access icon
- ^ "Wendell Harris Asks Re-Election To Senate Post". The Plainsman. August 22, 1963. p. 12. Retrieved February 9, 2025. Open access icon
- ^ "Seven Members of La. Senate Defeated And Many representatives Also On Casualty List". The Daily Iberian. January 16, 1964. p. 18. Retrieved February 9, 2025. Open access icon
- ^ "Wiretap Case Abandoned In Orleans". The Times. December 22, 1966. p. 4. Retrieved February 9, 2025. Open access icon
- ^ "Obituary for Wendell Harris". The Daily Advertiser. February 7, 1994. p. 8. Retrieved February 5, 2025. Open access icon
- This draft is in progress as of October 10, 2023.
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