Donald Ray Matthews
American politician
Donald Ray Matthews
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Member of the
U.S.
House
of
Representatives
from Florida 's 8th district |
|
In office
January 3, 1953 – January 3, 1967 |
|
Preceded by | District created |
Succeeded by | William C. Cramer |
Member of the Florida House of Representatives | |
In office
1935 |
|
Personal details | |
Born |
October 3, 1907
Micanopy, Florida |
Died |
October 26, 1997
(1997-10-26)
(aged
90)
Gainesville, Florida |
Political party | Democratic |
Spouse | Mary Matthews |
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Donald Ray "Billy" Matthews (October 3, 1907 – October 26, 1997) was a U.S. Representative from Florida from 1953 to 1967.
Life and career
Born in Micanopy, Florida , Matthews attended the public schools of Hawthorne, Florida . He graduated from the University of Florida at Gainesville in 1929 and taught school in Leesburg, Florida , and in Orlando, Florida from 1929 to 1935. He also served as a high school principal in Newberry, Florida in 1935 and 1936.
He served as a member of the State house of representatives in 1935 was a member of the administrative staff of the University of Florida from 1936 to 1952.
He served in the United States Army 1942 – 1946 and was discharged as a captain of Infantry. He served as assistant State 4-H agent in the summers of 1928 – 1938.
Congress
Matthews was elected as a Democrat to the Eighty-third and to the six succeeding Congresses (January 3, 1953 – January 3, 1967), during which time he was a signatory to the 1956 Southern Manifesto that opposed the desegregation of public schools ordered by the Supreme Court in Brown v. Board of Education . He was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection to the Ninetieth Congress in 1966, defeated in the Democratic primary by Don Fuqua .
Later career and death
In his post-congressional years, Matthews worked as a consultant and administrator for the Rural Community Development Service of the United States Department of Agriculture from 1967 to 1969; and was an instructor of political science at Santa Fe Community College (Gainesville, Florida) from 1969 to 1977.
He was a resident of Gainesville, Florida until his death at the age of 90. He was interred at Hawthorne Cemetery.
References
- United States Congress. "Donald Ray Matthews (id: M000253)" . Biographical Directory of the United States Congress .
U.S. House of Representatives | ||
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Preceded
by
District created
|
Member
of
the
U.S.
House
of
Representatives
from Florida's 8th congressional district 1953-1967 |
Succeeded by |
This article incorporates
public domain material
from the
Biographical Directory of the United States Congress
.
International | |
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National | |
People | |
Other |