Clair Engle

Clair Engle(September 21,1911–July 30, 1964) was anAmericanpolitician.

Born inBakersfield, California,he attended public school and graduated fromChico State Collegein 1930 and from theUniversity of California Hastings College of Lawin 1933.

He was admitted to the bar in 1933 and commenced practice inCorning, California,and served asdistrict attorneyofTehama County, Californiafrom 1934 until 1942, when he was elected to theCalifornia Senate,serving in that body in 1943.

He was elected onAugust 31,1943,as aDemocratto the78th Congressto fill the vacancy caused by the death ofHarry L. Englebrightand was reelected to the following six Congresses, serving, in toto, from 1943 until 1959. While in theUnited States House of Representativeshe was chairman of theU.S. House Committee on War Claimsfor the79th Congressand chairman of theU.S. House Committee on Interior and Insular Affairsfor the84thand85th Congresses.

He was elected as a Democrat to theUnited States Senatein 1958 and began serving in 1959.

On June 10, 1964, during the roll call for the historic, successful effort to break the filibuster on what would become the Civil Rights Act of 1964, when the clerk reached "Mr. Engle," there was no reply. Abrain tumorhad robbed California's Engle of his ability to speak. Slowly lifting a crippled arm, he pointed to his eye, thereby signaling his affirmative vote. Few who witnessed Engle's brave act forgot it. Nine days later the Senate approved the act itself—producing one of the twentieth century's towering legislative achievements.

Engle died inWashington, D.C.a month and a half later.