David L. Lawrence

Politician. Mayor of Pittsburgh and Governor of Pennsylvania. David Leo Lawrence was born in Pittsburgh on June 18, 1889, the son of Charles B. Lawrence, a warehouseman, and Catherine Conwell Lawrence. Both parents were descended from mid-nineteenth century Belfast, Ireland, immigrants. He received his education in the city's parochial schools, finishing with a two-year commercial course at St. Mary's School. He didn't attend college, but read continuously and, as governor, surrounded himself with highly-educated appointees. At age fourteen, he was accepted as a clerk-stenographer in the law office of William J. Brennen, chairman of Pittsburgh Democrats, who became an important mentor to him. By 1912, he attended his first national Democratic Party Convention as a page, and would attend every national convention for the rest of his life. In 1916, he formed an insurance agency with state Senator Frank Harris. After he bought out Harris's interests, the insurance company provided a moderate income for the Lawrence family through 1944. World War I interrupted politics for him in 1918, when he enlisted in the Army. He served in the Adjutant General's office in Washington, D.C., and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant by the time he returned in the spring of 1919. The following year, he became chairman of the Allegheny County Democrats. On June 8, 1921, he married Alyce Golden, the daughter of Irish immigrants John and Anna Golden. They had two daughters, Anna Mae Donahoe and Mary Alyce Gannon; and a son, Gerald, a graduate of LaSalle College, Philadelphia. The Lawrences had two other sons who met with tragedy. William Brennan, named after Lawrence's mentor, and David Leo, Jr. were killed on April 19, 1942, in an automobile accident near Zelienople, about twenty-five miles north of Pittsburgh. Lawrence reacted by throwing himself deeper into his work. Traffic safety would later become an important part of his agenda. He ran for County Commissioner in 1931, and although he lost, the economic impact of the Depression indicated to him that changes were possible. In 1933, President Franklin D. Roosevelt appointed him U.S. collector of the Internal Revenue Service for the western district of Pennsylvania. In 1934, his statewide reputation expanded when he was appointed Secretary of the Commonwealth. That same year, he became Democratic State Chairman, a post he held until 1945. In 1940, he was elected Democratic National Committeeman, a post he held until his death. In 1944, the National Municipal Review called Pittsburgh "the dirtiest pile of slag in the United States." Industrial pollution was fouling the city's rivers, floods frequently hit the downtown area, the air was very unhealthy to breathe, and many businesses were threatening to leave the area. In 1945, he was elected mayor of Pittsburgh by 14,000 votes, the first of four successive terms, unprecedented in the city's history. Although he was a dedicated Democrat and built a powerful political machine, he was pragmatic and succeeded in forming friendships and alliances with Republicans, garnering bi-partisan coalitions for the common good. He proposed a seven-point program for Pittsburgh during his campaign and the projects completed during his administration became known as Pittsburgh's "Renaissance I." He convinced Republican Richard Mellon, among other influential leaders, to join in a partnership to improve the city. Mellon's cooperation and involvement was critical in the city's renaissance. On November 18, 1946, the Urban Redevelopment Authority of Pittsburgh was incorporated. He served as its chairman. His accomplishments in the thirteen years he served as mayor began with the organization of action groups to eliminate the smoke choking the city. Pittsburgh became a model of urban renewal and redevelopment with its collection of skyscrapers, new airport, new bridges, expressways, parks, expanding universities, new medical center, civic and cultural center, and public housing units. Fortune Magazine named him one of the nine outstanding mayors of the United States in 1957, and Pittsburgh was cited as one of the ten best-governed cities. A past president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors, he was the only mayor to receive its Distinguished Service Award for "outstanding contributions to his city, state, and nation." He was the clear choice for governor in 1958. Putting principles ahead of politics, he was concerned about his age, unfinished work in Pittsburgh, and prejudices against his Catholic religion. He defeated Republican Arthur T. McGonigle by about 76,000 votes out of nearly four million cast. Democrats controlled the State Senate while Republicans controlled the State House of Representatives. He would continue to forge coalitions. Although he inherited a budget deficit, he continued many of former Gov. Leader's programs and retained most of Leader's cabinet. To balance the budget, the legislature approved a raise in the state's sales tax to 4 percent. In addition to priorities in traffic safety, resulting in a decline in deaths and injuries, and a balanced budget, he worked to bring more industry to Pennsylvania, promote tourism, pass new anti-discrimination laws, and create new education programs. Strongly committed to preserving the state's history, he promoted the building of the William Penn Memorial Museum (now the State Museum of Pennsylvania) and the State Archives Building. When he announced his endorsement of John F. Kennedy for President, many uncommitted delegates followed his lead. Differences between northern and southern Democrats threatened to weaken the party. It was he who met with Kennedy several times to urge him to select Lyndon Johnson of Texas for Vice President. Before concluding his term as Governor, he saw to the passage of the Fair Housing Law of 1961 and air pollution control. He formed a Committee on Education that produced a report advocating massive changes, including consolidating school districts, requiring higher standards and pay for teachers, and tripling the enrollment at state colleges. After leaving office in 1963, Lawrence continued to serve as elder statesman of his party. President Kennedy appointed him Chairman of the newly-created President's Committee on Equal Opportunities in Housing. He continued until 1966 as chairman under President Johnson. A month before he died, Lawrence told a reporter that he had no intention of retiring. "Keep at your work and when your time comes, why not die in harness?" On the evening of November 4, 1966, he made his final public appearance at Pittsburgh's Syria Mosque to speak on behalf of gubernatorial candidate Milton Shapp. Before he could finish his speech, Lawrence collapsed and remained unconscious for the next seventeen days. He died on November 21, 1966, and is buried in Calvary Cemetery in Pittsburgh. Information from the Pennsylvania Museum and Historical Commission.