L. Mendel Rivers
| L. Mendel Rivers | |
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from South Carolina's 1st district |
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In office January 3, 1941 – December 28, 1970 |
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| Preceded by | Clara G. McMillan |
| Succeeded by | Mendel Jackson Davis |
| Member of the South Carolina House of Representatives from Charleston County | |
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In office January 9, 1934 – June 6, 1936 |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | September 28, 1905 Gumville, South Carolina |
| Died | December 28, 1970 (aged 65) Birmingham, Alabama |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | Margaret Middleton Rivers (1938–1970) |
| Children | 3, including L. Mendel Rivers, Jr. |
| Religion | Episcopalian |
Lucius Mendel Rivers (September 28, 1905 – December 28, 1970) was a Democratic U.S. Representative from South Carolina, representing the Charleston-based 1st congressional district for nearly 30 years. He was chairman of the House Armed Services Committee as the U.S. escalated its involvement in the Vietnam War.
Mendel Rivers was born in Gumville, South Carolina, to Lucius Hampton Rivers and Henrietta Marion McCay. The family moved to St. Stephen in 1907 and lived comfortably until 1915, when Lucius died from pneumonia. Mendel's older brother Earle was put in charge of running the farm, but was not interested in agriculture and as a result the family's assets declined. Eventually, they were compelled to move to North Charleston where they opened up a boarding house on O'Hear Avenue.
Rivers went to the local schools and it took him six years to graduate from Charleston High School in 1926. He then attended the College of Charleston for three years and the University of South Carolina School of Law for two years, graduating from neither. The law school dean at the University of South Carolina advised Rivers to take up another profession because although he knew the assignments, he suffered from stage fright. Rivers was determined to become a lawyer so he returned to College of Charleston, took classes to prepare himself for the bar examination, and passed in 1932. Unable to find employment in Charleston law firms, he started his own practice.
Rivers first became involved in politics in 1930 when he participated in Ed Pritchard's unsuccessful campaign for the state legislature against Russell McGowan. He was an active member of the Charleston Young Democrats club and shortly after passing the bar, Rivers decided to run for one of the twelve state representative spots from Charleston County. County politics in the 1930s were controlled by the political machine of Charleston mayor Burnet R. Maybank, and gaining his endorsement was crucial to winning an election. Rivers sought the mayor's blessing, but was rejected because he was an unknown candidate from North Charleston. He ran as an Independent Democrat and was defeated in his bid for election.
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