Jack Tenney
Jack B. Tenney (1898 – November 4, 1970) was an American politician who was noted for leading anti-communist investigations in California in the 1940s and early 1950s. Tenney was also the composer of several well-known songs, most notably "Mexicali Rose".
Tenney was born in St. Louis, Missouri, and came to California as a boy. He fought in World War I, and worked his way through law school. As a young attorney, he wrote several songs. In 1936, he ran for the California State Assembly as a Democrat, and served three two-year terms. He then ran for the State Senate as a Republican, and served three four-year terms. While in the Senate, he became well-known for anti-communist activities. In 1952, he ran for the Republican nomination for Congress, but lost, and later that year opposed the Republican presidential ticket and ran for Vice President on a minor party ticket. He failed to receive renomination to his senate seat in 1954.
In later years, Tenney returned to the practice of law, and served as a part-time city attorney. He died in 1970.
Early years
Tenney was born in 1898 in St. Louis, Missouri, but moved to California in 1909. After serving in the Army during World War I, he returned home and worked his way through law school. While a young attorney, he turned to songwriting and wrote such songs as "Mexicali Rose" and "On the Banks of the Old Merced".[1]
Political career
Tenney ran for the Assembly as a Democrat in 1936; he was elected, and would be reelected in 1938 and 1940.[1] He was also one of California's electors, casting his vote for Franklin Roosevelt, in 1940. In 1942, Tenney ran for State Senate as a Republican, and would serve three four year terms there.[1]
Tenney made his name in the State Senate as a foe of communism, and was chair of the State un-American activities committee from 1941 to 1949.[2] He stated, "You can no more coexist with communism than you can coexist with a nest of rattlesnakes."[1] The chairman of the Senate's Fact Finding Committee on Un-American Activities, which investigated alleged communists in California, Tenney "vigorously attacked everyone he believed to be a Communist or to have Communist sympathies".[1] One person investigated by Tenney's committee was Catherine Bauer Wurster, who successfully defended herself and her husband William Wurster. Another of the accused was Guatemalan-born labor organizer Luisa Moreno.[2]
Tenney ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for Senate in 1944 and for mayor of Los Angeles in 1949. In 1952, he sought to move to the United States House of Representatives, accepting the help of anti-Semite Gerald L. K. Smith.[1] He lost to Joseph Holt, who won the general election. Tenney ran for Vice President on the Christian National Party ticket, which gained few votes. In 1954, the head of the state Republican committee pointed to this race as a reason to oppose Tenney for renomination. He was defeated by Mildred Younger, who lost the general election to the Democratic candidate.[1] The New York Times saw his defeat as part of the ending for McCarthyism.[3]
Later life
Tenney moved to Banning, California in 1959, and worked as a part-time city attorney in nearby Cabazon, California. He ran unsuccessfully for Congress in 1962. He died in 1970, survived by his wife and two children.[1]
Notes
- ^ a b c d e f g h West, Richard (1970-11-06), "Jack B. Tenney ex-state sen., foe of communism, dies at 72" (PDF), Los Angleles Times, retrieved 2009-08-20 (fee for article)
- ^ a b Griswold del Castillo, Richard (Summer 1997), "Luisa Moreno and the Beginnings of the Mexican American Civil Rights Movement in San Diego", Journal of San Diego History, 43 (3), San Diego Historical Society, retrieved 2009-11-30.
{{citation}}: Unknown parameter|coauthors=ignored (|author=suggested) (help) - ^ "End in sight", The New York Times, 1954-06-13, retrieved 2009-08-20 (fee for article)