View source for Howell Heflin

{{Short description|American politician (1921–2005)}}
{{Lead too short|date=August 2025}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| birthname           = Howell Thomas Heflin
| name                = Howell Heflin
| image name          = Howell Heflin HR (1).jpg
| jr/sr1              = United States Senator
| state1              = [[Alabama]]
| term_start1         = January 3, 1979
| term_end1           = January 3, 1997
| preceded1           = [[John Sparkman]]
| succeeded1          = [[Jeff Sessions]]
| order2              = Chair of the [[United States Senate Select Committee on Ethics|Senate Ethics Committee]]
| term_start2         = January 3, 1987
| term_end2           = January 3, 1992
| preceded2           = [[Ted Stevens]]
| succeeded2          = [[Terry Sanford]]
| office3             = 24th [[Chief Justice]] of the<br />[[Supreme Court of Alabama]]
| term_start3         = January 19, 1971
| term_end3           = January 17, 1977
| predecessor3        = [[J. Ed Livingston]]
| successor3          = [[C. C. Torbert Jr.|C. C. Torbert, Jr.]]
| birth_date          = {{birth date|1921|6|19|mf=y}}
| birth_place         = [[Poulan, Georgia]], U.S.
| death_date          = {{death date and age|2005|3|29|1921|6|19|mf=y}}
| death_place         = [[Sheffield, Alabama]], U.S.
| resting_place       = Glendale Cemetery <br /> [[Leighton, Alabama]], U.S.
| party               = [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]]
| spouse              = {{unbulleted list|Elizabeth Ann Carmichael|(m. 1952)}}
| parents             = {{unbulleted list|Marvin Heflin|Louise S. Heflin}}
| relatives           = {{plainlist|

*[[Robert Stell Heflin]] (great-uncle)
*[[James Thomas Heflin]] (uncle)
}}
| alma_mater          = [[Birmingham-Southern College]] ([[Bachelor of Arts|BA]])<br />[[University of Alabama School of Law|University of Alabama]] ([[Bachelor of Laws|LLB]])
| allegiance          = {{flag|United States|1912}}
| branch              = {{flag|United States Marine Corps}}
| serviceyears        = 1942–1946
| rank                = [[Major (United States)|Major]]
| battles             = [[World War II]]
| mawards             = [[File:Silver Star ribbon.svg|20px]] [[Silver Star]]<br />[[File:Purple Heart ribbon.svg|20px]] [[Purple Heart]] (2)
| module              = {{Listen|pos=center|embed=yes|filename=Sen. Howell Heflin Speaks in Support of a Balanced Budget Amendment.ogg|title=Howell Heflin's voice|type=speech|description=Heflin speaks in support of a [[balanced budget amendment]] to the Constitution<br/>Recorded June 9, 1992}}
}}
'''Howell Thomas Heflin''' (June 19, 1921 – March 29, 2005) was an American lawyer and politician. A member of the [[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic Party]], he represented [[Alabama]] in the [[United States Senate]] from 1979 to 1997.

==Early life==
Heflin was born on June 19, 1921, in [[Poulan, Georgia|Poulan]], [[Georgia (U.S. state)|Georgia]]. His father Marvin Heflin was a Methodist minister, and his mother, Louise Strudwick Heflin, a former teacher. He attended public school in Alabama, graduating from Colbert County High School in [[Leighton, Alabama|Leighton]].<ref name=NNDB>{{cite web|access-date=October 23, 2008|url=http://www.nndb.com/people/868/000022802/|title=Howell Heflin|work=NNDB|publisher=Soylent Communications}}</ref> He earned his [[Bachelor of Arts]] degree in 1942 from [[Birmingham-Southern College]] in [[Birmingham, Alabama|Birmingham]], where he became a member of [[Lambda Chi Alpha]] fraternity.<ref name="CongressionalBio" /><ref>{{Cite web|date=2021|title=Brothers as Jurists - Lambda Chi Alpha|work=Lambda Chi Alpha |url=https://www.lambdachi.org/alumni/notable-lambda-chis/brothers-as-jurists/}}</ref> There was a tradition of politics in his family: He was a nephew of [[James Thomas Heflin]], a prominent white supremacist politician and U.S. Senator, and great-nephew of [[Robert Stell Heflin]], a [[U.S. Representative]].

During [[World War II]], from 1942 to 1946, Heflin served as an officer in the [[United States Marine Corps]].<ref name=NYT>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/30/politics/howell-heflin-former-alabama-senator-dies-at-83.html|title=Howell Heflin, Former Alabama Senator, Dies at 83|date=March 30, 2005|author=Pear, Robert|work=New York Times|access-date=October 23, 2008}}</ref> He was awarded the [[Silver Star]] for valor in combat and received two [[Purple Heart]] medals,<ref name=AlabamaEncyclopedia>{{cite encyclopedia|access-date=October 23, 2008|url=http://www.encyclopediaofalabama.org/face/Article.jsp?id=h-1485|title=Howell T. Heflin|encyclopedia=Encyclopedia of Alabama|date=September 14, 2008}}</ref> having seen action on [[Bougainville campaign|Bougainville]] and [[Battle of Guam (1944)|Guam]].

After World War II, Heflin attended the [[University of Alabama School of Law]], from which he graduated in 1948. For nearly two decades, he served as a law professor, while concurrently practicing law in [[Tuscumbia, Alabama]].<ref name=AlabamaEncyclopedia/>

==Political career==
[[File:Reagan Contact Sheet C4794 (cropped2).jpg|thumb|left|Heflin greeting [[President of the United States|President]] [[Ronald Reagan]] in 1981]]
In 1970, Heflin was elected Chief Justice of the [[Alabama Supreme Court]], serving from 1971 to 1977.<ref>[http://judicial.alabama.gov/docs/judicial_history.pdf Judicial History] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314044022/http://judicial.alabama.gov/docs/judicial_history.pdf |date=2012-03-14 }} (PDF)</ref>

In [[1978 United States Senate election in Alabama|1978]], Heflin was elected to the [[United States Senate]] to succeed fellow Democrat [[John Sparkman]], who had been [[Adlai Stevenson II|Adlai E. Stevenson]]'s running mate in the [[1952 United States presidential election|1952 presidential election]]. Heflin won his party's nomination by defeating U.S. Representative [[Walter Flowers]] of [[Tuscaloosa, Alabama|Tuscaloosa]], a long-time [[George Wallace|George C. Wallace]] ally. The 1966 Republican gubernatorial nominee, former U.S. Representative [[James D. Martin]] of [[Gadsden, Alabama|Gadsden]], announced that he would challenge Heflin. But Martin switched to a second Senate race for a two-year term created by the sudden death of Senator [[James Allen (United States)|James B. Allen]], leaving Heflin without a Republican opponent.

In March 1981, President Reagan was shot during an assassination attempt by [[John Hinckley Jr.|John Hinckley, Jr.]], outside the Hilton Hotel in Washington, D. C., Hinckley being brought to trial fourteen months afterward. Heflin espoused the view that the time between the incident and the trial was part of the need for an overhauling of the criminal justice system, "so that it can more efficiently and effectively deal with the rising epidemic of violent crime in this nation", and noted the shootings of [[Pope John Paul II]] and [[President of Egypt]] [[Anwar Sadat]] as incidents that had happened after the Reagan shooting, yet had already seen the assailants be convicted and either jailed or executed. Heflin stated that the delays in bringing defendants to trial formed "contempt for the system", in addition to denouncing the delays as part of the problem, calling for the Senate to form a "Crime Caucus", as part of an attempt to "put aside petty partisan politics and unite in an effort to wage a successful war on crime".<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1982/05/12/Sen-Howell-Heflin-former-chief-justice-of-the-Alabama/3195390024000/|title=Sen. Howell Heflin, former chief justice of the Alabama... |date=May 12, 1982|publisher=UPI}}</ref>

In July 1981, Heflin announced he would introduce legislation calling for the creation of a national court of appeals, and that such legislation would relieve the Supreme Court of some of its present burdens, while increasing the national appellate capacity. The legislation was intended to also initiate a long-range study of the federal court system, and call for major reforms in the American judiciary. Heflin noted that only 289 of the 4,242 petitions for hearings submitted to the Supreme Court in the previous year were granted, and that a national appeals court would resolve feuds in the federal circuit courts.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/07/29/Sen-Howell-Heflin-D-Ala-said-Wednesday-he-will-introduce/7339365227200/|title=Sen. Howell Heflin, D-Ala., said Wednesday he will introduce...|date=July 29, 1981|publisher=UPI}}</ref>

In [[1984 United States Senate election in Alabama|1984]], Heflin won a second Senate term, handily defeating Republican former U.S. Representative [[Albert L. Smith Jr.|Albert L. Smith, Jr.]], of Birmingham, who had hoped to win by running on the re-election coattails of President Ronald Reagan. Heflin was re-elected to a third term in [[1990 United States Senate election in Alabama|1990]], defeating [[Alabama Senate|State Senator]] [[William J. Cabaniss]], who later served as [[United States Ambassador to the Czech Republic]] under [[George W. Bush]]. Heflin did not run for re-election in [[1996 United States Senate election in Alabama|1996]], and was succeeded by Republican [[Jeff Sessions]].

In 1987, Heflin, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, voted against confirmation of Judge [[Robert Bork]] to the [[Supreme Court of the United States]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1987-10-07-mn-8246-story.html|title=Bork Rejected by Senate Panel, 9-5 : Heflin, a Key Southerner, Joins Foes; Reagan to Press on with the Fight|website=[[Los Angeles Times]]|date=7 October 1987}}</ref>

Heflin became chairman of the [[U.S. Senate Select Committee on Ethics|Select Committee on Ethics]]. While on the Ethics Committee, he led the prosecution against fellow Democratic senator [[Howard Cannon]] of [[Nevada]] for violations of Senate rules.

As a [[conservative Democrat]], he strongly opposed [[abortion rights|abortion]] and [[gun control]]. Heflin supported [[school prayer]] in public schools, and opposed laws banning discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.{{citation needed|date=November 2020}} He supported the [[Gulf War]] of 1991, and opposed cuts in defense spending. With [[Fritz Hollings]] of [[South Carolina]], Heflin was one of only two Democrats in the Senate to vote against the [[Family and Medical Leave Act]]. He occasionally voted with Republicans on taxes.{{citation needed|date=November 2020}}

On other economic issues, he was more allied with his party's populist wing. He voted against the [[North American Free Trade Agreement]] (NAFTA), the [[General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade]] (GATT), and [[tort reform|attempts to weaken enforcement of consumer protection measures]].{{citation needed|date=November 2020}} He strongly supported affirmative action laws.{{citation needed|date=November 2020}} He voted against confirmation of [[Clarence Thomas]] to the [[United States Supreme Court]], citing Thomas's lack of experience.

In 1993, Heflin gave a memorable speech on the Senate floor in support of Senator [[Carol Moseley Braun]]'s successful effort to deny renewal of a Confederate Flag design patent for the [[United Daughters of the Confederacy]]. Heflin spoke of his pride and love for his Confederate ancestors, his respect for the United Daughters of the Confederacy, and his conflict in breaking with them over this issue. But, he said:

<blockquote>We live in a nation that daily is trying to heal the scars that have occurred in the past. We're trying to heal problems that still show negative and ugly aspects in our world that we live in today, and perhaps racism is one of the great scars and one of the most serious illnesses that we suffer from still today.<ref>{{cite web |title=Sen. Howell Heflin (D-AL) on Confederate Family Roots & Insignia |url=https://www.c-span.org/video/?c4541648/sen-howell-heflin-confederate-family-roots-insignia |publisher=[[C-SPAN]]}}</ref></blockquote>

Heflin lived at his long-time residence in Tuscumbia until his death on March 29, 2005, of a [[myocardial infarction|heart attack]].<ref name=CongressionalBio>{{cite web|access-date=April 22, 2007|url=http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=H000445|title=Heflin, Howell Thomas, (1921–2005)|work=Biographical Directory of the United States Congress}}</ref> He was survived by his wife, Elizabeth Ann, his son H. Thomas, Jr., known as Tom, and two grandchildren.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/03/30/politics/30heflin.html?_r=0|work=The New York Times|first=Robert|last=Pear|title=Howell Heflin, Former Alabama Senator, Dies at 83|date=March 30, 2005}}</ref>

Heflin was the last Democrat to serve as a senator from Alabama until the swearing in of [[Doug Jones (politician)|Doug Jones]] (winner of the [[United States Senate special election in Alabama, 2017|December 2017 special election]]) on January 3, 2018, 21 years to the day after Heflin left the seat.{{efn|group=Notes|Prior to 2017, [[Richard Shelby]] was the last Alabama Democrat ''elected'' to the Senate, in 1992, but he became a Republican in 1994.}} Heflin had been a mentor to Jones, who worked for him as a senatorial aide.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/who-is-doug-jones-alabamas-new-u-s-senator |title=Who is Doug Jones, Alabama's new U.S. senator? |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=December 12, 2017 |website=www.pbs.org |publisher=PBS |access-date=December 12, 2017 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2017/11/trump_will_not_campaign_for_ro.html |title=Trump will not campaign for Roy Moore in Alabama Senate race |author=<!--Not stated--> |date=November 27, 2017 |website=www.al.com |publisher=al.com |access-date=December 12, 2017 }}</ref>

==Honors==
[[File:Howell Heflin Memorial.JPG|right|thumb|Memorial to Howell Heflin at the war memorial near the Colbert County Courthouse, Colbert County, Alabama]]

The University of Alabama School of Law has honored Heflin with the "Howell Heflin Conference Room" in the Bounds Law Library. Tuscumbia named a street "Howell Heflin Lane", in his honor. The [[Howell Heflin Lock and Dam]] in Alabama is named in his honor. The Howell T. Heflin Seminar room in the Birmingham-Southern College Library is also named in his honor.

The ''New York Times'' characterized him as the "conscience of the Senate".<ref name=NYT/>

==See also==

* [[Conservative Democrats]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==External links==
*{{cite web|access-date=2007-04-22|url=http://www.thewalkingdead.org/biographiesmission.html
|title=Interview With a Senator and a Marine
|author=Allison, Major Fred H., USMC
|work=Marines and Corpsmen who served with the 1st Battalion 9th Marines}}
{{CongBio|H000445}}
*{{C-SPAN|707}}
*{{find a Grave|10702036}}
*{{cite web
 |access-date  = October 23, 2008
 |url         = http://www.redstone.army.mil/history/sparkman/heflin.htm
 |title       = Biography of Senator Howell Heflin
 |publisher   = John J. Sparkman Center, United States Army
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20080913144815/http://www.redstone.army.mil/history/sparkman/heflin.htm
 |archive-date = September 13, 2008
}}
*[http://docsouth.unc.edu/sohp/A-0010/menu.html Oral History Interview with Howell Heflin] from [http://docsouth.unc.edu/sohp/ Oral Histories of the American South]

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{{s-ttl|title=[[Democratic Party (United States)|Democratic]] nominee for [[United States Senator|U.S. Senator]] from [[Alabama]]<br />([[Classes of United States senators|Class 3]])|years=[[1978 United States Senate election in Alabama|1978]], [[1984 United States Senate election in Alabama|1984]], [[1990 United States Senate election in Alabama|1990]]}}
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{{s-aft|after=[[Jeff Sessions]]}}
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{{s-ttl|title=Chair of the [[United States Senate Select Committee on Ethics|Senate Ethics Committee]]|years=1987–1992}}
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{{USCongRep-start|congresses= 96th–104th [[United States Congress]]es |state=[[Alabama]]}}
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[[Category:1921 births]]
[[Category:2005 deaths]]
[[Category:United States Marine Corps personnel of World War II]]
[[Category:Birmingham–Southern College alumni]]
[[Category:People from Tuscumbia, Alabama]]
[[Category:Recipients of the Silver Star]]
[[Category:United States Marine Corps officers]]
[[Category:Chief justices of the Supreme Court of Alabama]]
[[Category:People from Worth County, Georgia]]
[[Category:Democratic Party United States senators from Alabama]]
[[Category:20th-century Alabama state court judges]]
[[Category:20th-century United States senators]]