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'''James Blackwood Pearson''' (May 7, 1920 – January 13, 2009) was a [[Republican]] from [[Kansas]] who served as the state's U.S. senator from 1962 to 1978. He was previously the chair of the Kansas GOP in 1960 and a state senator from the 6th district prior to that.

'''James Blackwood Pearson''' (May 7, 1920 – January 13, 2009) was a [[Republican]] from [[Kansas]] who served as the state's U.S. senator from 1962 to 1978. He was previously the chair of the Kansas GOP in 1960 and a state senator from the 6th district prior to that.

==Biography==

==Background==

A native of the capital city of [[Nashville]], [[Tennessee]], Pearson was the son of John William Pearson (1883–1954), a [[Methodist]] minister, and the former Lillian Blackwood (1881–1944). The family moved to [[Virginia]] in 1934. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from [[Duke University]] in Durham, [[North Carolina]]. His education was interrupted during [[World War II]] with service as a pilot in the [[United States Navy]], for which he flew DC3's across the country (1943–1946) and was discharged as a lieutenant.<ref name=findagrave/>

A native of the capital city of [[Nashville]], [[Tennessee]], Pearson was the son of John William Pearson (1883–1954), a [[Methodist]] minister, and the former Lillian Blackwood (1881–1944). The family moved to [[Virginia]] in 1934. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from [[Duke University]] in Durham, [[North Carolina]]. His education was interrupted during [[World War II]] with service as a pilot in the [[United States Navy]], for which he flew DC3's across the country (1943–1946) and was discharged as a lieutenant.<ref name=findagrave/>

Stationed at the Olathe Naval Air Station in Kansas, Pearson met and married the former Martha Mitchell. He graduated from the law school of the [[University of Virginia]] at Charlottesville in 1950 and was admitted to the bar. He practiced in Mission in Johnson County in [[suburb]]an [[Kansas City]]. He was an assistant county attorney from 1952 to 1954; County Probate Judge from 1954 to 1956; and state Senator from 1956 to 1960. He later lived in Baldwin City in Douglas County. Pearson did not seek a second term as state senator and resumed his law practice. Pearson campaigned with state Attorney General John Anderson, Jr., for governor in 1960. Anderson was elected and Pearson became the state GOP chairman. On January 31, 1962, Anderson appointed Pearson to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Andrew Frank Schoeppel (1894–1962). He won the special election for the seat and was reelected to full terms in 1966 and 1972.<ref>Bioguide Search (congress.gov), accessed July 5, 2021.</ref>

Stationed at the Olathe Naval Air Station in Kansas, Pearson met and married the former Martha Mitchell. He graduated from the law school of the [[University of Virginia]] at Charlottesville in 1950 and was admitted to the bar. He practiced in Mission in Johnson County in [[suburb]]an [[Kansas City]].

 

He was an assistant county attorney from 1952 to 1954; County Probate Judge from 1954 to 1956; and state Senator from 1956 to 1960. He later lived in Baldwin City in Douglas County. Pearson did not seek a second term as state senator and resumed his law practice. Pearson campaigned with state Attorney General John Anderson, Jr., for governor in 1960. Anderson was elected and Pearson became the state GOP chairman. On January 31, 1962, Anderson appointed Pearson to the United States Senate to fill the vacancy caused by the death of Andrew Frank Schoeppel (1894–1962). He won the special election for the seat and was reelected to full terms in 1966 and 1972.<ref>[https://bioguide.congress.gov/search/bio/P000166 Bioguide Search] (congress.gov), accessed July 5, 2021.</ref>

Pearson initially voted regularly with the leadership of his party, opposing much of [[Lyndon B. Johnson]]'s [[Great Society]] programs. However, like his Kansas Republican colleague, [[Frank Carlson]], he moderated his positions over time. For instance, he had supported the bombing of [[Laos]] and [[Cambodia]] during the [[Vietnam War]] until the [[Kent State protests]] on May 4, 1970, which led to the shooting death of four students. Like many other [[Moderate Republicans]], he relished in working with colleagues across the political aisle, such as his partnership with [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] [[Lloyd Bentsen]] of [[Texas]] in the passage of the Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978.<ref name=findagrave>James Blackwood Pearson (1920-2009) - Find A Grave Memorial, accessed July 5, 2021.</ref>

Pearson initially voted regularly with the leadership of his party, opposing much of [[Lyndon B. Johnson]]'s [[Great Society]] programs. However, like his Kansas Republican colleague, [[Frank Carlson]], he moderated his positions over time. For instance, he had supported the bombing of [[Laos]] and [[Cambodia]] during the [[Vietnam War]] until the [[Kent State protests]] on May 4, 1970, which led to the shooting death of four students. Like many other [[Moderate Republicans]], he relished in working with colleagues across the political aisle, such as his partnership with [[Democratic Party|Democrat]] [[Lloyd Bentsen]] of [[Texas]] in the passage of the Natural Gas Policy Act of 1978.<ref name=findagrave>James Blackwood Pearson (1920-2009) - Find A Grave Memorial, accessed July 5, 2021.</ref>