Jim Wright

Jim Wright
Wright in the 1980s
48th Speaker of the United States House of Representatives
In office January 6, 1987 – June 6, 1989
Preceded by	Tip O'Neill
Succeeded by	Tom Foley
Leader of the House Democratic Caucus
In office January 6, 1987 – June 6, 1989
Preceded by	Tip O'Neill
Succeeded by	Tom Foley
House Majority Leader
In office January 3, 1977 – January 3, 1987
Deputy	John Brademas Tom Foley
Speaker	Tip O'Neill
Preceded by	Tip O'Neill
Succeeded by	Tom Foley
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Texas's 12th district
In office January 3, 1955 – June 30, 1989
Preceded by	Wingate Lucas
Succeeded by	Pete Geren
Personal details
Born	James Claude Wright Jr. (1922-12-22)December 22, 1922 Fort Worth, Texas, U.S.
Died	May 6, 2015(2015-05-06) (aged 92) Fort Worth, Texas, U.S.
Resting place	City Greenwood Cemetery Weatherford, Texas
Political party	Democratic
Spouses	Mary Lemons ​ (m. 1942⁠–⁠1972)​ Betty Hay ​ (m. 1972)​
Children	4
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Army
Years of service	1941–1946
Rank	First Lieutenant
Unit	United States Army Air Forces
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Distinguished Flying Cross
Jim Wright's voice Wright honors Lady Bird Johnson at a special ceremony in the House of Representatives chamber Recorded April 28, 1988

James Claude Wright Jr. (December 22, 1922 – May 6, 2015) was an American politician who served as the 48th speaker of the United States House of Representatives from 1987 to 1989. He represented Texas' 12th congressional district as a Democrat from 1955 to 1989.

Born in Fort Worth, Texas, Wright won election to the Texas House of Representatives after serving in the United States Army Air Forces during World War II. He won election to Congress in 1954, representing a district that included his home town of Fort Worth. Like most Texas Democrats, Wright distinguished himself from many of his fellow Southern congressmen in his refusal to sign the 1956 Southern Manifesto. He voted for the Civil Rights Acts of 1960 and 1968, the final version of the Civil Rights Act of 1957, and the initial House amendment to the Voting Rights Act of 1965, but voted against the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the 24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. He also became a senior member of the House Public Works Committee.

In 1976, Wright narrowly won election to the position of House Majority Leader. Wright voted in favor of the bill establishing Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a federal holiday in August 1983. He became Speaker of the House after Tip O'Neill retired in 1987. In March 1988, Wright led the House Democratic Caucus as Speaker to override President Reagan's veto of the Civil Rights Restoration Act of 1987. Wright resigned from Congress in June 1989 amid a House Ethics Committee investigation into compensation that he and his wife had received. After leaving Congress, Wright became a professor at Texas Christian University. He died in Fort Worth in 2015.