James Brady facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
James Brady
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Brady in 1986
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| 17th White House Press Secretary | |
| In office January 20, 1981 – January 20, 1989 Leave of absence: March 30, 1981 – January 20, 1989 |
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| President | Ronald Reagan |
| Preceded by | Jody Powell |
| Succeeded by | Larry Speakes (acting) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
James Scott Brady
August 29, 1940 Centralia, Illinois, U.S. |
| Died | August 4, 2014 (aged 73) Alexandria, Virginia, U.S. |
| Cause of death | Complications due to gunshot wounds |
| Resting place | Gilgal Cemetery Marion Center, Indiana County, Pennsylvania |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouses |
Sue Beh
(m. 1960; div. 1967) |
| Education | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (BA) |
| Nickname | Bear |
| Brady formally retained the title of Press Secretary until the end of the Reagan Administration on January 20, 1989, but he did not brief the press after he was shot in the 1981 assassination attempt. | |
James Scott Brady (born August 29, 1940 – died August 4, 2014) was an important American public official. He worked as the 17th White House Press Secretary for President Ronald Reagan. In 1981, James Brady was seriously injured during an attempted assassination of Ronald Reagan. This happened just two months after President Reagan took office.
Brady's death in 2014 was later determined to be caused by the gunshot wound he received 33 years earlier.
Contents
James Brady's Early Career
James Brady started his career working for Senator Everett Dirksen from Illinois. He also managed political campaigns. In 1970, he directed a campaign for Phyllis Schlafly.
Brady held many different jobs in government. He worked for the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. He also assisted the director of the Office of Management and Budget. Later, he was an assistant to the Secretary of Defense. He also worked for Senator William Roth.
In 1979, he became the press secretary for presidential candidate John Connally. After Connally left the race, Brady joined the Reagan–Bush team. He became their spokesperson. When Ronald Reagan became president, James Brady was named the White House Press Secretary.
The 1981 Shooting Incident
On March 30, 1981, President Ronald Reagan and his staff were leaving a hotel. James Brady was with them. A gunman suddenly started shooting. The first bullet hit Brady. The shooter was 25-year-old John Hinckley Jr.. He wanted to impress actress Jodie Foster.
Secret Service agents and police quickly stopped Hinckley. They arrested him. He had fired six shots from a small gun. One bullet hit Brady in the head. It caused severe damage. President Reagan, Secret Service agent Tim McCarthy, and police officer Thomas Delahanty were also hurt. Brady, Reagan, and McCarthy were taken to the hospital.
At first, many news channels mistakenly reported that Brady had died. He was 40 years old at the time. A news anchor, Frank Reynolds, was a friend of Brady. He was upset when he had to correct the report. He told his staff to "get it nailed down!"
During Brady's surgery, the doctors heard the news reports. His surgeon, Arthur Kobrine, said, "No one has told me and the patient."
Brady survived the shooting. However, the injury left him with slurred speech. He also had partial paralysis. This meant he needed a wheelchair all the time. His doctor said he had trouble controlling his emotions. He also had some memory and thinking problems.
Brady could not work as the White House Press Secretary anymore. But he officially kept the title. Others like Larry Speakes and Marlin Fitzwater did the job.
James Brady: A Champion for Gun Safety
After the shooting, James Brady and his wife, Sarah Brady, became strong supporters of gun safety. Sarah Brady led the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. They worked to create stricter rules for handguns and assault weapons.
A very important law, the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, was named after him. It is often called "the Brady Bill."
James Brady received an honorary degree from McKendree University in 1982. Both James and Sarah Brady received honorary degrees from Drexel University in 1993. In 1994, they won the S. Roger Horchow Award for Public Service. This award is given to private citizens. They also received the Golden Plate Award in 1994. In 1996, President Bill Clinton gave Brady the Presidential Medal of Freedom. This is the highest award a civilian can receive in the United States.
James Brady's Personal Life
James Brady married Sue Beh in 1960. They divorced in 1967. In 1972, he married Sarah Jane Kemp. They were members of an Episcopal Church.
In 2000, the White House press briefing room was renamed the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room. This was done to honor him.
James Brady's Passing
James Brady passed away on August 4, 2014, in Alexandria, Virginia. A few days later, medical experts confirmed that his death was a result of the gunshot wound he received in 1981.
Images for kids
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Brady in 1986
