Kenneth Claiborne Royall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kenneth Royall
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| 1st Secretary of the Army | |
| In office September 18, 1947 – April 27, 1949 |
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| President | Harry S. Truman |
| Preceded by | Position established |
| Succeeded by | Gordon Gray |
| 56th Secretary of War | |
| In office July 19, 1947 – September 18, 1947 |
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| President | Harry S. Truman |
| Preceded by | Robert P. Patterson |
| Succeeded by | Position abolished |
| Under Secretary of War | |
| In office November 9, 1945 – July 18, 1947 |
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| President | Harry S. Truman |
| Preceded by | Robert P. Patterson |
| Succeeded by | William Henry Draper Jr. |
| Personal details | |
| Born | July 24, 1894 Goldsboro, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Died | May 25, 1971 (aged 76) Durham, North Carolina, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse | Margaret Pierce Best |
| Children | 3, including Kenneth |
| Education | University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill (BA) Harvard University (LLB) |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | United States Army |
| Years of service | 1917–1921 1942–1945 |
| Rank | Brigadier General |
| Battles/wars | World War I World War II |
Kenneth Claiborne Royall, Sr. (July 24, 1894 – May 25, 1971) was an important American lawyer and Army general. He was the very last person to hold the job of Secretary of War. This position was ended in 1947.
After that, Royall became the first ever Secretary of the Army. He held this role from 1947 to 1949. He had to leave his job because he did not follow President Harry S. Truman's order. This order, called Executive Order 9981, aimed to end racial separation in the U.S. military.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Kenneth Claiborne Royall was born in Goldsboro, North Carolina, on July 24, 1894. His parents were Clara Howard Jones and George Pender Royall. He went to Episcopal High School.
He then studied at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Later, he went to Harvard Law School. After finishing his studies, he served in World War I.
Starting a Law and Political Career
After the war, Royall became a lawyer. He was also elected to the North Carolina Senate. He was a member of the Democratic Party. When World War II began, he joined the U.S. Army as a colonel.
On August 18, 1917, Kenneth Royall married Margaret Pierce Best. They had three children: Kenneth Claiborne, Jr., Margaret, and George Pender Royall.
Defending German Agents in World War II
During World War II, eight German spies landed on Long Island in 1942. They were quickly caught. President Franklin D. Roosevelt asked Royall to defend them. The President wanted a quick trial in a secret military court.
Royall believed the President did not have the power to create a secret court. He asked Roosevelt to change his order, but the President refused. Royall then took the case to the U.S. District Court. He argued that the secret trial was against the U.S. Constitution.
The District Court did not agree with Royall. So, he and his team appealed to the Supreme Court. In July 1942, the Supreme Court also said the President could hold a secret trial. However, Royall had succeeded in getting the civilian courts to review the case.
The Supreme Court later explained its decision in more detail. They said that "Constitutional safeguards for the protection of all who are charged with offense are not to be disregarded." By then, six of the German agents had already been tried and executed. The two who helped the authorities were sent to prison. Royall later said that defending these agents was his most important work. He was promoted to brigadier general.
Serving in the Truman Administration
Kenneth Royall served as the Undersecretary of War from November 9, 1945, to July 18, 1947. President Harry S. Truman then made him the Secretary of War in 1947. Just two months later, he became the first Secretary of the Army.
In 1948, Royall decided not to release a film called "Nuremberg: Its Lesson For Today." He said that showing the film was not in the "interest of the army or the nation."
Royall was forced to retire in April 1949. This was because he continued to refuse to end racial separation in the Army. President Truman had issued an order to desegregate the military almost a year before.
Later Life and Legacy
In December 1949, Royall joined a well-known law firm in New York City. He became the head of the firm in 1958. This firm later became known as Rogers & Wells.
Kenneth Royall passed away in Durham, North Carolina, on May 25, 1971. He was 76 years old. He was buried in Willow Dale Cemetery in Goldsboro, North Carolina.
His son, Kenneth C. Royall, Jr., also became a politician. He served in the North Carolina House of Representatives and the North Carolina Senate.
See also
In Spanish: Kenneth Claiborne Royall para niños
