Kenneth M. Curtis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Kenneth M. Curtis
United States Ambassador to Canada
In office October 5, 1979 – January 20, 1981
President	Jimmy Carter
Preceded by	Thomas O. Enders
Succeeded by	Paul H. Robinson Jr.
Chair of the Democratic National Committee
In office January 21, 1977 – January 27, 1978
Preceded by	Robert S. Strauss
Succeeded by	John C. White
68th Governor of Maine
In office January 5, 1967 – January 2, 1975
Preceded by	John H. Reed
Succeeded by	James B. Longley
Secretary of State of Maine
In office 1965–1966
Governor	John H. Reed
Preceded by	Paul A. MacDonald
Succeeded by	Joseph T. Edgar
Personal details
Born	Kenneth Merwin Curtis (1931-02-08) February 8, 1931 (age 94) Leeds, Maine, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Pauline "Polly" Curtis
Children	Susan L. Curtis Angela Curtis Hall
Education	Cony High School Maine Maritime Academy (BS) University of Maine School of Law (LLB) Bates College (LLD)

Kenneth Merwin Curtis (born February 8, 1931) is an American lawyer, politician, and diplomat from Maine. He held several important roles in government. He was the Secretary of State of Maine from 1965 to 1966. Later, he served as the Governor of Maine from 1967 to 1975.

After his time as governor, he became the United States Ambassador to Canada from 1979 to 1981. Curtis is a member of the Democratic Party. Today, he works as an advisor at the Curtis Thaxter law firm in Portland, Maine, which he started in 1975.

Early Life and Education

Kenneth Curtis was born in Curtis Corner, Leeds, Maine. His father, Archie, was a farmer whose family had lived on the land for five generations. His mother was Harriet (Turner) Curtis.

He went to Cony High School in Augusta and finished in 1949. After high school, he attended Maine Maritime Academy. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in 1952.

Curtis served in the U.S. Naval Reserve from 1953 to 1955. He was a lieutenant commander during the Korean War. He left the Navy to study law. He became a lawyer in Maine in 1958. He received his law degree from Portland University School of Law in 1959. Later, he received an honorary Doctor of Laws degree from Bates College in 1981.

Political Career Highlights

Kenneth Curtis as Maine Secretary of State.

Kenneth Curtis began his political journey in 1956. He worked on James Oliver's campaign for Congress. Oliver lost that election but won in 1958, with Curtis as his campaign manager. Curtis then worked as Oliver's assistant from 1959 to 1961.

In 1963, President John F. Kennedy appointed Curtis as the Maine Coordinator for the Area Redevelopment Administration. He held this position until 1964. That year, he ran for Congress himself but lost by a small number of votes. From 1965 to 1966, Curtis served as the Secretary of State of Maine.

Governor of Maine (1967-1975)

Kenneth Curtis became the 68th Governor of Maine. At the time, he was the youngest governor in the United States. He served two terms, which was a first for a Maine governor.

First Term: 1967–1971

In 1968, Governor Curtis helped combine the University of Maine at Orono with five teachers' colleges. This created the University of Maine System, which is still in place today. In 1969, Curtis and the state legislature introduced Maine's first income tax. This tax continues to be a main source of money for the state.

His administration also passed important laws to protect the environment. These included the Site Location of Development Act. They also created the Department of Environmental Protection. From 1969 to 1970, Curtis led the New England Governors’ conference. He also chaired the Environmental Task Force for the National Governors' Conference in the early 1970s.

In 1970, Curtis supported a plan for an oil refinery in Machiasport. This idea was debated by many people, especially environmental groups. In the 1970 Maine gubernatorial election, Curtis was reelected for his second term. He won by a very close margin of only 890 votes.

Second Term: 1971–1975

As the first Maine governor to serve two four-year terms, Curtis continued to make changes. In 1971, he asked voters to keep the state's income tax. In 1972, he reorganized the Maine state government. He changed it to a cabinet system. This meant 16 departments replaced 150 independent agencies. The governor would now appoint the heads of these departments.

Curtis was known for being active outdoors. He was one of the few governors to climb Mount Katahdin and canoe the Allagash River. He asked James B. Longley to lead a state commission. This group aimed to make government more efficient and save money. Longley's work led to recommendations that could save the state millions of dollars.

After Being Governor

In 1975, Curtis started the Curtis Thaxter law firm with his colleagues. He also served as the chairman of the Democratic National Committee from 1977 to 1978.

From 1979 to 1981, Curtis was the United States Ambassador to Canada. During this time, the Iran hostage crisis happened. He helped with communications during the Canadian Caper. This was when six American diplomats were hidden by Canadian embassy staff in Tehran and later rescued.

Curtis also served as the 11th president of Maine Maritime Academy from 1986 to 1994.

Family Life

Kenneth Curtis met Pauline "Polly" Brown when they both worked at Sears Roebuck in Portland. They got married in 1956.

The Curtises had two daughters, Susan (born 1959) and Angela (born 1961). Both girls were born with cystic fibrosis, a serious health condition. In 1970, Susan passed away at age 11 due to respiratory failure. Many people sent donations in Susan's name. Friends and supporters encouraged the Curtises to start a nonprofit organization.

In 1974, the Susan L. Curtis Foundation opened Camp Susan Curtis in Stoneham, Maine. This camp helps economically disadvantaged children in Maine. Their second daughter, Angela, also passed away in 1996 at age 34.

The Curtises lived in Florida from 1997 to 2017. They then moved back to Maine. As of January 2021, they live in Scarborough. Kenneth Curtis continues to work as an advisor at the law firm he founded.

Awards and Recognitions