Maryon Pittman Allen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Maryon Pittman Allen
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| United States Senator from Alabama |
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| In office June 8, 1978 – November 7, 1978 |
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| Appointed by | George Wallace |
| Preceded by | James Allen |
| Succeeded by | Donald Stewart |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Maryon Pittman
November 30, 1925 Meridian, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Died | July 23, 2018 (aged 92) Birmingham, Alabama, U.S |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouses | Joshua Mullins (1946–1959) James Allen (1964–1978) |
| Children | 3 2 stepchildren |
| Education | University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa |
Maryon Allen (born Maryon Pittman; November 30, 1925 – July 23, 2018) was an American journalist. She became a U.S. Senator for Alabama in 1978. She served for about five months. This happened after her husband, Senator James B. Allen, passed away while still in office. She had not held any public office before being chosen for this important role. The Governor of Alabama, George Wallace, appointed her to the Senate.
Contents
Early Life and Career
Maryon Pittman was born in Meridian, Mississippi, in 1925. Her family moved to Birmingham, Alabama, the next year. Her father started a business selling tractors there. Maryon grew up in Birmingham and went to public schools.
From 1944 to 1947, she studied journalism at the University of Alabama. Journalism is about writing for newspapers or magazines. She did not finish her degree. In 1946, she married Joshua Mullins. They had three children. Their marriage ended in 1959.
After this, Maryon started working. First, she sold insurance. Later, she became an editor for the women's sections of five weekly newspapers in the Birmingham area. This work led her to a job as a writer for the Birmingham News.
Meeting James Allen
In 1964, Maryon met James "Jim" Allen. He was the lieutenant governor of Alabama at the time. She interviewed him for her newspaper job. They liked each other and got married in August 1964. Jim Allen was a widower with two children.
Life as a Political Spouse
When Maryon married Jim Allen, she became a "political wife." This meant her life was often connected to politics. Soon after their wedding, Jim Allen had to lead a special meeting of the state legislature. Maryon joked that they had "the most public, political honeymoon in history."
In 1967, Maryon found out she had tuberculosis, a lung disease. She received treatment for several months. The next year, she wrote articles for Alabama newspapers about her experience. She described the care in Alabama hospitals. She also encouraged people to get tested for tuberculosis.
In 1968, Jim Allen was elected to the United States Senate. Maryon moved with him to Washington, D.C.. She kept working as a journalist. She wrote a newspaper column called "The Reflections of a News Hen." This column appeared in many Alabama newspapers. It even won awards from the Alabama Press Association.
Serving in the U.S. Senate
Jim Allen suddenly passed away on June 1, 1978, from a heart attack. One week later, on June 8, 1978, Governor George Wallace appointed Maryon Allen to take her husband's place in the Senate.
In the Senate, she joined two committees her husband had been on. These were the Judiciary Committee and the Agriculture, Nutrition, and Forestry Committee. She was the first woman to serve on the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Political Views and the ERA
Maryon Allen had very traditional political views. In October 1978, she voted on a proposal about the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA). The ERA was a proposed change to the U.S. Constitution. It aimed to guarantee equal rights for all Americans regardless of sex.
At that time, 35 states had approved the ERA. It needed 38 states to become part of the Constitution. Maryon Allen voted to allow states to change their minds and take back their approval. This proposal did not pass. The Senate then voted to give states more time to approve the ERA, but no more states did, so it failed.
1978 Special Election
After being appointed, Maryon Allen decided to run for election. She wanted to serve the rest of her husband's Senate term. Governor Wallace was expected to run, but he decided not to. This made Maryon Allen a favorite to win.
However, an interview she gave to The Washington Post caused problems. The reporter quoted Maryon Allen saying things that seemed critical of Governor Wallace. Maryon Allen said her words were twisted. But these comments upset many people in Alabama. Some questioned her judgment for talking to the Post, which many conservatives saw as a liberal newspaper.
In the September 5, 1978, Democratic primary election, she won the most votes. But she didn't get more than half the votes. So, she had to go into a second election, called a runoff. In the runoff on September 26, she lost to Donald W. Stewart. Stewart then won the main election on November 7. Maryon Allen left the Senate the next day.
During her time in office, Maryon Allen was one of only two women serving in the Senate. The other woman was Muriel Humphrey. She had also been appointed to fill her husband's Senate seat after he passed away. Muriel Humphrey also left the Senate in November 1978.
Later Years
After her time in the Senate, Maryon Allen worked as a writer for The Washington Post for a while. Later, she moved back to Alabama. There, she worked in public relations for a business that sold antiques.
Maryon Pittman Allen passed away on July 23, 2018. She was 92 years old.
See also
In Spanish: Maryon Pittman Allen para niños
