Barkley, Alben William (1877-1956), served as vice president of the United States from 1949 to 1953 under President Harry S. Truman. As vice president, Barkley showed great skill in presiding over the U.S. Senate. He enjoyed the personal confidence of Truman, and was known throughout the nation as The Veep. He was the first vice president to sit on the National Security Council and to assist officially in formulating policy for the president’s consideration.
Barkley began his national political service in 1913 when he was elected as a Democrat from Kentucky to the U.S. House of Representatives. He served seven consecutive terms. From 1927 to 1949, he served in the U.S. Senate. He was Senate majority leader from 1937 to 1947 and minority leader from 1947 to 1949. After his vice presidency, Barkley was again elected senator from Kentucky in 1954, and served there until his death on April 30, 1956.
Barkley was born on Nov. 24, 1877, in Graves County, Kentucky. He was the son of a tenant farmer. Barkley worked to pay his way through Emory College in Georgia and the University of Virginia Law School.
