Arthur Ravenel Jr.

Arthur Ravenel Jr. (March 29, 1927 – January 16, 2023) was an American businessman and a Republican politician. He was born in Charleston, South Carolina. He served as a member of the United States House of Representatives from South Carolina's 1st congressional district. He served from 1987 through 1995.

Arthur Ravenel Jr.
Arthur Ravenel Jr.jpg
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from South Carolina's 1st district
In office
January 3, 1987 – January 3, 1995
Preceded byThomas F. Hartnett
Succeeded byMark Sanford
Member of the South Carolina Senate
In office
January 3, 1997 – January 3, 2005
Preceded byGreg Smith
Succeeded byRaymond E. Cleary III
Constituency34th district
In office
January 13, 1981 – January 3, 1987
Preceded byAllen Ruffin Carter
Arnold Samuel Goodstein
Thomas Forbes Hartnett
Succeeded bySherry Shealy Martschink
Constituency16th district (1981–1985)
44th district (1985–1987)
Member of the
South Carolina House of Representatives
from Charleston County
In office
January 13, 1953 – January 13, 1959
Preceded byMulti-member district
Succeeded byMulti-member district
Personal details
Born(1927-03-29)March 29, 1927
Charleston, South Carolina, U.S.
DiedJanuary 16, 2023(2023-01-16) (aged 95)
Charleston, South Carolina, U.S.
Resting place
Political partyDemocratic (until 1960s)
Republican (after 1960s)
RelativesThomas Ravenel
Charles D. Ravenel

Ravenel Jr. decided not to run for re-election in 1994, to run for Governor instead, but lost in the Republican primaries to David Beasley.

In 2005, Ravenel Jr. suffered from Guillain–Barré syndrome.[1] The Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge, near the Cooper River, is named after him.

Ravenel was a member of Moultrie Camp, Sons of Confederate Veterans, and was a supporter of the Confederate flag being flown at the South Carolina statehouse. He made controversy at a rally for the flag in 2000 when he called the NAACP as the “National Association for Retarded People”.[2] Ravenel upset even more people after he apologized to mentally handicapped people for comparing them to the NAACP.

Ravenel died on January 16, 2023 at the age of 95.[3]

References

  1. "Our Lowcountry Skyline, Ten Years Later: The Ravenel Bridge". Mount Pleasant Magazine. 7 July 2015.
  2. "Giuliani's South Carolina adviser has controversial history with NAACP". "Political Ticker" blog. CNN. 2007-06-26. Archived from the original on 29 June 2007. Retrieved 2007-06-27.
  3. Leatherwood, Dylan (16 January 2023). "Former State Sen. Arthur Ravenel, Jr. dies at 95, family says". Live 5 News. Retrieved 16 January 2023.

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