George Darden
Encyclopedia
George Washington "Buddy" Darden, III (born November 22, 1943) is an American
politician and lawyer.
and graduated from Sparta High School in Sparta, Georgia
in 1961. He earned his Bachelor of Arts
(A.B.
) at the University of Georgia
(UGA) in Athens
in 1965 and his Juris Doctor
from the UGA School of Law
in 1967. He received many honors and awards while a student, including being elected President of the Student Body.
. After serving as assistant district attorney in Cobb County from 1968 to 1972, he was elected District Attorney and served from 1973 to 1977. Darden was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives
as a Democrat
in 1980. He served in that body from 1981 until 1983.
Upon the sudden death of U.S. Representative
Larry McDonald
in the 1983 downing of Korean Air Flight 007
, Darden resigned from the Georgia General Assembly
after winning the special election to fill McDonald's seat for the remainder of the Ninety-eighth Congress. Darden was a moderately conservative Democrat though far more liberal than McDonald had been.
He was reelected to five more terms in that seat until losing his reelection bid in 1994 to Bob Barr
. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. House in 2002.
s in 1996
, 2000
and 2004
. He has also served on numerous boards and commissions, including serving as chairman of the Judicial Nominating Commission in the administration of Georgia Governor Roy Barnes from 1999 to 2003.
In 1992, Darden became a member of the Board of Trustees for LaGrange College
in LaGrange, Georgia
. In 2002, Darden was named Chairman of the Board of Trustees, and served as Chairman for five years. He retired as Chair in 2007. In recognition of his service to the college, LaGrange College conferred on him an honorary Doctor of Laws degree on May 19, 2007. Darden was the commencement speaker at the graduation ceremony during which he was honored.
Since 1995, Darden has been a partner in the Atlanta law firm of McKenna, Long, and Aldridge, and he currently resides in Marietta, Georgia
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
politician and lawyer.
Early life
Darden was born in Hancock County, GeorgiaHancock County, Georgia
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 10,076 people, 3,237 households, and 2,311 families residing in the county. The population density was 21 people per square mile . There were 4,287 housing units at an average density of 9 per square mile...
and graduated from Sparta High School in Sparta, Georgia
Sparta, Georgia
Sparta is a country town in Hancock County, Georgia, United States. The population was 1,265 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Hancock County...
in 1961. He earned his Bachelor of Arts
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
(A.B.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
) at the University of Georgia
University of Georgia
The University of Georgia is a public research university located in Athens, Georgia, United States. Founded in 1785, it is the oldest and largest of the state's institutions of higher learning and is one of multiple schools to claim the title of the oldest public university in the United States...
(UGA) in Athens
Athens, Georgia
Athens-Clarke County is a consolidated city–county in U.S. state of Georgia, in the northeastern part of the state, comprising the former City of Athens proper and Clarke County. The University of Georgia is located in this college town and is responsible for the initial growth of the city...
in 1965 and his Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
from the UGA School of Law
University of Georgia School of Law
The University of Georgia School of Law is a graduate school of the University of Georgia. Founded in 1859 and located in Athens, Georgia, USA, Georgia Law was formerly known as the Lumpkin School of Law. The Law School is the second oldest of the University's schools and colleges. The University...
in 1967. He received many honors and awards while a student, including being elected President of the Student Body.
Personal
Darden was married to the former Lillian Budd (b. May 15, 1945) on February 18, 1968, and has two children, Lillian Christine (b. December 17, 1971; now Christine Darden Brennan) and George Washington IV (b. August 7, 1974).Career
Upon graduation from law school, Darden was employed in the office of the District Attorney of Cobb County, GeorgiaCobb County, Georgia
Cobb County is a county located in the U.S. state of Georgia. Its county seat and largest city is Marietta, which is located in the center of the county. The county was named for Thomas Willis Cobb, who in the early 19th century was a United States representative and senator from Georgia...
. After serving as assistant district attorney in Cobb County from 1968 to 1972, he was elected District Attorney and served from 1973 to 1977. Darden was elected to the Georgia House of Representatives
Georgia House of Representatives
The Georgia House of Representatives is the lower house of the Georgia General Assembly of the U.S. state of Georgia.-Composition:...
as a Democrat
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
in 1980. He served in that body from 1981 until 1983.
Upon the sudden death of U.S. Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
Larry McDonald
Larry McDonald
Lawrence Patton McDonald, M.D. was an American politician and a member of the United States House of Representatives, representing the seventh congressional district of Georgia as a Democrat...
in the 1983 downing of Korean Air Flight 007
Korean Air Flight 007
Korean Air Lines Flight 007 was a Korean Air Lines civilian airliner that was shot down by Soviet interceptors on 1 September 1983, over the Sea of Japan, near Moneron Island just west of Sakhalin island...
, Darden resigned from the Georgia General Assembly
Georgia General Assembly
The Georgia General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is bicameral, being composed of the Georgia House of Representatives and the Georgia Senate....
after winning the special election to fill McDonald's seat for the remainder of the Ninety-eighth Congress. Darden was a moderately conservative Democrat though far more liberal than McDonald had been.
He was reelected to five more terms in that seat until losing his reelection bid in 1994 to Bob Barr
Bob Barr
Robert Laurence "Bob" Barr, Jr. is a former federal prosecutorand a former member of the United States House of Representatives. He represented Georgia's 7th congressional district as a Republican from 1995 to 2003. Barr attained national prominence as one of the leaders of the impeachment of...
. He was an unsuccessful candidate for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. House in 2002.
Post Congress
Since leaving Congress, Darden has served as a delegate to the Democratic National ConventionDemocratic National Convention
The Democratic National Convention is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 1852 national convention...
s in 1996
1996 Democratic National Convention
The 1996 Democratic National Convention of the was held at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois from August 26 to August 29, 1996. Incumbent Democrat Bill Clinton was renominated for President of United States.-Site selection:...
, 2000
2000 Democratic National Convention
The 2000 Democratic National Convention was a quadrennial presidential nominating convention for the Democratic Party. The convention nominated Vice President Al Gore as its candidate for President and Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman as its candidate for Vice President. The convention was held at...
and 2004
2004 Democratic National Convention
The 2004 Democratic National Convention convened from July 26 to July 29, 2004 at the FleetCenter in Boston, Massachusetts, and nominated John Kerry and John Edwards as the official candidates of the Democratic Party for President and Vice President of the United States, respectively, in the 2004...
. He has also served on numerous boards and commissions, including serving as chairman of the Judicial Nominating Commission in the administration of Georgia Governor Roy Barnes from 1999 to 2003.
In 1992, Darden became a member of the Board of Trustees for LaGrange College
LaGrange College
LaGrange College is the oldest private college in the U.S. state of Georgia. Affiliated with the United Methodist Church, it is located in LaGrange, Georgia, with an enrollment of about 1,000 students. The student-to-faculty ratio is 11:1...
in LaGrange, Georgia
LaGrange, Georgia
LaGrange is a city in Troup County, Georgia, United States. It is named after the country estate near Paris of the Marquis de La Fayette, who visited the area in 1825. The population was 24,998 at the 2000 census...
. In 2002, Darden was named Chairman of the Board of Trustees, and served as Chairman for five years. He retired as Chair in 2007. In recognition of his service to the college, LaGrange College conferred on him an honorary Doctor of Laws degree on May 19, 2007. Darden was the commencement speaker at the graduation ceremony during which he was honored.
Since 1995, Darden has been a partner in the Atlanta law firm of McKenna, Long, and Aldridge, and he currently resides in Marietta, Georgia
Marietta, Georgia
Marietta is a city located in central Cobb County, Georgia, United States, and is its county seat.As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 56,579, making it one of metro Atlanta's largest suburbs...
.