John A. Volpe
Encyclopedia
John Anthony Volpe (ˈvoʊlpi; December 8, 1908 – November 11, 1994) was the 61st and 63rd Governor of Massachusetts
and a U.S. Secretary of Transportation.
. He was the son of Italian
immigrants Vito and Filomena (Benedetto), who had come from Abruzzo
to Boston's North End
in 1905; his father was in the construction business. On June 18, 1934, Volpe married Jennie Benedetto, with whom he had two children, John, Jr. and Jean (m. Rotondi).
Volpe attended the Wentworth Institute (now Wentworth Institute of Technology
) in Boston and entered the construction business, building his own firm in 1930. During World War II
, he volunteered to serve stateside as a United States Navy
Seabee
s training officer.
, and in 1956 he was appointed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower
as the first administrator of the Federal Highway Administration
.
in 1960, and served from 1961 to 1963, before narrowly losing reelection in 1962 to Endicott Peabody
. In 1964, he ran for Governor again and won, and was re-elected in 1966 for the first four-year term in Massachusetts history.
During his administration, Governor Volpe signed legislation to ban racial imbalances in education
, reorganized the state's Board of Education
, liberalized birth control
laws, and increased public housing for low-income families. Governor Volpe also raised revenues by his long, and ultimately successful, fight to institute a three percent state sales tax. He served as President of the National Governor's Association from 1967 to 1968.
" candidate for the Republican presidential nomination. He was defeated in the state presidential primary by a spontaneous write-in campaign for New York
Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller. It was widely believed that he was hoping to be chosen as his party's candidate for Vice President.
. He resigned as Governor to assume the cabinet post, and served in that position from 1969 to 1973. During his administration as Secretary of Transportation, Amtrak
was created.
as United States Ambassador to Italy
, a position he held until 1977.
in Cambridge
was named in his memory, as well as the Governor John A. Volpe Library at Wakefield High School in Wakefield.
The papers of John A. Volpe are in the Archives and Special Collections of the Northeastern University Libraries, in Boston MA.
Governor of Massachusetts
The Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the executive magistrate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States. The current governor is Democrat Deval Patrick.-Constitutional role:...
and a U.S. Secretary of Transportation.
Early life and education
Volpe was born in 1908 in Wakefield, MassachusettsWakefield, Massachusetts
-History:-Geography:The diagram above shows what is to the east, west, north, south, and other directions of the center of Wakefield. Towns with population above 25,000 are in bold italics.-Demographics:-Notable residents:...
. He was the son of Italian
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
immigrants Vito and Filomena (Benedetto), who had come from Abruzzo
Abruzzo
Abruzzo is a region in Italy, its western border lying less than due east of Rome. Abruzzo borders the region of Marche to the north, Lazio to the west and south-west, Molise to the south-east, and the Adriatic Sea to the east...
to Boston's North End
North End, Boston, Massachusetts
The North End is a neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. It has the distinction of being the city's oldest residential community, where people have lived continuously since it was settled in the 1630s. Though small , the neighborhood has approximately 100 eating establishments, and a variety of...
in 1905; his father was in the construction business. On June 18, 1934, Volpe married Jennie Benedetto, with whom he had two children, John, Jr. and Jean (m. Rotondi).
Volpe attended the Wentworth Institute (now Wentworth Institute of Technology
Wentworth Institute of Technology
The Wentworth Institute of Technology is an independent, co-educational, technical design and engineering college located in Boston, Massachusetts...
) in Boston and entered the construction business, building his own firm in 1930. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he volunteered to serve stateside as a United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
Seabee
Seabee
Seabees are members of the United States Navy construction battalions. The word Seabee is a proper noun that comes from the initials of Construction Battalion, of the United States Navy...
s training officer.
Early career
In 1953, he was appointed as the Massachusetts Commissioner of Public WorksPublic works
Public works are a broad category of projects, financed and constructed by the government, for recreational, employment, and health and safety uses in the greater community...
, and in 1956 he was appointed by President Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight D. Eisenhower
Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower was the 34th President of the United States, from 1953 until 1961. He was a five-star general in the United States Army...
as the first administrator of the Federal Highway Administration
Federal Highway Administration
The Federal Highway Administration is a division of the United States Department of Transportation that specializes in highway transportation. The agency's major activities are grouped into two "programs," the Federal-aid Highway Program and the Federal Lands Highway Program...
.
Governor of Massachusetts
He was elected Governor of MassachusettsGovernor of Massachusetts
The Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts is the executive magistrate of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, United States. The current governor is Democrat Deval Patrick.-Constitutional role:...
in 1960, and served from 1961 to 1963, before narrowly losing reelection in 1962 to Endicott Peabody
Endicott Peabody
Endicott "Chub" Peabody was the 62nd Governor of Massachusetts from January 3, 1963 to January 7, 1965.-Early life:...
. In 1964, he ran for Governor again and won, and was re-elected in 1966 for the first four-year term in Massachusetts history.
During his administration, Governor Volpe signed legislation to ban racial imbalances in education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
, reorganized the state's Board of Education
Board of education
A board of education or a school board or school committee is the title of the board of directors or board of trustees of a school, local school district or higher administrative level....
, liberalized birth control
Birth control
Birth control is an umbrella term for several techniques and methods used to prevent fertilization or to interrupt pregnancy at various stages. Birth control techniques and methods include contraception , contragestion and abortion...
laws, and increased public housing for low-income families. Governor Volpe also raised revenues by his long, and ultimately successful, fight to institute a three percent state sales tax. He served as President of the National Governor's Association from 1967 to 1968.
Presidential campaign
In 1968, Governor Volpe ran unsuccessfully as a "Favorite sonFavorite son
A favorite son is a political term.*At the quadrennial American national political party conventions, a state delegation sometimes nominates and votes for a candidate from the state, or less often from the state's region, who is not a viable candidate...
" candidate for the Republican presidential nomination. He was defeated in the state presidential primary by a spontaneous write-in campaign for New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
Governor Nelson A. Rockefeller. It was widely believed that he was hoping to be chosen as his party's candidate for Vice President.
Secretary of Transportation
Following the election of Richard M. Nixon, Volpe was named Secretary of TransportationUnited States Secretary of Transportation
The United States Secretary of Transportation is the head of the United States Department of Transportation, a member of the President's Cabinet, and fourteenth in the Presidential line of succession. The post was created with the formation of the Department of Transportation on October 15, 1966,...
. He resigned as Governor to assume the cabinet post, and served in that position from 1969 to 1973. During his administration as Secretary of Transportation, Amtrak
Amtrak
The National Railroad Passenger Corporation, doing business as Amtrak , is a government-owned corporation that was organized on May 1, 1971, to provide intercity passenger train service in the United States. "Amtrak" is a portmanteau of the words "America" and "track". It is headquartered at Union...
was created.
Ambassador
In 1973, Volpe was nominated by President Nixon and confirmed by the United States SenateUnited States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
as United States Ambassador to Italy
United States Ambassador to Italy
Since 1840, the United States has had diplomatic representation in the Italian Republic and its predecessor nation, the Kingdom of Italy, with a break in relations from 1941 to 1944 while Italy and the U.S. were at war during World War II. The U.S. Mission to Italy is headed by the Embassy of the...
, a position he held until 1977.
Death and legacy
Governor Volpe died in 1994, and is buried in Forest Glade Cemetery in Wakefield. The John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems CenterJohn A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center
The John A. Volpe National Transportation Systems Center or simply Volpe Center in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is a center of transportation and logistics expertise, operating under the United States Department of Transportation....
in Cambridge
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
was named in his memory, as well as the Governor John A. Volpe Library at Wakefield High School in Wakefield.
The papers of John A. Volpe are in the Archives and Special Collections of the Northeastern University Libraries, in Boston MA.
External links
- Official Commonwealth of Massachusetts Governor Biography
- The John A. Volpe papers, 1943-1983 are located in the Northeastern University Libraries, Archives and Special Collections Department, Boston, MA.