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Robert Allan Shivers (October 5, 1907 – January 14, 1985) was an American politician who served as the 37th governor of Texas from 1949 to 1957. Shivers was a leader of the Texas Democratic Party during the turbulent 1940s and 1950s and developed the lieutenant governor's post into an extremely powerful perch in the state government.

Key Information

Early life and career

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Born in Lufkin, the seat of Angelina County in East Texas, Shivers was educated at the University of Texas at Austin and earned a law degree in 1933. There, he was a member of the Texas Cowboys and the Friar Society, and he served as the student body president.

In 1934, he was elected to the Texas State Senate, its youngest member ever. He served there from 1934 to 1946, except for two years' service in the US Army during World War II from which he was discharged with the rank of major.

Lieutenant governor

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In 1946, he was elected as the 33rd lieutenant governor of Texas by defeating the Republican nominee, John A. Donaldson, in a landslide margin, with Shivers garnering 344,630 votes (91.54%) to Donaldson's 31,835 votes (8.46%). Shivers was re-elected in 1948 by garnering 1,050,163 votes (87.47%) to the Republican Taylor Cole's 143,887 votes (11.98%).

He is credited with developing the "ideas, practices, and techniques of leadership" that made the office the most powerful post in Texas government although the governor's powers are limited by the state constitution more than in other states.

In office, Shivers initiated the practice of appointing state senators to specific committees and setting the daily agenda. Later, the Senate passed a right-to-work law, reorganized the public school system with the Gilmer-Akin laws, appropriated funds for higher education including the Texas State University for Negroes (now Texas Southern University), and provided money for improvements of state hospitals and highways.

Governor

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Electoral history

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When Governor Beauford Jester died on July 11, 1949, Shivers succeeded him, the only lieutenant governor in Texas history who has gained the governor's office by the death of his predecessor. In 1950, Shivers won election as governor in his own right by defeating Republican Ralph W. Currie. There were 355,010 votes (89.93%) for the incumbent governor, and Currie garnered 39,737 votes (10.07%)

In 1952, Shivers proved so popular that he was listed on the gubernatorial ballot as the nominee of both the Democratic and Republican parties (Democrat Shivers handily defeated Republican Shivers). Between both parties, Shivers garnered 1,844,530 votes (98.05%) to "No Preference" getting 36,672 votes (1.95%). Texas law was later changed to remove the "No Preference" option.

Shivers then set the three-term precedent by running again and winning in 1954. He garnered 569,533 votes (89.42%) to the Republican Tod R. Adams's 66,154 votes (10.39%).

Governor of Texas

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The Shivercrats were a conservative faction of the Democratic Party in Texas in the 1950s. The faction was named for Shivers, who was criticized by liberals in the party, particularly Ralph Yarborough, for his corruption and conservatism.

Shivers supported Republican presidential nominee Dwight Eisenhower instead of Democratic nominee Adlai Stevenson II during the 1952 election.[1]

Corruption during the Shivers administration damaged his reputation and endangered his chances of re-election in 1954. Land Office Commissioner Bascom Giles was convicted of committing rampant fraud against Texas war veterans, with a disproportionate number of African-American veterans in particular, by a veterans land program under the Texas Veterans Land Board of the Texas General Land Office. Giles was the only member of the Shivers administration to go to prison, but Shivers and the state attorney general, John Ben Shepperd, as ex officio members of the Veterans Land Board, were implicated in the scandal, which occurred under their watch.

The Shivercrats responded with a vicious negative campaign that tried to paint the party liberals as communists. Shivers also urged the Texas Legislature to pass a bill making membership in the Communist Party a death-penalty offense and described such membership as being "worse than murder."[2][3][4] However, a less extreme version of the proposition finally passed both Houses.[5][6]

In 1956, Shivers ordered Captain Jay Banks of the Texas Ranger Division to block "desegregation of Mansfield High School in Tarrant County."[7] The Mansfield school desegregation incident was the first state action resisting enforcement of the nationwide integration of public schools ordered by the US Supreme Court in Brown v. Board of Education (1954).[8]

Lyndon Johnson at first aligned himself with the Shivercrats, including John Connally, but after becoming president, Johnson increasingly sided with Yarborough and the liberals on policy matters. Most of the Shivercrats either left public life or became Republicans after Johnson's presidency, as the liberal-moderate faction was in firm control of the state party after 1970.

Segregation and resistance to integration

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Shivers was anti-integration and used the office of the governor to resist legally-mandated integration in Texas. After the US Supreme Court decision ending the "separate but equal" doctrine in Brown v. Board of Education (1954), Shivers on July 27, 1955, appointed a committee, the Texas Advisory Committee on Segregation in Public Schools.[9][10] The charge of this committee was to "[e]xamine three major problems and present recommendations leading to their solution. The problems are: (1) The prevention of forced integration. (2) The achievement of maximum decentralization of school authority. (3) The ways in which the State government may best assist the local school districts in solving their problems."[9] The committee members were State Senator A.M. Aiken, Jr., Earnest. E. Sanders, Mrs. Joe Fisher, J.V. Hammett, Charles Howell, Will Crews Morris, and Houston attorney, Hall E. Timanus.[9] A legal and legislative subcommittee of the Texas Advisory Committee on Segregation in Public Schools produced a 58-page report on August 18, 1955, detailing among other ideas ways that Texas schools could resist integration and the framework for ending compulsory public school attendance for those parents who did not want their children to attend integrated schools.[9]

The recommendations of the committee were used as justification for Shivers's state actions in resisting integration, such as the Mansfield School Desegregation Incident.[citation needed]

Miscellaneous

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Shivers appeared as himself in the 1955 film Lucy Gallant starring Jane Wyman and Charlton Heston. Shivers previously held the record for longest continuous service as Texas governor at 7.5 years until June 2008, when Rick Perry surpassed Shivers's record for continuous service. (Bill Clements initially broke Shivers's total service record by serving eight years over two nonconsecutive terms; Perry later surpassed that record, as well.) Both Shivers and Perry are the only two Texas governors to have been inaugurated four times.

Shivers disputed the Truman administration's claim on the Tidelands and disapproved of Truman's veto that would have vested tideland ownership in the states. Bucking the tradition of the "Solid South", Shivers delivered Texas in the 1952 presidential election for Dwight D. Eisenhower, only the second time that Texas had supported a Republican for president since Reconstruction (the other was 1928). The state Republican Party reciprocated by nominating Shivers for governor and so ran as the nominee of both parties. Shivers is believed to have lost popularity with some voters over his disloyalty to the Democratic Party. He also became less popular because of his opposition to Brown and his link to the Veterans' Land Board scandal.

Shivers helped enact laws raising teacher salaries and granting retirement benefits to state employees.

Later career

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Shivers did not seek a fourth term in the 1956 elections. He retired from politics on January 15, 1957, and went into business.

In 1973, Democratic governor Preston Smith appointed Shivers to the University of Texas Board of Regents. In January 1975, he was elected as chairman of the board and served for four years.[11] He donated his Austin home, Woodlawn, the historic Pease mansion, to the university to help raise funds for its law school.

In 1980, Shivers was instrumental in securing a $5 million grant for the UT Austin Moody College of Communication, which soon established an endowed chair of journalism in his honor.

Finally, he served as a member of the University of Texas Centennial Commission, which oversaw the 100th-anniversary celebration of the university's founding in 1883.

Death

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Allan Shivers monument at Texas State Cemetery in Austin

Shivers died suddenly of a massive heart attack in Austin on January 14, 1985.

Electoral history

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Gubernatorial election in Texas, 1950[12][13]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Allan Shivers 829,730 76.36%
Democratic Caso March 195,997 18.04%
Democratic Charles B. Hutchison 16,048 1.48%
Democratic Gene S. Porter 14,728 1.36%
Democratic J. M. Wren 14,138 1.30%
Democratic Benita Louise Marek Lawrence 9,542 0.88%
Democratic Wellington Abbey 6,381 0.59%
Total votes 1,086,564 100.00%
General election
Democratic Allan Shivers 355,010 89.93%
Republican Ralph W. Currie 39,737 10.07%
Total votes 394,747 100.00%
Gubernatorial election in Texas, 1952[14][15]
Primary election
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Allan Shivers (incumbent) 833,861 61.48%
Democratic Ralph Yarborough 488,345 36.00%
Democratic Allene M. Traylor 34,186 2.52%
Total votes 1,356,392 100.00%
General election
Democratic Allan Shivers (incumbent) 1,375,547 73.12%
Republican Allan Shivers (incumbent) 468,319 24.89%
No party Allan Shivers (incumbent) 664 0.04%
Total Allan Shivers (incumbent) 1,844,530 98.05%
Write-in 36,672 1.95%
Total votes 1,881,202 100.00%
Gubernatorial Democratic primary in Texas, 1954[16]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Allan Shivers (incumbent) 668,913 49.52%
Democratic Ralph Yarborough 645,994 47.83%
Democratic J. J. Holmes 19,591 1.45%
Democratic Arlon B. Davis 16,254 1.20%
Total votes 1,350,752 100.00%
Gubernatorial Democratic primary runoff in Texas, 1954[17]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Allan Shivers (incumbent) 775,088 53.15%
Democratic Ralph Yarborough 683,132 46.85%
Total votes 1,458,220 100.00%
Gubernatorial general election in Texas, 1954[18]
Party Candidate Votes %
Democratic Allan Shivers (incumbent) 569,533 89.42%
Republican Tod R. Adams 66,154 10.39%
Write-in 1,205 0.19%
Total votes 636,892 100.00%

See also

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References

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Works cited

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Bibliography

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Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Allan Shivers

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from Grokipedia

Robert Allan Shivers (October 5, 1907 – January 14, 1985) was an American politician and lawyer who served as the 37th governor of Texas from July 11, 1949, to January 15, 1957. Born in Lufkin, Texas, Shivers earned degrees from the University of Texas and practiced law before entering politics, where he ascended from the state legislature to lieutenant governor in 1947, succeeding to the governorship upon the death of Beauford Jester. As governor, Shivers spearheaded reforms that modernized state government, including the establishment of the for bill research and drafting and the Legislative Budget Board for fiscal oversight; he also enacted the Gilmer-Aikin Laws reorganizing public schools, imposed a tax to fund expansions in , hospitals, and highways, passed a , mandated safety inspections for industries, and allowed women to serve on juries. A staunch defender of , he successfully advocated for 's ownership of tidelands—submerged coastal areas rich in oil—against federal claims under President Truman, with affirming state control in 1953, thereby bolstering state revenues and economic growth. Shivers broke ranks with the national Democratic Party by campaigning for Republican in the 1952 presidential election, helping deliver 's electoral votes and foreshadowing the state's . Shivers's tenure included controversies, particularly his opposition to the U.S. Supreme Court's ruling mandating school desegregation; in 1956, he deployed the Texas Rangers to Mansfield High School to enforce local segregation policies and prevent Black students from enrolling, defying a federal court order amid public unrest. Although his administration weathered scandals involving insurance and the Veterans' Land Board—none implicating Shivers personally—his leadership emphasized and infrastructural development, contributing to Texas's postwar prosperity before he retired to private business and later served on the University of Texas Board of Regents.

Early Life and Education

Family Background and Upbringing

Robert Allan Shivers was born on October 5, 1907, in Lufkin, , to Robert Andrew Shivers and Easter Creasy Shivers. His family originated from pioneer settlers in , reflecting a rural, agrarian heritage typical of the region's early 20th-century demographics. The Shivers family resided initially in Lufkin but soon relocated to Magnolia Hills, their homestead near Woodville in , where young Allan spent much of his formative years amid modest rural surroundings. Economic constraints marked the household, as the family navigated the challenges of life, including limited resources that instilled a strong work ethic in Shivers from an early age. He attended local schools in Woodville before the family moved to Port Arthur, , during his adolescence, exposing him to the industrializing Gulf Coast environment. As a youth, Shivers contributed to family support through odd jobs, such as manual labor in the timber and oil-adjacent economy of , which shaped his pragmatic outlook and appreciation for self-reliance. These experiences in a working-class setting, far from urban privilege, fostered resilience amid the hardships preceding the , without notable formal privileges or elite connections in his immediate upbringing. Shivers graduated from Port Arthur High School in 1924. He briefly attended Port Arthur College the following year before withdrawing to take employment in the local oil fields as a , reflecting the economic pressures of his family's circumstances during that period. In 1927, Shivers enrolled at the , initially pursuing studies toward a but temporarily leaving after his first year due to financial constraints before resuming his . He completed a degree in 1931 and, notably, passed the state that same year without yet holding a formal . Shivers then obtained his (LL.B.) from the University of Texas School of Law in 1933, enabling him to formally enter legal practice. This sequence—bar admission preceding the LL.B. degree—was permissible under Texas requirements at the time, which emphasized practical examination over strict degree prerequisites, allowing Shivers to begin professional work in Port Arthur shortly after his undergraduate graduation. His legal preparation thus combined academic rigor at a leading state institution with early admission to the bar, positioning him for subsequent entry into .

Political Ascendancy

State Senate Tenure

Shivers was elected to the State Senate in 1934 as a Democrat, entering office on , 1935, at the age of 27 and becoming the youngest senator in state history. His tenure lasted until January 14, 1947, spanning the 44th through 50th legislatures and representing counties including Jefferson, where his Port Arthur roots provided a base in oil and industrial interests. During this period, he established a reputation as a fiscal conservative and advocate for business-friendly policies, often aligning against expansive government interventions reminiscent of federal programs. Shivers' legislative focus included regulatory matters such as liquor control, where he addressed enforcement challenges amid post-Prohibition adjustments, and pari-mutuel betting, which he opposed as part of broader resistance to legalized expansions. He navigated influence from lobbyists representing oil, labor, and other sectors, using these interactions to advance pro-industry positions while critiquing undue special interests. His service was interrupted by military duty in the U.S. Army, attaining the rank of major through campaigns in , , , and from approximately 1942 to 1945. By the mid-1940s, Shivers had critiqued Governor James V. Allred's progressive policies and collaborated under populist Governor , honing skills in legislative deal-making that positioned him for higher office. His files document engagement with bills on state finances, , and local , reflecting a pragmatic approach to ' postwar economic priorities without endorsing unchecked spending. This record solidified his leadership in the conservative Democratic faction, paving the way for his successful 1946 campaign for .

Lieutenant Governorship

Shivers was elected in November 1946, defeating Republican nominee John A. Donaldson, and took office on January 21, 1947. He was reelected in 1948, serving through the 50th and 51st Texas Legislatures until July 11, 1949. As and presiding officer of the , Shivers introduced procedural reforms that centralized authority and improved efficiency, including the initiation of appointing senators to specific standing committees and establishing a daily legislative agenda. These changes marked a departure from prior decentralized practices, aligning the Senate more closely with contemporary legislative operations in other states and enhancing Shivers' influence over the body's workflow. Shivers' tenure ended abruptly on July 11, 1949, when Beauford H. Jester died in office during a fishing trip in Kerr County, prompting Shivers to ascend to the governorship as required by the Texas Constitution.

Governorship

Ascension to Office and First Term

Allan Shivers ascended to the governorship of upon the sudden death of Beauford H. Jester on July 11, 1949, while Jester was traveling by train from Austin to Galveston. As the sitting , elected in 1946 and reelected in 1948, Shivers was immediately sworn in as on the same day, assuming the office without an interim vacancy under the Texas Constitution's line of succession. He thereby completed the remainder of Jester's term, which extended to January 15, 1951. During his initial period in office, spanning the end of 1949 through 1951, Shivers focused on administrative efficiency and fiscal expansion to address postwar state needs. He championed the establishment of the Legislative Budget Board and to enhance budgeting oversight and bill drafting processes, marking early steps toward government modernization. To fund these priorities, Shivers supported targeted tax increases, including a new levy on production, which helped cover escalating expenditures for infrastructure and services. Appropriations rose notably for state hospitals, highway construction and maintenance, and higher education institutions, such as increased funding for Texas State University for Negroes (now ). Shivers also advanced social and public safety measures in this phase. He secured legislative boosts to salaries and programs for the elderly, alongside expansions in state employee retirement benefits. The 51st , convened in 1951 under his influence, completed congressional —the first in three decades—and passed laws mandating vehicle safety inspections and establishing driver responsibility standards to improve road safety. These actions laid groundwork for Shivers' subsequent electoral mandate, as he campaigned successfully for a full term in November 1950.

Electoral Victories and Political Alliances

Shivers secured his first full term as in the , , , defeating Republican nominee Ralph W. Currie with 89.93 percent of the vote in a landslide victory that reflected strong Democratic dominance in at the time. In the 1952 Democratic primary, he prevailed over liberal challenger , who appealed to organized labor and urban voters but could not overcome Shivers's conservative base and incumbency advantages. The general saw minimal Republican opposition, as the state GOP endorsed Shivers and other Democrats to maximize support for presidential candidate ; Shivers won overwhelmingly, effectively running on both party tickets in a strategic alignment to aid the Republican national ticket. These victories solidified Shivers's control over Texas Democrats, but they also highlighted his growing rift with the national party. He led the "Shivercrats," a faction of conservative Democrats who prioritized and economic conservatism over loyalty to national leadership, culminating in their endorsement of Eisenhower over Adlai Stevenson in the 1952 presidential race. This alliance delivered 's electoral votes to the Republican Eisenhower—the first time since Reconstruction—despite Shivers remaining a Democrat, and it facilitated federal concessions on issues like the tidelands oil dispute. In 1954, facing renewed liberal opposition in the Democratic primary, Shivers won a runoff by nearly 100,000 votes against Shudde Fath and other challengers aligned with national party figures, then secured 89.3 percent in the general election against Republican Tod R. Adams. These results underscored the Shivercrat dominance within Texas, though tensions with national Democrats persisted, foreshadowing intraparty conflicts.

Economic Expansion and Infrastructure Initiatives

During Shivers's tenure as governor from 1949 to 1957, Texas underwent substantial post-World War II , fueled by booming oil production, industrial diversification, and that increased the state's gross product significantly amid national recovery trends. This period saw and agriculture thrive, with state revenues enabling investments in modernization despite initial fiscal constraints. A cornerstone of infrastructure development was the expansion of the state's system, including farm-to-market roads designed to link rural producers to urban markets and reduce transportation bottlenecks for agricultural goods. By 1953, had invested $244 million in these roads, positioning the state as a national leader in rural connectivity and supporting economic efficiency in farming regions. Shivers advocated for continued funding and construction, addressing financial challenges through legislative proposals that prioritized highway commissions' role in planning and execution. In 1954, Shivers proposed comprehensive highway improvements to the , incorporating safety inspections, driver responsibility laws, and bridge enhancements to accommodate rising vehicular traffic from economic activity. These initiatives, backed by tax expansions—the first major increases in sixteen years—facilitated broader state service growth, including roads that underpinned commerce and preempted federal interstate developments. Overall, such projects enhanced Texas's logistical capacity, directly contributing to industrial and agricultural output during a decade of rapid .

Fiscal Reforms and Government Modernization

During Shivers' administration, Texas addressed fiscal challenges through targeted tax expansions to fund growing state demands without resorting to deficit spending. In a 1949 special legislative session shortly after his ascension to the governorship, the first major tax increases in 16 years were enacted, including new consumer levies, to provide revenue for colleges, hospitals, and other essential services amid post-war funding shortfalls. These measures enabled augmented appropriations for eleemosynary institutions, retirement benefits, aid to the elderly, teacher salaries, and road and bridge improvements. In 1953, a tax on natural gas production was levied, generating funds for highways, public universities, and mental health facilities while helping cover rising expenditures. Overall, state spending more than doubled to $805.7 million by the end of his tenure, yet budgets remained balanced through prudent revenue management and moderate tax policies. Shivers advanced government modernization by championing structural reforms that enhanced legislative oversight and efficiency. He supported the establishment of the Texas Legislative Council, tasked with researching policy issues and drafting bills, and the Legislative Budget Board, responsible for preparing the biennial state for legislative consideration. These bodies shifted greater control of fiscal planning from executive agencies to the legislature, streamlining the budgeting process and improving informed decision-making on state priorities. Additionally, in 1951, legislative occurred for the first time in 30 years, aligning representation with population shifts and modernizing electoral structures.

Defense of States' Rights and Tidelands Dispute

Shivers championed as a core principle of his governorship, arguing that excessive federal authority undermined local sovereignty and the original intent of American federalism. He positioned as a bulwark against what he saw as Washington overreach, particularly in resource control and economic matters, emphasizing that states retained inherent powers not explicitly delegated to the federal government. This stance aligned with his broader political philosophy, which prioritized state-level decision-making to protect regional interests from centralized mandates. The tidelands dispute exemplified Shivers' commitment, centering on Texas's claim to approximately 2.4 million acres of oil-rich submerged lands in the Gulf of Mexico extending three leagues (roughly 10.35 miles) offshore, rights reserved to the state upon annexation in 1845 and affirmed in historical boundaries. Post-World War II oil discoveries intensified federal assertions of ownership, culminating in U.S. Supreme Court rulings, including United States v. Texas (1950), that upheld federal paramountcy over these submerged areas beyond traditional state limits. Shivers vehemently opposed the Truman administration's position, criticizing its veto of legislation that would have confirmed state titles and framing the conflict as an unconstitutional encroachment on Texas's longstanding property rights. In the 1952 presidential campaign, Shivers elevated the issue nationally, endorsing Dwight D. Eisenhower after securing the candidate's pledge to support state tidelands claims, a move that fractured Texas Democrats and delivered the state's electoral votes to the Republican. This alignment proved pivotal; following Eisenhower's victory, Congress passed the Submerged Lands Act on May 22, 1953, which the president signed, restoring ownership to coastal states within their historic boundaries and validating Texas's three-league claim. Shivers played a key role in lobbying for the bill's passage, viewing its success as a vindication of states' rights and a safeguard for Texas's economic future through offshore oil revenues, which bolstered public school funding and state coffers. The resolution marked a rare legislative check on federal judicial expansion, reinforcing Shivers' reputation as a defender of state autonomy.

Labor Policies and Pro-Business Stance

During his tenure as from 1946 to 1949, Shivers supported the enactment of Texas's on March 3, 1947, which banned compulsory union membership or dues payments as a condition of employment, thereby limiting union power and appealing to business interests seeking a flexible labor market. As governor from 1949 to 1957, he maintained this framework, resisting efforts by organized labor, including the (CIO), to expand unionization in industries like oil refining and , where organizing drives faced legal and rhetorical opposition. Shivers' administration leveraged anti-communist legislation, such as Texas's 1951 laws prohibiting membership and subversive activities, to scrutinize and restrict union activities perceived as radical, framing certain strikes as influenced by external agitators rather than legitimate worker grievances. Shivers responded to labor unrest by deploying state resources to protect business operations, as seen in his escalation of disputes like Gulf Coast dock and refinery strikes in the early , where he publicly condemned union tactics and invoked communist threats to justify intervention, aligning with broader Southern resistance to federal labor protections under the Taft-Hartley Act. This approach contributed to Texas's low unionization rates, with organized labor representing less than 10% of the non-agricultural workforce by the mid-, fostering an environment conducive to industrial expansion without mandatory . Complementing these labor restrictions, Shivers pursued pro- measures to stimulate , including investments in highways and bridges funded by targeted tax hikes, such as the 1951 natural gas severance tax, which generated revenue for state improvements benefiting logistics and energy sectors. His administration established the Legislative Budget Board and in 1949, professionalizing fiscal planning to ensure predictable government operations attractive to investors, while avoiding broad taxes that might deter business relocation. These policies coincided with Texas's postwar boom, drawing oil, , and manufacturing firms through low-regulation incentives and right-to-work advantages, with the state's gross product rising over 50% during his governorship. Shivers' later role as president of the U.S. from 1960 to 1961 underscored his enduring commitment to free enterprise principles.

Education Funding and Social Welfare Advances

During Shivers' governorship, Texas implemented reforms from the 1949 Gilmer-Aikin Laws, which reorganized the public school system by establishing a centralized framework under the , guaranteeing students a minimum of 175 instructional days per year for twelve grades, and introducing a Minimum Foundation Program to equalize funding across districts based on property-poor areas' needs. These measures, supported by Shivers as presiding officer of the during passage and as during rollout, raised salaries via a state minimum schedule and extended average school terms from around 160 to 175 days, funded partly by state equalization grants that supplemented local revenues. Shivers' administrations further augmented appropriations for public , including targeted increases for pay and higher education institutions, amid overall state spending that more than doubled to $805.7 million by 1956. In social welfare, Shivers prioritized expansions financed by new revenue measures, such as a levy on production to address escalating state costs. This enabled augmented funding for eleemosynary institutions, including state hospitals and facilities, alongside enhanced retirement benefits for state employees and direct aid programs for the elderly. Appropriations for services and welfare institutions rose substantially, reflecting Shivers' push for tax increases to sustain service growth without federal overreach, though these efforts maintained Texas' emphasis on intervention compared to national expansions. Such policies improved institutional capacities, with hospital funding specifically increased to handle postwar population pressures, while avoiding expansive entitlement programs that might strain .

Federalism Conflicts Over Civil Rights and Integration

Shivers, a proponent of , viewed federal judicial interventions in education as encroachments on local sovereignty, particularly following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision on May 17, 1954, which declared segregated public schools unconstitutional. He denounced the ruling as an "unwarranted invasion of state's rights" during his 1954 reelection campaign, adopting a Democratic platform that emphasized Texas's authority to manage its own school policies without federal dictation. In July , Shivers appointed a 40-member state committee to evaluate the implications of Brown and its 1955 follow-up (Brown II), aiming to devise strategies for compliance that preserved local control and delayed rapid desegregation amid anticipated social unrest. The most prominent clash occurred in the of 1956, where a federal district court ordered the Mansfield Independent School District on August 30 to admit three Black students—excluding one named in the suit—to Mansfield High School, effective immediately, to initiate integration. White residents mobilized in protest, forming mobs that blocked the students' access and burned effigies, prompting Shivers to dispatch six Texas Rangers on August 31 with instructions to maintain order, transport any students "white or colored" whose attendance threatened peace, and effectively prevent the court-ordered integration by upholding the district's segregated . Shivers justified the deployment as necessary to avert violence, framing it as an exercise of state police powers against federal overreach, and later described it as "" in defying the while coordinating with local authorities. This action highlighted the tension, as Shivers prioritized state enforcement of segregationist policies over federal mandates, warning that forced mixing would provoke inevitable racial conflict. Shivers's positions extended to national politics, where he broke with the Democratic Party over civil rights planks emphasizing federal enforcement. At the 1956 Democratic National Convention, he led a walkout of southern delegates protesting the platform's integration language, further aligning with Republican Dwight D. Eisenhower—whom he had supported in 1952—while opposing expansive federal civil rights legislation. In 1957, as a former governor, Shivers contributed to diluting the Civil Rights Act by aiding southern Democrats in weakening provisions for federal intervention against voting discrimination, reinforcing his view that such matters belonged to state jurisdiction rather than centralized authority. These stances underscored his broader federalism doctrine, which subordinated national uniformity in civil rights to decentralized governance, often preserving de facto segregation in Texas public institutions through the mid-1950s.

Border Security and International Relations

Shivers' administration emphasized economic cooperation with over rigorous border enforcement, reflecting Texas's dependence on cross-border labor for and industry. The federal , initiated in 1942, facilitated the entry of hundreds of thousands of temporary Mexican workers annually to Texas farms, with state officials under Shivers advocating for its continuation to meet labor shortages post-World War II. Shivers himself, as a owner, employed undocumented Mexican workers, drawing criticism for exploiting low-wage labor while defending such practices as essential to the state's economy. The Good Neighbor Commission, established in to promote goodwill, combat against , and coordinate migrant services like clinics and along the , operated actively during Shivers' tenure to mitigate tensions arising from labor flows and cultural frictions. Under his oversight, the commission pursued moderate policies, engaging Mexican officials on issues such as worker and to balance federal restrictions with Texas's labor demands, thereby prioritizing bilateral . Border security efforts remained primarily federal, with limited state intervention. In 1954, amid the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service's —which deported over 1 million undocumented immigrants, mostly Mexicans—Shivers was briefed by federal authorities but offered no Texas Rangers or other state resources, instead issuing a polite acknowledgment that underscored a hands-off approach favoring agricultural interests over mass enforcement. This stance aligned with broader patterns in , where local economies benefited from porous borders, though it drew scrutiny for potentially undermining federal control.

Post-Governorship

Private Sector Engagements

Following his departure from the governorship in 1957, Shivers relocated to Mission in the Rio Grande Valley and assumed active management of extensive family agricultural and holdings inherited by his wife, Marialice, from her uncle John H. Shary, a pioneering developer of the region's industry. These enterprises encompassed citrus groves, nurseries, canneries, farms, ranches, and substantial portfolios, with Shivers serving as general manager of the John H. Shary Estate. He described his principal occupation during this period as investments, supplemented by his background as a , , and rancher. Shivers also held executive positions in the financial sector, including seats on the boards of directors—or as chairman—for multiple banks, companies, and corporations, leveraging his political connections and to influence regional economic activities. These roles underscored his transition to private enterprise, where he prioritized and over , maintaining a low political profile while sustaining personal wealth through diversified holdings in agriculture and finance.

Institutional Leadership and Influence

Following his tenure as , Shivers assumed the presidency of the from 1967 to 1969, during which he advocated for policies favoring business expansion and limited government intervention in the economy. In this role, he criticized excessive federal regulatory burdens, as evidenced by his 1967 public condemnation of the Foreign Relations Committee's rejection of certain Johnson administration foreign investment proposals, emphasizing the need for streamlined mechanisms to bolster American enterprise. He also served as chairman of the advisory board of the Export-Import Bank of the for a period in the late 1960s, influencing recommendations on export financing to support U.S. competitiveness abroad. In 1973, Shivers was appointed to a six-year term on the Board of Regents of by Governor , reflecting his enduring stature in political and educational circles. Elected chairman in January 1975, he led the board until 1979, exerting significant influence over institutional governance and leadership appointments. During his chairmanship, Shivers played a key role in selecting new presidents for the and , prioritizing administrators aligned with and academic excellence amid expanding state higher education demands. As chairman of the Executive Committee of the of Governing Boards, he emerged as a national spokesman for public higher education, advocating for from federal overreach and based on merit rather than political quotas. Shivers's post-gubernatorial positions amplified his conservative influence on policy discourse, bridging business, education, and without direct electoral power. His regency service, in particular, underscored a commitment to institutional integrity, earning him honorary Doctor of Laws degrees from institutions including and in recognition of his contributions to higher education. These roles sustained his legacy as a defender of and market-oriented governance into the 1970s and beyond.

Personal Life, Death, and Legacy

Family Dynamics and Health Challenges

Shivers married Marialice Shary, daughter of prominent Rio Grande Valley businessman John H. Shary, in 1937. The union connected Shivers to substantial enterprises in , , banking, and , which he began managing after 1945 while advancing his political career. The couple raised four children—three sons and one daughter—in a stable household that resided primarily at the during Shivers' tenure from 1949 to 1957. Post-governorship, Shivers actively oversaw the inherited Shary businesses alongside his wife, reflecting a oriented toward legacy and economic stewardship rather than public discord. No notable family conflicts or separations emerged in public records, with the marriage enduring until Shivers' passing and the family maintaining cohesion amid his transitions from law practice to statewide office and private enterprise. Shivers' service in Europe, where he rose to captain in the United States Army, imposed temporary separations but yielded no reported strains on domestic life upon his 1945 return. Shivers experienced no documented chronic health conditions or illnesses that impeded his professional pursuits, sustaining vigorous activity through governorship demands, business management, and regency on the Board from 1963 onward. His physical resilience aligned with a demanding schedule that included military abroad and postwar political , free of the era's common executive health setbacks like those afflicting contemporaries.

Final Years and Passing

Following his service on the University of Texas Board of Regents, where he chaired the body for four years during a six-year term beginning in 1973, Shivers focused on philanthropic efforts supporting higher education. In 1973, he donated the historic Pease mansion in Austin to the university, with proceeds designated to bolster the . In 1980, he secured a $5 million grant for the UT College of Communications, resulting in the establishment of an endowed journalism chair bearing his name. These contributions reflected his ongoing commitment to institutional development in amid a period of relative seclusion from active politics. Shivers resided in Austin during his final years, maintaining involvement in select business and advisory roles while prioritizing family and legacy-building initiatives. On January 14, 1985, he died suddenly at age 77 from a massive heart attack. He was interred at the in Austin.

Enduring Impact and Scholarly Evaluations

Shivers' tenure left a lasting imprint on governance through structural reforms that enhanced legislative efficiency and executive authority. He established the to research and draft bills, alongside the Legislative Budget Board to oversee state budgeting, innovations that persist in streamlining lawmaking. These changes, combined with his elevation of the lieutenant governor's role via committee appointments and agenda control, fortified the office's influence, shaping subsequent political dynamics in the state. Economically, his successful advocacy for 's tidelands ownership in secured substantial oil revenues, funding long-term infrastructure and public services expansions. In and social infrastructure, Shivers advanced the Gilmer-Aikin Laws reorganizing public schools and boosted appropriations for hospitals, highways, and teacher salaries, contributing to 's mid-century modernization amid population and economic growth. His post-governorship roles, including chairmanship of the University of Texas Board of Regents from 1973 to 1977 and philanthropy such as a $5 million grant to the UT College of Communications in 1980, extended his influence on higher education. Politically, Shivers' leadership of the "Shivercrat" faction and endorsement of in 1952 fractured Texas Democratic unity, foreshadowing the state's conservative realignment and Republican gains. Scholarly assessments portray Shivers as a pivotal yet polarizing figure. Sam Kinch and Stuart Long's 1973 biography, Allan Shivers: The Pied Piper of Texas Politics, depicts him as a charismatic leader who mesmerized voters but sowed intraparty discord through his national ambitions and policy stances. George N. Green's The Establishment in Texas Politics (1979) examines his role within elite networks driving state development, crediting economic progress while noting tensions over federalism. Earlier critiques, like D. B. Hardeman's 1956 Harper's article "Shivers of Texas: A Tragedy in Three Acts," frame his career as a dramatic fall from popularity due to civil rights conflicts and scandals, though his defenses of state sovereignty against federal mandates reflected prevailing Texas sentiments on local control. Historians generally acknowledge his contributions to institutional maturity and fiscal strength, tempered by evaluations of his resistance to desegregation as emblematic of era-specific priorities over national uniformity.

References

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