Biography
Senator Jesse Helms served for thirty years in the United States Senate and retired at the end of his term in 2002. He is considered one of the most influential individuals in American government and has received scores of awards for his distinguished service to his state, his country and freedom loving people around the world.
Senator Helms was born in Monroe, North Carolina on October 18, 1921. Jesse's father served as both chief of police and chief of the fire department. His family and teachers were important figures in his life. They taught him the lessons that laid the foundation for his commitment to hard work and excellence. At age nine and the height of the Great Depression, he got his first job sweeping the floors at the offices of The Monroe Enquirer. Little did he know it was just the start of a long and distinguished career in journalism.
Helms attended both Wingate University and Wake Forest University. His first full-time job was as a sports reporter with the Raleigh News and Observer. It was there that he met Dorothy Coble, who was the society reporter for the paper. They were married on October 31, 1942 when Senator Helms returned from Naval training in San Diego. Helms enlisted in the Navy at the start of World War II. He spent time in North Carolina and Georgia working as a recruiter and as a petty officer in charge of a recruiting station. He left the Navy in December 1945, shortly after the birth of his first child.
Following the war, Helms returned to Raleigh and to a new job as news editor for the Raleigh Times. He left the newspaper for his first job in broadcasting and established one of the first local news operations on radio in the United States.
By the mid-1960s, Senator Helms was the executive vice president of Capitol Broadcasting in Raleigh, North Carolina where he directed an outstanding news operation and delivered a daily editorial from the station's editorial board. These commentaries were aired on radio over the Tobacco Network the following day, and Jesse Helms became a well know voice around the Carolinas and beyond. It was at the request of many of those listeners and several close friends that Senator Helms agreed to accept the challenge of running for the United States Senate. His election in 1972 marked the first time since the Reconstruction period that a Republican had won any statewide election in North Carolina.
As a United States Senator he was a leader in the rise of the modern conservative movement, a trailblazer for men and women who wanted to see their government return to its proper role and turn away from heavy taxes and giveaways. Senator Helms was one of a handful of conservative lawmakers in 1972. But by the time of his retirement in 2002, he was a respected member of a group of conservative leaders whose efforts brought significant changes in national policy, from welfare reform to strong national defense.
Throughout his life Senator Helms made the cause of freedom a priority, particularly in the years he served as Chairman of the United States Senate Foreign Relations Committee. At the same time he held firm to his dedication to uphold the traditional moral values that are embraced by most Americans. From his fearless stand against government funded pornography and abortion, to his defense of the rights and reputation of the Boy Scouts of America, Senator Helms never turned from doing what was right. No matter how many stood with him or how much criticism he might have leveled against him, he always held true to what was right, moral and just.
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Education
Helms attended Monroe High School (Monroe, North Carolina), Wingate Junior College (Wingate, North Carolina) and Wake Forest College (Wake Forest, North Carolina). He held honorary Doctor of Law degrees from many universities including, Bob Jones University, Grove City College, Campbell University, and Wingate University.
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Family
Helms was the son of Ethel Mae and Jesse Alexander Helms, Sr. He had two siblings, a brother, Wriston, and a sister Mary Elizabeth. Helms married the former Dorothy Jane Coble of Raleigh, North Carolina on October 31, 1942. Together they had three children: Jane (Mrs. Charles R. Knox), Nancy (Mrs. Randy Grigg) and Charles. At the time of his passing in 2008, he had seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
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Before Politics
During World War II, Helms served in the United States Navy. After leaving the Navy, Helms returned to journalism and then later entered broadcasting. He worked as the city editor of The Raleigh Times, the Director of News and Programs for the Tobacco Radio Network and Radio Station WRAL Raleigh, and the editor of the Tarheel Banker. In 1952, Helms directed the radio-television division of the presidential campaign of Senator Richard B. Russell, Jr. of Georgia, who was seeking the Democratic Party nomination. He went on to become the Executive Vice President, Vice Chairman of the Board and assistant Chief Executive Officer of Capitol Broadcasting Company.
He also wrote and presented daily editorials on WRAL-TV and the Tobacco Radio Network. His editorials were printed regularly in more than 200 newspapers throughout the United States. They were broadcast by more than 70 radio stations in North Carolina.
In addition to his positions in journalism and broadcasting, Helms served many other organizations in a variety of capacities. He was the Director of the North Carolina Cerebral Palsy Hospital in Durham, the Director of the United Cerebral Palsy of North Carolina and the Director of the Wake County Cerebral Palsy and Rehabilitation Center in Raleigh. He also served on the Board of Trustees of Meredith College, John F. Kennedy College, Campbell University and Wingate College. His name became well-known and respected in the Raleigh community where he also served as a deacon and a Sunday School teacher at Hayes Barton Baptist Church. He was one of the founders of Camp Willow Run, a Youth Camp for Christ at Littleton, North Carolina. Later he served as Director of the camp. From 1953 through 1960, Helms was Executive Director of the North Carolina Bankers Association.
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Senate Career
Helms began his first term in the United States Senate in January 1973; was reelected to a second term on November 7, 1978; to a third term on November 6, 1984; a fourth term on November 6, 1990; and a fifth term on November 7, 1996. Helms retired on January 3, 2003. His seat was taken by Elizabeth Dole, former president of the Red Cross.
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After Politics
After retiring from the Senate in January 2003, Helms returned to live with his wife in Raleigh, North Carolina. In August 2005, Random House published Here's Where I Stand, his memoir. Throughout his retirement, Helms continued to work closely with the Jesse Helms Center (the non-profit organization created to work for the causes he cared for so deeply). On Friday, July 4, 2008, Senator Jesse A. Helms, a devoted champion of the conservative movement, died of natural causes. He was 86.
On the day of his passing, President George W. Bush issued this statement:
“Throughout his long public career, Senator Jesse Helms was a tireless advocate for the people of North Carolina, a stalwart defender of limited government and free enterprise, a fearless defender of a culture of life, and an unwavering champion of those struggling for liberty. Under his leadership, the Senate Foreign Relations Committee was a powerful force for freedom. And today, from Central America to Central Europe and beyond, people remember: in the dark days when the forces of tyranny seemed on the rise, Jesse Helms took their side.
Jesse Helms was a kind, decent, and humble man and a passionate defender of what he called “the Miracle of America.” So it is fitting that this great patriot left us on the Fourth of July. He was once asked if he had any ambitions beyond the United States Senate. He replied: ‘The only thing I am running for is the Kingdom of Heaven.’ Today, Jesse Helms has finished the race, and we pray he finds comfort in the arms of the loving God he strove to serve throughout his life.”
Evangelist Billy Graham issued this statement on the passing of his long-time friend:
"Jesse Helms, my friend and long-time senator from my home state of North Carolina, was a man of consistent conviction to conservative ideals and courage to faithfully serve God and country based on principle, not popularity or politics. In the tradition of Presidents Jefferson, Adams and Monroe - who also passed on July 4th - it is fitting that such a patriot who fought for free markets and free people would die on Independence Day. As we celebrate the birth of our nation, I thank God for the blessings we enjoy, which Senator Helms worked so hard to preserve.”
The funeral for Senator Helms took place on Tuesday, July 8, 2008 at the Hayes Barton Baptist Church in Raleigh, North Carolina. Attendees included Vice President Dick Cheney, Cindy McCain (wife of 2008 Presidential candidate John McCain), Secretary of Labor Elaine Chao, United States Senators McConnell, Dole, Biden, Hatch, Stevens, Lugar, Kyl, Burr, Alexander, Bennett, Brownback, Bunning, Craig, DeMint, Dodd, Enzi, Inhofe, Sessions, Shelby, Smith and Voinovich. Former United States Senators Bob Dole, Nickles and Santorum and United States Representatives Jones, McHenry and Hayes also attended.
Also in attendance was Ambassador of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office Dr. Jausheih Joseph Wu. North Carolina state leaders who attended the service included Governor Mike Easley, former Governors Jim Martin and James Holshouser, General Assembly President Pro Tem Marc Basnight, 2008 candidate for Governor Pat McCrory, 2008 candidate for Lieutenant Governor Robert Pittenger, and President of the University of North Carolina Erskine Bowles. Many other members of the North Carolina legislature, hundreds of Helms’ former staff members and countless close friends attended to pay their respects. Senator McConnell, Helms’ former Chief of Staff Jimmy Broughton, and two of Helms’ grandchildren spoke delivered the eulogy.
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Awards and Achievements
A Listing of some of the Awards and Special Honors given to Senator Jesse Helms
- Honorary Doctor of Law Degrees awarded from Bob Jones University, Greenville, South Carolina and Grove City College, Grove City, Pennsylvania
- Honorary Degrees awarded from Campbell University, Buies Creek, North Carolina and Wingate University, Wingate, North Carolina
- North Carolina Press Association Award
- Freedoms Foundation Award
- Golden Gavel
- Nominated for Vice President of the United States
- Gold Medal of Merit from the Veterans of Foreign Wars
- North Carolina American Legionnaire Award
- Legislator of the Year Award
- National Man of the Year
- American Security Council Award
- Conservative Caucus 97th Congress Statesman Award
- Golden Eagle Award
- “Spirit of Enterprise ” Award
- Guardian of Small Business Award
- Watchdog of the Treasury Award
- Taxpayer's Best Friend Award
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