About
Secretary of Agriculture under Presidents Richard Nixon and Gerald Ford, who instituted major reforms. Unfortunately he is best remembered most for a racial remark that led to his disgrace and resignation.
Before Fame
He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture in 1932 from Purdue University before becoming vice president of the American Agricultural Economics Association.
Trivia
Known for his racial insensitivity even before the joke incident, he once mocked the Pope using a mock Italian accent at an informal meeting with reportes.
Family Life
He grew up on a farm near Albion, Indiana, where he used to guide horse-drawn plows in his childhood.
Associated With
Orville Freeman was another well-known agriculture secretary - he served under Presidents Kennedy and Johnson.
