Howard Carwile

Howard Hearnes Carwile (November 14, 1911 – June 6 , 1987) was an American lawyer and politician.

Family

Howard Carwile was born in Charlotte County, Virginia to parents Willis Early Carwile (May 6, 1873 - May 10, 1950)and Allie Taylor (July 2, 1887 - November 23, 1968). He married Violet Virginia Talley (January 28, 1918 – October 21, 1994), daughter of John C. Talley (May 8, 1882 - ?) and Virginia Magnetta Cullingsworth (March 27, 1895 - Feb. 1986).

Howard and Violet had one son, Howard H. Carwile, Jr., and one grandchild, Taylor Lane Carwile.

Both Howard and Violet died in Richmond, Virginia. He is the great-great-grandson of Jacob Carwile, a Revolutionary War soldier.

Education

*Graduate of Alma White College, Zarepheth, N.J.
*Graduate of Southeastern University Law School, Washington, D.C.

Background

In his early years, Howard Carwile was known as a fiery, passionate trial attorney in Richmond, Virginia who opposed the Byrd Organization, a machine of Conservative Democrats led by Harry Flood Byrd which dominated Virginia's politics from the 1920s until the mid 1960s.

Carwile represented many black clients as a trial lawyer in the 1940s through 1960s in Richmond. He was an ever-vigilant watchdog over the Richmond Police Dept. and champion for reform of Virginia's prisons and a general political gadfly. A collection of his papers is housed in the Special Collections and Archives section of the library of Virginia Commonwealth University.

*Ran as Independent for Governor of Virginia in 1945 against Democrat William M. Tuck & Independent S. Lloyd Landreth.
*Ran as Independent for Virginia U.S. Senator in 1948 against Democrat Absalom Willis Robertson, Republican Robert H. Woods, Progressive Virginia Foster Durr & Socialist Clarke T. Robbe
*Ran as Independent for Governor of Virginia in 1953 against Democrat Thomas Bahnson Stanley & Republican Theodore Roosevelt Dalton
*Ran as Democrat for Governor of Virginia in 1957 primary against J. Lindsay Almond, Jr. labeling himself a "Jacksonian Democrat". He campaigned for "peaceful compliance with the Supreme Court decision on integration", "preservation of Virginia's free public school system" and poll tax removal.
*Ran unsuccessfully as Independent for U.S. House Virginia District 3 seat in 1980 against Republican Thomas J. Bliley, Jr., Democrat John A. Mapp & Independent James B. Turney

Government offices held

*Richmond City Councilman - 1966 - resigned 1973
*Virginia House of Delegates – 35th District, Henrico County, Virginia, 1974-5, defeated for re-election by Gerald L. Baliles 1975

Served on Virginia House committees:
*Health, Welfare & Institutions
*Militia and Police

Memberships

*Association of Trial Lawyers of America
*Richmond Trial Lawyers Association
*Virginia Trial Lawyers Association
*American Bar Association
*Richmond Criminal Bar

Published and broadcast works

*Weekly columnist for the "Richmond Afro-American" newspaper
*Published "Speaking from Byrdland" a compilation of his weekly radio programs decrying racial segregation

*Autobiography "Carwile, His Life and Times", published June 1988 ISBN 1556180438

cquotetxt|Clean up City Hall - every crevice and crack;
Purge the parasite and liquidate the quack.
Carwile in Council will be something new;
He will represent all but the privileged few."
"The Taxpayers Candidate"|Howard Carwile|From his handbill as an unsuccessful candidate for Richmond City Council in 1962