Dennis J. Roberts

Dennis Joseph Roberts
63rd Governor of Rhode Island
In office January 2, 1951 – January 6, 1959
Lieutenant	John S. McKiernan (1951–1956) Armand H. Cote (1957–1959)
Preceded by	John S. McKiernan
Succeeded by	Christopher Del Sesto
29th Mayor of Providence, Rhode Island
In office January 1941 – January 1951
Preceded by	John F. Collins
Succeeded by	Walter H. Reynolds
Personal details
Born	April 8, 1903(1903-04-08) Providence, Rhode Island
Died	June 30, 1994(1994-06-30) (aged 91) Providence, Rhode Island
Political party	Democratic
Profession	Lawyer, Politician
Religion	Catholic

Dennis Joseph Roberts (April 8, 1903 – June 30, 1994) was an American politician, member of the Democratic Party, who served as 63rd Governor of Rhode Island.

Born in Rhode Island's capital city, Providence, Roberts was a graduate of Fordham University in 1927 and Boston University Law School in 1930, following which he practiced law in Providence.

His political career began in 1935 when he was elected to the State Senate, where he served until 1939. He became chairman of the State Democratic Party in 1938. He was a delegate to the 1936, 1940, 1948 and 1960 Democratic National Conventions (first time as an alternate delegate).

Roberts was elected Mayor of Providence in 1940, and served until 1951, except when he served in the United States Navy during World War II. He rose to rank of Lieutenant Commander.

He was elected Governor of Rhode Island in 1950 and was re-elected three times, serving four two-year terms, holding the office from January 2, 1951 to January 6, 1959. While governor, he established a Department of Administration as a housekeeping agency for finance and other problems, as well as a Development Council to promote economic development in Rhode Island. He also reorganized the Department of Social Welfare to improve its administration. During the 1956 Gubernatorial election he lost in plurality votes to Republican Christopher Del Sesto, but the Rhode Island Supreme Court invalidated 5,000 civilian absentee and shut-in ballots cast prior to election day on the ground that a constitutional amendment required such votes to be cast on, rather than prior to, election day. This left Roberts the winner. He was defeated by Del Sesto two years later.

In 1960 former Governor Roberts sought the Democratic nomination for a U.S. Senate seat but was defeated by Claiborne Pell, who won and served in the Senate until 1997. He later went on to chair the Rhode Island Constitutional Convention, where he recommended a unicameral state legislature.

Dennis Roberts died while in surgery for a ruptured aneurysm in Rhode Island Hospital in Providence. He was a Catholic.

External links

Biography portal

• NGA Biography
• Political Graveyard

Political offices
Preceded by John F. Collins	Mayor of Providence 1941–1951	Succeeded by Walter H. Reynolds
Preceded by John S. McKiernan	Governor of Rhode Island 1951–1959	Succeeded by Christopher Del Sesto

Persondata
Name	Roberts, Dennis
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	April 8, 1903
Place of birth	Providence, Rhode Island
Date of death	June 30, 1994
Place of death	Providence, Rhode Island