Pat Brown
He built modern California, championing massive water projects and expanding higher education to shape the state's golden age.
1905–1996 (age 91)·Governor of California from 1959 to 1967·Birthday: April 21·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Edmund 'Pat' Brown was a California lifer who believed in government's power to build a better future. A San Francisco district attorney turned state attorney general, he rode a Democratic wave into the governor's mansion in 1958. His two terms were defined by an almost boundless optimism and a builder's mentality. He spearheaded the colossal State Water Project, a network of dams and aqueducts that quenched the thirst of a booming south. He dramatically expanded the University of California and state college systems, betting that educated citizens were the state's best resource. While his support for fair housing laws showed moral courage, his handling of the 1965 Watts riots and a rising conservative tide led by Ronald Reagan marked the end of his era. Brown left office having physically and intellectually constructed much of the California dream.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Pat was born in 1905, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Pat Was Born
The biggest hits of 1905
Pat's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1905Born
Einstein publishes the theory of special relativity
President: Theodore Roosevelt
1910Started school
Halley's Comet makes its closest approach
President: William Howard Taft
1918Became a teenager
World War I ends; Spanish flu pandemic kills millions
President: Woodrow Wilson
1921Could drive
First commercial radio broadcasts
President: Warren G. Harding"My Man" — Fanny Brice
1923Could vote
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1926Turned 21
Robert Goddard launches the first liquid-fueled rocket
President: Calvin Coolidge"Baby Face" — Jan Garber
1935Turned 30
Social Security Act signed into law
Gas: $0.19/galHome: $3,450President: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Cheek to Cheek" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: Mutiny on the Bounty
1945Turned 40
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1955Turned 50
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1965Turned 60
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1975Turned 70
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1985Turned 80
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1996Died at 91
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
Key Achievements
- As Governor, he signed the California Master Plan for Higher Education in 1960, creating a tiered public university system accessible to all state residents.
- He broke ground on the California State Water Project, one of the world's largest public water and power systems, moving water from north to south.
- He won the governorship in 1958, breaking a Republican streak and becoming the first Democratic governor of California in the 20th century.
- He signed the Rumford Fair Housing Act in 1963, an early and controversial state law aimed at prohibiting racial discrimination in housing.
Did You Know?
His nickname 'Pat' came from his Irish heritage and his support for Patrick Henry during a school debate.
His son, Jerry Brown, later served as Governor of California for four terms, creating a powerful political dynasty.
He lost his 1962 bid for a third term as governor to a political newcomer and former actor, Ronald Reagan.
Before politics, he was a successful lawyer and ran a bakery business with his brother.
“I believe in the people of California, in their ability and their will to progress.”
