Virginia Apgar
As a quiet congressman thrust into the spotlight, he presided over the Nixon impeachment hearings with unwavering fairness and dignity.
1909–1974 (age 65)·American physician and obstetrical anesthesiologist·Birthday: June 7·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Peter W. Rodino spent nearly four decades in the House of Representatives as a Democrat from New Jersey, a diligent but largely behind-the-scenes legislator focused on immigration and civil rights. His defining moment arrived in 1973 when, as chairman of the House Judiciary Committee, he was tasked with overseeing the impeachment inquiry into President Richard Nixon. Facing immense political pressure and a divided nation, Rodino insisted on a process marked by scrupulous fairness and bipartisanship. He carefully appointed a balanced staff and ensured all committee members had equal access to evidence. His calm, judicial demeanor during the televised hearings in the summer of 1974 became a symbol of the constitutional system working as intended. When the committee voted to recommend articles of impeachment, the bipartisan nature of the votes validated the integrity of the process Rodino had engineered, which culminated in Nixon's resignation.
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.
Virginia was born in 1909, 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 Virginia Was Born
The biggest hits of 1909
Virginia's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1909Born
Robert Peary claims to reach the North Pole
President: William Howard Taft
1914Started school
World War I begins
President: Woodrow Wilson
1922Became a teenager
King Tut's tomb discovered in Egypt
President: Warren G. Harding"April Showers" — Al Jolson
1925Could drive
The Scopes Trial debates evolution in schools
Home: $4,366President: Calvin Coolidge"Sweet Georgia Brown" — Ben Bernie
1927Could vote
Lindbergh flies solo across the Atlantic; The Jazz Singer premieres
President: Calvin Coolidge"My Blue Heaven" — Gene Austin
1930Turned 21
Pluto discovered
Gas: $0.20/galHome: $3,510President: Herbert Hoover"Body and Soul" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: All Quiet on the Western Front
1939Turned 30
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1949Turned 40
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1959Turned 50
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1969Turned 60
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1974Died at 65
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
Key Achievements
- Presided over the House Judiciary Committee's impeachment hearings of President Richard Nixon in 1974.
- Was a principal author of the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, which abolished national-origin quotas.
- Served for 40 years in the U.S. House of Representatives, from 1949 to 1989.
- Championed the extension of the Voting Rights Act in 1982.
Did You Know?
He served as an Army captain in Italy during World War II and received a Bronze Star.
Before politics, he worked as a teacher and practiced law in Newark.
Rodino was the first Italian American to chair the House Judiciary Committee.
His father was a first-generation immigrant from Sicily who worked as a shoemaker.
“We have to be cautious, we have to be careful, we have to be fair. But we also have to be forthright.”
