William D. Upshaw
William David Upshaw | |
|---|---|
William David Upshaw, c. 1919 | |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Georgia's 5th district | |
| In office March 4, 1919 – March 3, 1927 | |
| Preceded by | William S. Howard |
| Succeeded by | Leslie J. Steele |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 15, 1866 Newnan, Georgia |
| Died | November 21, 1952 (aged 86) Glendale, California |
| Political party | Democratic Party Prohibition Party |
| Alma mater | Mercer University |
William David Upshaw (October 15, 1866 – November 21, 1952) served eight years in Congress (1919–1927), where he was such a strong proponent of the temperance movement that he became known as the "driest of the drys." In Congress, Upshaw was a staunch defender of the Ku Klux Klan, which was founded in his congressional district, and lost reelection because of major KKK scandals in the mid-1920s. In 1932, he ran for President of the United States on the Prohibition Party ticket, finishing the race in fifth place.