THE VFA PIONEER HISTORIES PROJECT

Birch Evans Bayh, Jr.

January 22, 1928 – March 14, 2019

“I am a person who’s for equality for women. If that makes me a feminist, that’s fine. I’m proud of it.” – Birch Bayh, 2019 

Attorney, politician, educator, lobbyist.  Champion of civil and women’s rights.  Served four terms, Indiana House of Representatives, 1954–1962; Speaker, 1958–1960. Served three terms in U.S. Senate, 1963–1981 (D-IN). Served on Senate Intelligence Committee, 1979–1981. Chairman, Subcommittee on Constitutional Amendments. Author of 25th and 26th amendments to U.S. Constitution. Only member of Congress since the founding fathers to author two constitutional amendments. Author, Title IX of Higher Education Act, 1972. Considered the “Father of Title IX.” Author, Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act, (JJDP), 1974. Chief sponsor of ERA. Co-authored University and Small Business Patent Procedures Act, Bayh–Dole Act, 1980. Involved in the effort to elect the president by popular vote, to abolish the Electoral College. B.S. from Purdue University, School of Agriculture, 1951. Indiana University School of Law, 1960.

Photo. Celebrating the 40th anniversary of Title IX with Valerie Jarrett and Billie Jean King, 2012 (Photo Credit: Manuel Balce Cenet, Associated Press).