Governor Reubin O'D. Askew

Governor Askew graduated from Pensacola High School in 1946. He served two years in the Army as a paratrooper. Additionally, he served two years in the Air Force during the Korean war as a military intelligence officer. Governor Askew attended Florida State University where he was elected Student Body President. He graduated from FSU with a B.S. in Public Administration in 1951. He later graduated with a Law Degree from the University of Florida. In 1955 he established the law firm Levin & Askew with David Levin in Pensacola, which is now the Levin Papantonio law firm.

In 1956 he was elected Assistant County Solicitor of Escambia County. In 1958 he was elected to the Florida House of Representatives. After serving two terms in the House he was elected to the Florida Senate where he served until 1970.

In 1971 Mr. Askew was elected Governor of Florida and was elected to a second term in 1974. As Governor, he made fundamental changes to Florida’s constitution and governmental process. His efforts as one of the first ‘New South’ governors are noteworthy. He supported school and busing desegregation and fought for a fairer legislative representation in urban counties. He argued for transparency in government and established a reputation for personal integrity and became known as “Reubin the Good.” The Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University rated Governor Askew as one of the country’s top ten governors of the 20th century. From 1979 to 1981 he also served as US Trade Ambassador.

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