orig. Samuel James Ervin, Jr.
born Sept. 27, 1896, Morganton, N.C., U.S.
died April 23, 1985, Winston-Salem, N.C.
U.S. senator (1954–74).
He served on the Supreme Court of North Carolina (1948–54) before being appointed to a vacant U.S. Senate seat. An eloquent expert on the Constitution, he sat on the Senate committee that censured Sen. Watergate scandal , he became something of a folk hero for his unceasing pursuit of evidence in the face of White House claims of executive privilege. His earthy humour, distinctive accent, and unfailing charm contributed to his popularity.