William Conrad Gibbons

Who is William Conrad Gibbons?

William Conrad Gibbons was born in 1926 in Harrisonburg, Virginia to Howard and Jessie Gibbons. He entered the University of Virginia in 1945. His studies were interrupted in order to serve in World War II but he returned to finish his college education at Randolph-Macon College in Ashland, Virginia and was graduated in 1949. Dr. Gibbons went on to earn his Masters and Ph.D. in Government from Princeton University in 1957 and was in the 1954-55 class of the American Political Science Association Congressional Fellowship Program.

He worked in Capitol Hill for both Senator Wayne Morse and Senator Mike Mansfield and also served as an advance man for presidential contender Lyndon B. Johnson in 1960. He was a professional staff member of the Democratic Policy Committee and Assistant to the Majority Leader of the United States Senate from 1960-63.

Dr. Gibbons ran for Congress from the Western District of Virginia, which covered his hometown of Harrisonburg but was defeated. He then returned to Washington to work as legislative program staff; Deputy Director and Director of Congressional Liaison for the Agency for International Development, Department of State.