Mary Lawson

Official Portrait, 2003

Elizabeth Lawson-Brandt

## Other Information

### Occupation

United States Ambassador to the United Nations (1988-1989)Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (1981-1984)

Administrator of Environmental Protection Agency (1975-1978)

Chair of the House Committee on Energy and Commerce (1968-1974)

Congresswoman from Georgia (1958-1974)

### Education

Dartmouth College (Bachelor’s of Arts, Anthropology) (Master's of Arts, Anthropology)Harvard University (Doctorate of Philosophy, Anthropology)

Secretary Mary Lawson PhD. was an American Politician, Diplomat, Anthropologist and Activist who served as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, United Nations Ambassador to the United Nations, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency and a United States Representative from Georgia's 7th Congressional District as a member of the Republican Party.

Prior to entering politics she was one of the first female professors at Princeton University which hired her as an Assistant Professor of Anthropology in 1957. After realizing she had little chance of career progression within the academic field, she resigned from her position at Princeton to run for congress with the backing of her husband Henry Lawson, she was elected in 1956 for Georgia's 7th Congressional District.

Lawson is a member of the wealthy Lawson Family, she and her husband Henry Lawson has three children, Gregory Lawson, who served as 53rd President of the United States. Their other son, Kevin Lawson, who served as Georgia Attorney General and a US Representative for Georgia's 7th Congressional District, and their daughter, Elizabeth Lawson who served as Director of the Office of Management and Budget and later Counselor to the President under George W. Bush.

Lawson is a known political activist who paraded environmental protection and was considered a moderate Republican with some radical ideas such as support for LGBTQ and Abortion. She was considered for leadership several times due to her husband's influence, however because of her ideas she was disqualified.

In 2003, she was nominated to serve as Chairwoman of the National Endowment for the Humanities by President George W. Bush and served from 2003-2006.

## Biography

Born Mary Charlotte Hendrickson to businessman, oil baron and then US Ambassador to the United Kingdom, Robert Henderickson II and socialite Elise Henderickson, Mary was afforded many luxuries in her young age, given access to three tutors to instruct her. Robert Hendrickson believed his only child should be well educated. One London newspaper described her education saying, "Mary Hendrickson is the most educated woman in London besides Princess Elizabeth of York." Many in London described her as "The American Princess."

After her father's tenure as US Ambassador ended, she returned back to the United States where she eventually was admitted to her father's alma mater, Dartmouth College in their Anthropology program in 1948. She was one of three women in the program at the time and was only accepted after her father donated an endowment for new construction on the campus despite her GPA being greater than many of her male counterparts. While at Dartmouth, she met her future husband Henry Lawson, son of Joseph Lawson the former Mayor of Atlanta and former member of the US House of Representatives.

Henry Lawson fell in love with the young Mary, who he was 4 years older then.

(January 3rd, 1957 - January 3rd, 1975)
(January 3rd, 1967 - January 3rd, 1975)
(August 25th, 1975 - June 6th, 1978)
(January 24th, 1981 - November 7th, 1984)
 Vernon Walters
(March 5th, 1988 - March 20th, 1989)
(March 7th, 2003 - June 19th, 2006)