A. L. Philpott

Albert Lee Philpott (July 29, 1919 – September 28, 1991) was an American politician of the Democratic Party. He served in the Virginia House of Delegates for 33 years starting in 1958, and was its Speaker from 1980 until his death.

Early and family life Philpott was born in Philpott, Henry County, Virginia, to John Elkanah Philpott and Mary Gertrude Prillaman Philpott. His paternal grandfather, A. B. Philpott (1858–1916), founded the community of Philpott and represented the county in the Virginia House of Delegates during its 1914 session. He attended public schools in Henry County, graduating from John D. Bassett High School. He went on to the University of Richmond, getting a BA degree in 1941. After service in the United States Army Air Forces in World War II, he resumed legal studies at Richmond, obtaining a JD degree in 1947.

Legal and political careers Elected as Commonwealth's Attorney for Henry County in 1951, he won re-election in 1955.

Philpott and another freshman, Robert L. Clark, both Democrats and members of the Byrd Organization, represented the two-member district consisting of Henry and adjoining Patrick Counties, as well as the city of Martinsville. They replaced two two-term veteran Democrats, William F. Stone (who was elected to the Senate of Virginia) and William F. Carter. This election took place during the period of massive resistance to racial desegregation in Virginia, led by United States Senator Harry F. Byrd. Philpott established himself as a supporter of continued segregation. Two years later, he succeeded the retiring John Warren Cooke as Speaker.

Speaker of the House Philpott blocked a 1982 bill by Senator Douglas Wilder of Richmond to create a state holiday to honor the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr. Later that year, he publicly referred to five African-American legislators as "boys", a statement for which he apologized the next day. In 1985, when Wilder was elected the state's first African-American Lieutenant Governor, Philpott provided an early endorsement that Wilder later called a "turning point" in the campaign.

Death Philpott suffered from various forms of cancer for nearly twenty years. On September 24, 1991, he announced he would not continue serving in the House of Delegates. He died at his home on September 28 at the age of 72. He was buried in Roselawn Burial Park in Martinsville.