Beverly Briley

Clifton Beverly Briley (January 11, 1914 – September 14, 1980) was an American attorney and politician, the first mayor of the newly consolidated metropolitan government of Nashville and Davidson County in Tennessee. Elected to the mayor's position in 1962 as a Democrat, Briley served three terms from 1963 to 1975; he was prevented by term limits from running again. He had previously served as county judge (chief executive) of Davidson County for several terms, from 1950 to 1963.

Early life Briley was born in West Nashville, Tennessee in 1914. Attending local schools, he became involved in Scouting as a boy and attained the rank of Eagle Scout. He attended Vanderbilt University before transferring to Cumberland University's law school (now the Cumberland Law School at Samford University), graduating in 1932. He was admitted to the bar in 1932.

Career Briley began practicing in 1932. Briley served in the U.S. Navy during World War II as a quartermaster aboard the USS David Taylor. In 1965, Briley described the Ku Klux Klan as "merchants of hate" and said they were "not welcome" in Nashville.

In 1969, Briley served as the president of the National League of Cities.

On other issues, he was a conservative Democrat; in 1972 he was the area leader of "Democrats for Nixon," in an effort to strengthen southern support for Republican national candidates. That year, Nixon became the first Republican presidential candidate to carry Davidson County since the Reconstruction era. Most Republicans had been disenfranchised in Tennessee and other Southern states as Southern Democrats passed new constitutions after the Civil War to suppress black voting by raising barriers to voter registration.

Personal life and death Briley married Dorothy Gordon in 1934.

Legacy and honors Briley Parkway, a major beltway thoroughfare which runs by the Grand Ole Opry House and around much of the city, was named in his honor.

The city-owned Beverly Briley Building, a major component of Nashville's redesigned Public Square, was named for him.

His grandson, Rob Briley, was a politician who formerly represented the 52nd House District, a Nashville district, in the state legislature. He also served as the Democratic Majority Floor Leader. Another grandson, David Briley, served as mayor of Nashville.