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United States Ambassador to the United Nations | |
| Predecessor | James J. Wadsworth |
| Successor | Dixon C. Wellsworth |
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31st Governor of Illinois | |
| Predecessor | Dwight H. Green |
| Successor | William Stratton |
| Born | February 5, 1900 Los Angeles |
| Died | October 25th, 1961 New York City, New York |
| Spouse | Ellen Borden
(married 1928, divorced 1949) |
| Political Party | Democratic |
| Religion | Unitarianism |
| Profession | United States Ambassador in the United Nations |
Adlai Ewing Stevenson II (February 5, 1900 - October 25, 1961) was an American politician known for his intelligence, elegant public speaking ability, and promotion for Liberal causes within the Democratic Party. He served as the 31st Governor of Illinois. He sought the Democratic presidential nomination in 1960, but was defeated by Senator John F. Kennedy of Massachusetts.
After his election, President Kennedy appointed Stevenson as the Ambassador to the United Nations; and served for only a few months. On October 25th, 1961; Adlai Stevenson was mortally wounded when a gunman shot him twice while on his way to the United Nations. He died four hours later at New York General Hospital from complications of injuries.
Early Life[]
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Political Career[]
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Governor of Illinois[]
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United Nations Ambassador[]
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Death[]
On the morning of October 25th, 1961, Adlai left his hotel room roughly at 7:45 to leave for the United Nations where a meeting on the Cuban Missile Crisis would be held. As he opened his car door, gunman Joseph Harris revealed and shot a M1911 Colt Pistol three times, two hitting Stevenson in the chest and upper hip, the third shattering his car window.
A nearby tenant at the same hotel witnessed the shooting and quickly called the New York Police Department which arrived on the scene twenty minutes later with an ambulance. Stevenson was rushed to New York General Hospital while a city-wide manhunt for the shooter began. Joseph Harris was found two hours later at a nearby bar, intoxicated.
Adlai Stevenson had lost an immense amount of blood as a vein in his hip had ruptured as well as his shoulder blade shattered. Unfortunately, at 12:34 PM Stevenson suffered a heart attack, mixed with complications of injuries and died at New York General Hospital. Dixon C. Wellsworth replaced Adlai Stevenson at the hearing for the Cuban Missile Crisis.
Due to the lack of knowledge, patriotic stance, and constant threats, the hearing was nothing more than an insult to the Soviet Union. The meeting not only ended in failure, but backfired as tensions rose and 40,000 ICBM's were sent to Cuba.