Ruth Haines
The Las Vegas airport was originally named after Senator Patrick Anthony McCarran, a powerful political broker in Washington with a career spanning over fifty years. McCarran was a Democrat who played a significant role in shaping aviation legislation, sponsoring the Civil Aeronautics Act of 1938 and the Federal Airport Act of 1945. He also helped the aviation industry by funding the construction of the Nellis Air Force Base. However, McCarran has also been accused of racism, antisemitism, and xenophobia, with reports of his history of perpetuating racism, xenophobia, and antisemitism leading to the airport's name change in 2021.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Patrick Anthony McCarran |
| Birth Year | 1876 |
| Birthplace | Reno, Nevada |
| Political Party | Democratic Party |
| Political Career | 1902-1954 |
| Political Positions | Nevada Assembly, District Attorney of Nye County, Justice of the Supreme Court of Nevada, United States Senator |
| Known For | Support for the aviation industry, opposition to FDR's policies, racism, antisemitism, and xenophobia |
| Airport Named After Him | McCarran International Airport (formerly, now Harry Reid International Airport) |
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What You'll Learn
Senator Pat McCarran's legacy
Senator Pat McCarran was a powerful political broker in Washington and Nevada's most powerful politician during his time. McCarran's legacy is complicated, with some praising his contributions to Nevada's aviation industry and support for workers' rights, while others criticise his racist, antisemitic, and xenophobic views.
Born in 1876 in Reno, Nevada, to Irish immigrant parents, McCarran grew up on his family's sheep ranch. He began his formal education at the age of ten and later attended the University of Nevada, where he studied law. McCarran's political career spanned more than fifty years and included various roles, such as district attorney, justice of the Supreme Court of Nevada, and United States Senator.
McCarran was a Democrat who often went against his own party. He opposed President Franklin D. Roosevelt's New Deal programs and "packing" of the Supreme Court. He also favoured restricting the power of unions and opposed increased immigration, stating he did not want "undesirables from abroad" coming to America. As chairman of the Judiciary Committee, he appointed a known white supremacist and segregationist, Senator James Eastland, as chairman of the Senate Subcommittee on Civil Rights.
McCarran's support for the aviation industry was well-known, and he sponsored numerous laws to support its development, including the Civil Aeronautics Act of 1938 and the Federal Airport Act of 1945. His efforts to bring more federal funds to Nevada and his support for the construction of the Nellis Air Force Base resulted in Las Vegas's main airport being named after him. However, due to his racist and antisemitic views, there have been efforts to remove his name from the airport, and it was officially changed to Harry Reid International Airport in 2021.
In addition to his political career, McCarran also left a legacy in other areas. He was known for his support of workers' rights and his opposition to powerful tycoons. He also had a reputation for being a bully and using his political power to cut corners and target his enemies. McCarran's anti-Semitic views influenced an immigration bill that shaped US policy in the 1950s and 1960s. Overall, Senator Pat McCarran's legacy is a complex mix of achievements and controversial views that continue to spark debate even years after his death.
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McCarran's support for the aviation industry
Senator Pat McCarran was a supporter of the aviation industry. He sponsored numerous laws concerning the early commercial aviation industry, including the Civil Aeronautics Act of 1938 and the Federal Airport Act of 1945. He was also a proponent of establishing the United States Air Force separate from the Army. In addition, he lobbied for the construction of the Nellis Air Force Base.
McCarran's efforts to shape the aviation industry in the United States extended beyond legislation. He was instrumental in finalising a deal for the county to purchase an airfield from George Crockett, a flight instructor who had built Alamo Field in 1942. This airfield would become McCarran Field, further cementing his legacy in the development of aviation in Las Vegas.
McCarran's influence also contributed to the transformation of Las Vegas from "a dusty, isolated desert town" to a thriving tourist destination. Author Daniel Bubb attributed this transformation to aviation, highlighting the "symbiotic relationship between airlines, the city, and the airport".
In recent years, McCarran has been accused of racism, antisemitism, and xenophobia. There have been efforts to remove his name and statue from the airport and other public spaces due to these controversies. In 2021, the airport was officially renamed Harry Reid International Airport after the late Senator Harry Reid, who was honoured for his contributions.
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McCarran's history of racism, antisemitism, and xenophobia
McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas was named for Patrick Anthony McCarran (1876-1954), a powerful political broker in Washington and Nevada's most influential politician at the time. McCarran's career spanned over fifty years, during which he lobbied for businesses and industries in southern Nevada, with aviation being one of his biggest platforms.
Despite his legislative accomplishments, McCarran also left a legacy of racism, antisemitism, and xenophobia. He was a staunch anti-communist, supporting the Spanish dictator Francisco Franco and sponsoring the McCarran Internal Security Act, which restricted the political activities of those supporting "totalitarian dictatorship" in the United States. During the Red Scare of the 1950s, he associated with J. Edgar Hoover and Senator Joseph McCarthy, and played a key role in limiting the number of Jews allowed to immigrate to the US after World War II.
McCarran's antisemitism was well-known, and he was in conflict with the Franklin Roosevelt administration over its cooperation with the Soviet Union during World War II. He also sponsored the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1952, which further restricted immigration and was referred to as the McCarran-Walter Act.
McCarran's xenophobia was evident in his immigration restriction policies, which were criticised by cartoonist Walt Kelly, who introduced a character in his Pogo comic strip called Mole MacCaroney, who was seen as a hostile reference to McCarran.
In recent years, there have been efforts to remove McCarran's statue from the Nevada State Capitol and rename McCarran International Airport due to his controversial legacy. A bill introduced in the Nevada State Senate in 2017 failed to pass, but the conversation around McCarran's legacy continues.
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The process of renaming the airport
The process of renaming McCarran International Airport began with a push from Clark County Commissioner Tick Segerblom at the beginning of 2021. The proposal came amid Black History Month and reflected broader trends in removing racially or culturally offensive names and symbols. McCarran, a powerful political figure in Nevada, had been criticised for his legacy of racism, antisemitism, and xenophobia. He was also known for imposing restrictive immigration policies that limited Jewish refugee immigration after the Holocaust.
A bill to rename the airport for former US Senator Harry Reid was introduced in the Nevada State Senate in 2017 but failed to pass before the end of the legislative session. However, the 2021 proposal gained momentum and, on February 16, 2021, the Clark County Commissioners voted unanimously to change the airport's name. The vote specified that the name change would be funded entirely by private donations.
The name change took place on December 14, 2021, just two weeks before Reid's death. The airport, now known as Harry Reid International Airport, is located in Las Vegas and is one of North America's busiest airports. The process of renaming the airport reflected a societal push to remove "historically offensive" names and honour individuals who have contributed positively to their communities.
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McCarran's political career
Patrick Anthony McCarran was a Democratic politician from Reno, Nevada, whose political career spanned over fifty years. He was born in 1876 to Irish immigrant parents and grew up on their sheep ranch. McCarran's formal education began when he was ten, and he later attended the University of Nevada while tending sheep after his father was injured. He studied law with a Reno attorney and was admitted to the bar in 1905 or 1906.
In 1901 or 1902, McCarran ran for the Nevada Assembly at the age of 25 and won a seat in the Nevada legislature on a populist platform for the Silver-Democrat party. He served one term and then ran unsuccessfully for the state Senate. After his defeat, he returned to sheep ranching with his wife and five children. In 1907, he became the district attorney of Nye County, serving until 1909.
In 1912, McCarran earned a seat on the Nevada State Supreme Court. He ran an unsuccessful campaign for the United States Senate in 1916 on a platform that supported women's suffrage. After losing a bid for reelection to the Nevada Supreme Court in 1918, McCarran returned to practicing criminal law for the next twelve years.
In 1932, McCarran won a seat in the United States Senate, unseating the incumbent Republican. He was a strong advocate for Nevada and funnelled significant federal funding to the state. McCarran was also a proponent of the aviation industry and played a significant role in shaping early commercial aviation legislation. He sponsored the Civil Aeronautics Act of 1938 and the Federal Airport Act of 1945 and helped fund the construction of the first Las Vegas Field terminal.
Despite being a Democrat, McCarran was critical of President Franklin D. Roosevelt's interventionist policies and opposed some of the New Deal programs. He was also known for his anti-communist views, his opposition to federal health insurance and increased education spending, and his support for Nevada's right-to-work, anti-union laws. McCarran served as chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee and gained immense political power through this position. He was known as Nevada's most powerful politician and served in the Senate until his death in 1954.
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Frequently asked questions
McCarran Airport was originally named after Patrick Anthony McCarran (1876-1954), a powerful Democratic politician from Nevada. McCarran played a significant role in shaping aviation legislation and was a strong advocate for the state.
The airport was renamed Harry Reid International Airport in 2021 due to McCarran's history of racism, antisemitism, and xenophobia. There had been previous attempts to change the name, but the movement gained momentum during Black History Month in 2021, reflecting broader trends to remove racially or culturally offensive names.
McCarran's legacy is controversial. He is remembered as one of the few Democrats to oppose President Franklin D. Roosevelt and reject the New Deal. He also sponsored numerous laws concerning the early commercial aviation industry. McCarran has been described as "for the masses rather than the classes."
