John
Anthony Volpe
Volpe
was one of the three Italian American governor of Massachusetts. He was the son
of Italian immigrants and was born on December 8, 1908 in Wakefield,
Massachusetts. His father Vito and his mother Filomena née Benedetto came from
Pescosansonesco, Aburzzo. Volpe was a self-made businessman. He attended
Wentwort Institute of Technology in Boston where he majored in architectural
construction and built his own construction firm by 1930. He was so successful
that by the onset of the 2nd World War, his company was one of the
nation’s leading business in that field.
Subsequently, his term of military service was a lieutenant commander
training United States Navy Seabees who were builders, engineers, equipment
operators, and steelworkers.
Volpe’s
political life began in 1951 when he became the deputy chair of the
Massachusetts Republican Party. The governor in 1953, appointed him as
Commissioner of Public works. President Dwight D. Eisenhower followed this by
appointing him as the first administrator of the Federal Highway
Administration. This was in the early stages of the development of the United
States Interstate Highway System—a defense system of which he was an important
figure.
In
1960 he ran for governor of Massachusetts and won the election he served for
two years 1961-1963. He ran again but lost. In 1965 he reentered the race and
this time it was for the first four year term for the office. He won,
consequently, serving until 1969. Foster Furcolo preceded him. Massachusetts
initially had a one year term for governor, then to a two year term in 1918 and
in 1965 it moved to a four year term.
During
his tenure Volpe signed in to legislation a ban to racial imbalances in
education, liberalized birth control, and increased public housing. He also
served as the president of the National Governors Association from 1967 – 1968.
In 1968 he was candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, however,
he lost his bid to Nelson A. Rockefeller, the governor of New York. In Nixon’s
election he came into consideration as a running mate along with Spiro Agnew;
however, Nixon selected the latter.
Nixon, as a reward for his support appointed him as Secretary of
Transportation. He resigned as governor to accept this cabinet post. He
remained until 1973, when he accepted the nomination from Nixon as Ambassador
to Italy. He had a significant interest in his parent’s homeland, and visited
Italy often. He remained until 1977. In 1969 the Order of Merit of the Italian
Republic awarded him the Knight of the Grand Cross. His tenure included some
difficulty, the Italian elite did not hold him in high regard due to his
southern Italian roots. He also upset the leftist elements for his negative
statements against inclusion of the Communist Party in the Italian government.
Volpe died in Nahant, Massachusetts on November 11, 1994 at the age of
eighty-five. His family interred him at Forest Glade Cemetery in Wakefield. In
honor of his service a number of building in Massachusetts bear his name, the
National Transportation System Center in Cambridge, the Library at Wakefield
High School, and Terminal E. at the Logan International Airport.
In
1934, Volpe married Giovannina Benedetto and the couple had two children, John
Anthony, Jr. and Loretta Jean Volpe Rotondi.