Robert C. Weaver had a strong public record as a Civil Rights leader and a government official, but there was still some controversy when he became the first black nominated to a Cabinet-level position on this day in 1966.

On January 13, 1966, President Johnson announced he wanted Weaver named as the newest member of his cabinet, as secretary of the new Housing and Urban Development department that had been created in September 1965. Four days later, the Senate confirmed Weaver to the position.
Weaver served through the rest of the Johnson administration before returning to the academic world, as president of Bernard Baruch College and as a professor at Hunter College, Carnegie-Mellon and New York University.
At the time of his passing in 1997, at the age of 90, Weaver was remembered for his many accomplishments.
“Weaver was known especially as a brilliant tactician of the black civil rights movement during its difficult early years,” said the Los Angeles Times.
“Dr. Weaver, who said that ‘’you cannot have physical renewal without human renewal,’ pushed for better-looking public housing by offering awards for design. He also increased the amount of money for small businesses displaced by urban renewal and revived the long-dormant idea of Federal rent subsidies for the elderly,” said The New York Times.

for the complete article constitutioncenter.org

Today is Tuesday, Jan. 12, the 12th day of 2021. There are 353 days left in the year. On Jan. 12, 2000, in a 5-4 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court, in Illinois v. Wardlow, gave police broad authority to stop and question people who run at the sight of an officer.

Source: Chicago Tribune

Hattie Ophelia Wyatt Caraway was an American political figure who became the first woman elected to serve a full term as a United States Senator. Caraway represented Arkansas. She was the first woman to preside over the Senate. She won reelection to a full term in 1932 with the active support of fellow Senator Huey Long, of neighboring Louisiana.

source: internet

1933 – The 20th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution was adopted.

It set the date for the Presidential Inauguration as January 20th, instead of the old date of March 4th. It also sets January 3rd as the official opening date of Congress.

On February 6 National Lame Duck Day recognizes the ratification of the 20th Amendment to the United States Constitution or the Lame Duck Amendment.

The term “lame duck” originated as a description of stockbrokers in 1700s England who could not pay off their debts. The name later carried over to those in business who, while known to be bankrupt, would continue to do business.

In politics, a lame duck is a person currently holding a political office who has either: lost a re-election bid chosen not to seek another term been prevented from running for re-election due to a term limit holds a position that has been eliminated
The 20th Amendment
Prior to the ratification of the 20th Amendment to the United States Constitution, there was for Congress a 13-month delay between election day and the day the newly elected officials took office. In the case of a lame duck, this was a 13 month notice his or her job was terminating crippling their influence. Hence the ‘lame’ or injured duck.
An awful lot of people are confused as to just what is meant by a lame-duck Congress. It’s like where some fellows worked for you and their work wasn’t satisfactory and you let ’em out, but after you fired ’em, you let ’em stay long enough so they could burn your house down. – Will Rogers

The same applied to the president. The 20th Amendment changed the date the newly elected president took office from March 4th to January 20th.

During a lame-duck session, members of Congress are no longer accountable to their constituents. It is possible for their focus to switch to more personal gain instead of acting on behalf of their constituents with an eye toward re-election.

The 20th Amendment shortened this period from 13 months to 2 months. While lame-duck sessions still occur (20 such sessions have occurred since the amendment took effect in 1935), there is less time for sweeping legislation to be approved. Even so, lame-duck Congresses have declared war, impeached a president, censured a senator, and passed the Homeland Security Act among other actions.
It is also considered a time when the peaceful transition of power occurs. Preparations take place for the out-going president to leave the office and the newly elected president to take over the role.

source: nationaldaycalendar.com