| Eugene Octave Sykes Jr. | |
|---|---|
_in_1916.jpg) Sykes in 1916 | |
| Mississippi Supreme Court Justice | |
| In office 1916–1924 | |
| Appointed by | Theodore Bilbo |
| 1st Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission | |
| In office July 11, 1934 – March 8, 1935 | |
| President | Franklin Roosevelt |
| Preceded by | Position Established |
| Succeeded by | Anning S. Prall |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1876-07-16)July 16, 1876 Aberdeen, Mississippi, U.S. |
| Died | June 21, 1945(1945-06-21) (aged 68) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Malvina Scott (m. 1903) |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | St. John's College High School United States Naval Academy University of Mississippi |
Eugene Octave Sykes Jr. (July 16, 1876 – June 21, 1945) was a justice on the Mississippi Supreme Court. He served as the first Chairman of the Federal Communications Commission from 1934 to 1935.
Early life
Eugene Octave Sykes was born in Aberdeen, Mississippi, on July 16, 1876, to Eugene Octave Sykes Sr. and India Rogers. He attended St. John's College High School and the United States Naval Academy, and the University of Mississippi for his graduate degree.
Career
Sykes served on the Mississippi Supreme Court from 1916 to 1924, appointed by Theodore Bilbo. Calvin Coolidge appointed him to the Federal Radio Commission in 1927. In 1932, he was chairman of the American delegation to the International Radio Conference in Madrid. In 1933, he was chairman of the delegation to the North American Radio Conference in Mexico City. He served as the first chairman of the Federal Communications Commission from 1934 to 1935. In 1939, he resigned from the commission.
Sykes then worked as a member of the Spearman, Sykes & Robinson law firm in Washington, D.C.
Personal life
In 1903, Sykes married Malvina Scott. They had three children.
Sykes died of a heart attack on June 21, 1945, in Washington, D.C.
References
- ^ "Eugene O. Sykes, 68, Mississippi Jurist. Former Chairman of Federal Communications Body Dies. Justice of State Court". The New York Times. Associated Press. June 22, 1945. Retrieved 2025-01-01.
Eugene Octave Sykes, former justice of the Supreme Court of Mississippi and an original member of the Federal Radio Commission and of the later Federal Communications Commission, died of a heart attack today after an illness of several months. ...
- Leslie Southwick, Mississippi Supreme Court Elections: A Historical Perspective 1916-1996, 18 Miss. C. L. Rev. 115 (1997-1998).
Further reading
- Flannery, Gerald V. (1995). Commissioners of the FCC, 1927-1994. Lanham, MD: University Press of America. pp. 1–3. ISBN 0-8191-9669-X.
- "Eugene Octave Sykes 1876–1945". Broadcasting and Broadcast Advertising. 28 (26A). Washington, D.C.: Broadcasting Publications, Inc.: 18 June 25, 1945.
External links
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded byNewly established seat | Justice of the Supreme Court of Mississippi 1916–1925 |
Succeeded byJames G. McGowen |
