Sarah Brady
Encyclopedia
Sarah Brady is the wife of former White House Press Secretary
James Brady
. She was born to L. Stanley Kemp, a high school teacher and later FBI agent, and Frances Stufflebean Kemp, a former teacher and homemaker. She has one younger brother, Bill.
She was born as Sarah Jane Kemp in Missouri and raised in Alexandria, Virginia
.
She graduated from the College of William and Mary
in 1964. From 1964 to 1968 she was a public school teacher in Virginia. She married James Brady in Alexandria, Virginia
on July 21, 1973. On December 29, 1978, their only son, James Scott Brady, Jr., was born.
From 1968 to 1970 she worked as assistant to the campaign director for the National Republican Congressional Committee
. She then worked as an administrative aide, first for Mike McKevitt
(R-CO) and then for Joseph J. Maraziti
(R-NJ). From 1974 to 1978 Sarah Brady worked as director of administration and coordinator of field services for the Republican National Committee
.
Her husband sustained a permanently disabling head wound during the Reagan assassination attempt
which occurred on March 30, 1981. James Brady remained as Press Secretary for the remainder of Reagan's administrations, but this was primarily a titular role.
Sarah and James Brady became leading advocates of gun control
in the United States. They later became active in the lobbying organization (named Handgun Control, Inc.) that would eventually be renamed the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.
Sarah and James Brady have received numerous honorary degrees.
. The book is about her entire life, including a recent battle with lung cancer
.
White House Press Secretary
The White House Press Secretary is a senior White House official whose primary responsibility is to act as spokesperson for the government administration....
James Brady
James Brady
James Scott "Jim" Brady is a former Assistant to the President and White House Press Secretary under U.S. President Ronald Reagan...
. She was born to L. Stanley Kemp, a high school teacher and later FBI agent, and Frances Stufflebean Kemp, a former teacher and homemaker. She has one younger brother, Bill.
She was born as Sarah Jane Kemp in Missouri and raised in Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
.
She graduated from the College of William and Mary
College of William and Mary
The College of William & Mary in Virginia is a public research university located in Williamsburg, Virginia, United States...
in 1964. From 1964 to 1968 she was a public school teacher in Virginia. She married James Brady in Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
on July 21, 1973. On December 29, 1978, their only son, James Scott Brady, Jr., was born.
From 1968 to 1970 she worked as assistant to the campaign director for the National Republican Congressional Committee
National Republican Congressional Committee
The National Republican Congressional Committee is the Republican Hill committee which works to elect Republicans to the United States House of Representatives....
. She then worked as an administrative aide, first for Mike McKevitt
Mike McKevitt
James Douglas "Mike" McKevitt was a U.S. Representative from Colorado.Born in Spokane, Washington, McKevitt graduated from Grant High School in Sacramento, California....
(R-CO) and then for Joseph J. Maraziti
Joseph J. Maraziti
Joseph James Maraziti was a U.S. Representative from New Jersey.-Biography:Born in Boonton, New Jersey, Maraziti attended the public schools....
(R-NJ). From 1974 to 1978 Sarah Brady worked as director of administration and coordinator of field services for the Republican National Committee
Republican National Committee
The Republican National Committee is an American political committee that provides national leadership for the Republican Party of the United States. It is responsible for developing and promoting the Republican political platform, as well as coordinating fundraising and election strategy. It is...
.
Her husband sustained a permanently disabling head wound during the Reagan assassination attempt
Reagan assassination attempt
The Reagan assassination attempt occurred on Monday, March 30, 1981, just 69 days into the presidency of Ronald Reagan. While leaving a speaking engagement at the Washington Hilton Hotel in Washington, D.C., President Reagan and three others were shot and wounded by John Hinckley, Jr...
which occurred on March 30, 1981. James Brady remained as Press Secretary for the remainder of Reagan's administrations, but this was primarily a titular role.
Sarah and James Brady became leading advocates of gun control
Gun control
Gun control is any law, policy, practice, or proposal designed to restrict or limit the possession, production, importation, shipment, sale, and/or use of guns or other firearms by private citizens...
in the United States. They later became active in the lobbying organization (named Handgun Control, Inc.) that would eventually be renamed the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence.
Sarah and James Brady have received numerous honorary degrees.
Book
In 2002, Sarah Brady and Merrill McLoughlin wrote A Good Fight, published by Public AffairsPublicAffairs
PublicAffairs is an imprint of the Perseus Books Group, an American book publishing company located in New York City. From PublicAffairs' web site:...
. The book is about her entire life, including a recent battle with lung cancer
Lung cancer
Lung cancer is a disease characterized by uncontrolled cell growth in tissues of the lung. If left untreated, this growth can spread beyond the lung in a process called metastasis into nearby tissue and, eventually, into other parts of the body. Most cancers that start in lung, known as primary...
.