Elbert Carvel, 94, Delaware Governor
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Former Delaware Governor Elbert Carvel, a champion of civil rights at a time when many supported segregation, died Sunday. He was 94.
Carvel, known as “Big Bert” because of his 6-foot-7-inch frame, was something of an anomaly as governor: a liberal in conservative Sussex County and a champion of equal rights. He was elected to the state’s highest office for two separate terms, from 1949 to 1953 and from 1961 to 1965.
He is credited with creating Delaware’s Supreme Court. The Carvel State Office Building in Wilmington is named after him.
