He connected our history of suffering to the struggles of others.
George “Courken” Deukmejian Jr., 35th governor (1983–1991) of the Golden State of California, was the first U.S. governor of Armenian descent. For him, history was personal, shaping both his politics and his ethics. He used his office to ensure that Armenians, and the principles of justice they embraced, were never forgotten.
By the time he left office in 1991, Deukmejian had restored California’s fiscal balance, appointed a generation of judges, institutionalized genocide education, and elevated Armenian voices in government. He had also drawn on his personal family story to make moral stands on issues ranging from apartheid to international human rights. He went out on a limb to speak truth to power in a no-frills style of expression to match his pragmatic world view. The Los Angeles Times once wrote of him: “He was the quiet-spoken, strong-willed type. ‘Iron Duke,’” they called him.
He was born on June 6, 1928, in Menands, New York to Armenian immigrants from Aintab and Erzurum. He grew up immersed in the stories of survival and resilience from his family. His mother sang at Armenian events and volunteered with the Armenian Relief Society. Both parents instilled in him a strong sense of justice and civic duty.
After earning a J.D. from St. John’s University and serving in the U.S. Army JAG Corps, Deukmejian moved to California in 1955. He was elected to the state assembly in 1962, the state senate in 1966, state attorney general in 1978, and governor in 1982. His steady rise to power made him the most visible Armenian-American elected to high office in history.
Deukmejian was a trailblazer not only as a symbol of success, but as a mentor and advocate for a new generation of educated, qualified Armenian-American public servants. He appointed more than 130 of them to high state positions, ensuring their voices influenced policy throughout state government, including K-12 and higher education, transportation, agriculture, and energy. Justice Armand Arabian was elevated to the California Supreme Court and was soon joined on the high court by Marvin R. Baxter, of Armenian heritage who had previously served as the Governor’s appointments secretary. Governor Deukmejian also successfully pushed for the appointment of his deputy attorney general, Robert Philibosian, as the District Attorney of Los Angeles County.
“He never forgot his Armenian roots,” said the Armenian Bar Association in a statement mourning his passing in 2018. “As Governor, he empowered many of his fellow Armenians by appointments to the judiciary, California State commissions, and other government positions where Armenians had not had the opportunity to serve previously or where they were under-represented.”
He empowered many of his fellow Armenians by appointments to the judiciary, California State commissions, and other government positions.
Deukmejian consistently used his platform to honor Armenian history. Throughout his career, he addressed Armenian Martyrs Day events in various cities, urging Turkey to acknowledge the Genocide and criticizing U.S. inaction.
In 1985, he signed California’s first model curriculum on human rights and genocide, explicitly including the Armenian Genocide. He emphasized the importance of educating students about the Genocide and the Holocaust to combat hatred and intolerance. Archbishop Hovnan Derderian, the Primate of the Western Diocese of the Armenian Church of North America since 2003, noted of Deukmejian: “He embodied the true spirit of public service with unwavering integrity and high ethical standards, always prioritizing the needs of the people above all else. He honored his heritage and faith, and his legacy continues to inspire generations of Californians.”
Deukmejian’s Armenian heritage also informed global action. In the mid-1980s, California faced pressure to divest from companies tied to apartheid South Africa. Initially, he resisted, citing fiduciary duty to maximize pension returns. But recalling his family’s experience during the Armenian Genocide, he reconsidered.
“My father lost a sister. Genocide was being carried out against Armenians,” he said. He equated that historical silence with the suffering of black South Africans. By 1986, he reversed course, urging the University of California State Regents to divest $3 billion and signing legislation for up to $12 billion in state divestment—the largest in the nation. Nelson Mandela later credited California for helping accelerate change. Professor Richard Hovannisian, an appointee to the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education, remarked: “He connected our history of suffering to the struggles of others. That moral bridge was uniquely Armenian.”
He honored his heritage and faith, and his legacy continues to inspire generations of Californians.
In June 1990, Deukmejian met Soviet President Mikhail Gorbachev in San Francisco, where he found himself in a position to advocate for Soviet Armenians and those in Nagorno-Karabakh. The brief courtyard meeting lasted only a few minutes, but Deukmejian pressed for relief to earthquake-stricken Armenia, protection of civilians, and sensitivity from Soviet troops.
Then, handing Gorbachev a letter detailing the “very tragic history” of his people, he urged safety for the Armenians of Nagorno-Karabagh in their struggle for self-determination. Gorbachev, well-informed about California, called the earthquake “a tragedy” and the violence “very sad.” Z. Greg Kahwajian, a longtime aide, said: “In those few minutes, the Governor delivered a very strong message to the Kremlin that the world was watching.”
Ken Khachigian, a senior strategist for his campaigns and the head of the transition committee when he was first elected governor said: “I strongly believe that George’s lifelong determination to fight crime and injustice here at home was defined by his heritage—because of the lawlessness, disorder, social chaos and terror that drove our families from their homeland.”
Armenian Dream SpeechIn 1983, on the west steps of the California State Capitol, George Deukmejian fulfilled the dream of every young Armenian boy or girl to one day redeem the tragic struggles of their ancestors from a position of respect and authority. It was a segment of his first gubernatorial inauguration speech for the California masses, capturing the essence of the Armenian experience in America. “But this journey is only a small part of another one that has significant personal meaning for me. That journey began 75 years ago in the homeland of Armenia. Four people, at different times, left behind a land of hardship and turmoil for a foreign land thousands of miles away. Arriving without funds and without knowing the culture or language, they came in search of something more precious than all these, they came for freedom. They came, not seeking the best that the new nation had to offer but willing to accept even the worst. Like millions before and after, they sought hope and opportunity. It was the promise of a better and more secure life. No word can describe it other than a dream fulfilled. Those four people were my parents and Gloria’s parents, and that new land was America. You can see why today is special for me and my family. But even more important than that—you can see why I have so much faith in the future.” |
