Earl B. Ruth
Earl Baker Ruth (February 7, 1916 – August 15, 1989) was an American politician from North Carolina who served three terms in the U.S. House of Representatives and later became the Governor of American Samoa.
He was born in Spencer, North Carolina, and grew up in Charlotte. Ruth attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, earning a BA, an MA, and a PhD. He worked as a teacher and coach, played college basketball, and served in the U.S. Navy. He spent many years at Catawba College in Salisbury as a basketball coach, athletics director, and later dean of students. He also served on the Salisbury City Council and was mayor pro tempore.
Ruth was elected as a Republican to the Ninety-first Congress and served in the House from 1969 to 1975. He did not win reelection in 1974.
In 1975, President Gerald R. Ford appointed him Governor of American Samoa, a position he held until 1976. His time as governor was controversial because he moved to replace many Samoan officials who had been appointed by the previous governor, and he was recalled to Washington after making remarks that many found offensive about Samoans, including a quote describing them in harsh terms. The experience helped spark a shift in American Samoa toward electing their own governor, a change approved by voters in 1976. Since then, Samoan governors have been elected, not appointed.
Ruth was married to Jane Wylie Ruth. He died in Salisbury, North Carolina, in 1989 and is buried in Salisbury National Cemetery. In 2012, a section of U.S. Route 601 in Rowan County was named the Congressmen Earl Ruth Highway in his honor.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 08:57 (CET).