William Jennings Bryan

American politician (1860–1925)

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Lived 1860–1925, aged 65United States

United States PoliticiansPolitician

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Era
1860–1925
Aged 65

Summary

Updated 2026-05-29

Three-time presidential candidate who dominated late-1800s politics as "the Great Commoner." Bryan's silver-tongued oratory and populist appeal made him the Democratic Party's face for a generation, though he never won the White House.

Biography

About

William Jennings Bryan was an American lawyer, orator, and politician. He was a dominant force in the Democratic Party, running three times as the party's nominee for President of the United States in the 1896, 1900, and 1908 elections. He served in the House of Representatives from 1891 to 1895 and as the secretary of state under Woodrow Wilson from 1913 to 1915. Because of his faith in the wisdom of the common people, Bryan was often called "the Great Commoner", and because of his rhetorical power and early fame as the youngest presidential candidate, "the Boy Orator".

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