Paul Luebke (January 18, 1946 – October 29, 2016) was a Democratic member of the

North Carolina General Assembly The North Carolina General Assembly is the Bicameralism, bicameral legislature of the Government of North Carolina, state government of North Carolina. The legislature consists of two chambers: the North Carolina Senate, Senate and the North Ca ...

, representing the 30th House District, which includes constituents in Durham County. A professor of

Sociology Sociology is the scientific study of human society that focuses on society, human social behavior, patterns of Interpersonal ties, social relationships, social interaction, and aspects of culture associated with everyday life. The term sociol ...

at the

University of North Carolina at Greensboro The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG or UNC Greensboro) is a public research university in Greensboro, North Carolina. It is part of the University of North Carolina, University of North Carolina system. It is accredited by the S ...

, Luebke served eleven consecutive two-year term in the state House of Representatives.

Childhood and education

Luebke was born on January 18, 1946, in

Chicago, Illinois Chicago is the List of municipalities in Illinois, most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois and in the Midwestern United States. With a population of 2,746,388, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it is the List of Unite ...

, to Paul and Eunice Luebke. His father was a teacher and education administrator and his mother was a homemaker. Luebke spent his childhood living in Chicago,

Detroit Detroit ( , ) is the List of municipalities in Michigan, most populous city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is situated on the bank of the Detroit River across from Windsor, Ontario. It had a population of 639,111 at the 2020 United State ...

and

St. Louis St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a populatio ...

. During his high school years he moved to

Ankara, Turkey Ankara is the capital city of Turkey and the largest capital by area in the world. Located in the central part of Anatolia, the city has a population of 5,290,822 in its urban center ( Etimesgut, Yenimahalle, Çankaya, Keçiören, Altında ...

, where his father worked as an education advisor to the Turkish government for the U.S. Foreign Aid Program. While living in Turkey he studied at Privatschule der deutschen Botschaft, a German embassy school in Ankara, from 1959 until 1962. After high school, Luebke attended

Robert College The American Robert College of Istanbul ( or ), often abbreviated as Robert or RC, is a Selective school, highly selective, Independent school, independent, mixed-sex education, co-educational, Education in Turkey#Private schools, private Second ...

Istanbul Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...

Turkey Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...

. In 1966 he earned a bachelor of arts in government from

Valparaiso University Valparaiso University (Valpo) is a private university in Valparaiso, Indiana, United States. It is an independent Lutheran university with five colleges. It enrolls nearly 2,300 students and has a campus. The university is known for its Luthe ...

in Indiana. He earned a doctorate in political sociology from

Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...

in 1975. After graduate school he moved to the Durham area.

Career

Luebke taught

sociology Sociology is the scientific study of human society that focuses on society, human social behavior, patterns of Interpersonal ties, social relationships, social interaction, and aspects of culture associated with everyday life. The term sociol ...

Tougaloo College Tougaloo College is a private historically black college in the Tougaloo area of Jackson, Mississippi, United States. It is affiliated with the United Church of Christ and Christian Church (Disciples of Christ). It was established in 1869 by ...

, a historically black college in

Jackson, Mississippi Jackson is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Mississippi, most populous city of the U.S. state of Mississippi. The city sits on the Pearl River (Mississippi–Louisiana), Pearl River and is locate ...

, from 1971 to 1975. He taught sociology at

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC, UNC–Chapel Hill, or simply Carolina) is a public university, public research university in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, United States. Chartered in 1789, the university first began enrolli ...

from 1975 to 1976. Luebke began teaching sociology at UNC Greensboro in 1976 and was awarded tenure in 1982. He was a member of the sociology faculty at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, specializing in political sociology. He served on the Raleigh-Durham Airport Authority from 1987 until 1991. He served as a board member of the North Carolina Consumers Council as a consumer rights advocate. He was elected to the state House of Representatives in Durham's District 23, which then had three members, in 1990 and took up his position in 1991. As of February 2011 Luebke represented District 30 and was a member of the following committees: *Agriculture *Education *Finance *Government *Public utilities *Rules, calendar and operations of the House He was a chairman of the Finance committee and of the select committee on Municipal Annexation, as well as vice-chairman of the Election Law, Campaign Finance Reform and Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House committees. He was also a member of the Energy and Energy Efficiency committee and the Environmental and Natural Resources committee. He thought of himself as a "Progressive Democrat" and said that "I am especially proud that, during the 1990s, I led the bipartisan effort to eliminate the state sales tax on groceries; and that, in 2009, I was a primary House sponsor of the Racial Justice Act." Luebke died of lymphoma on October 29, 2016, at the age of 70, while still in office.

Books

Luebke wrote of two books about

North Carolina North Carolina ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It is bordered by Virginia to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the east, South Carolina to the south, Georgia (U.S. stat ...

politics: ''Tar Heel Politics: Myths and Realities'' (1990) and ''Tar Heel Politics 2000'' (1998).

Electoral history

2016

2014

2012

2010

2008

2006

2004

2002

2000

Committee assignments

2015-2016 session

*Finance (Vice Chair) *Environment *Local Government *Public Utilities

2013-2014 session

*Finance (Vice Chair) *Agriculture *Education *Environment *Government *Public Utilities

2011-2012 session

*Finance *Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House *Agriculture *Education *Government *Public Utilities

2009-2010 session

*Election Law and Campaign Finance Reform *Energy and Energy Efficiency *Environment and Natural Resources *Finance *Rules, Calendar, and Operations of the House

References

External links

* NC General Assembly
"North Carolina General Assembly - Representative Paul Luebke"
ncleg.net. Retrieved on 2011-02-10 , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Luebke, Paul 1946 births 2016 deaths Democratic Party members of the North Carolina House of Representatives Columbia Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Valparaiso University alumni Politicians from Chicago Writers from Chicago Writers from North Carolina 21st-century members of the North Carolina General Assembly