Editing Charles Mathias (section)

==Early life and career==
Mathias was born in [[Frederick, Maryland]], the son of Theresa (née Trail) and Charles McCurdy Mathias. His father was politically active, and he was a descendant of several Maryland legislators, including [[Charles Edward Trail]].<ref name="Ebrahimian-Mar2005">{{cite news | first =Shirley | last=Ebrahimian | title = A Man for All Seasons | work = Frederick Magazine | page = A4 | date = March 2005 }}</ref> After graduating from [[Frederick High School (Maryland)|Frederick High School]],<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/news/display.htm?storyid%3D100566 |title=Sen. 'Mac' Mathias, statesman, leaves legacy in Frederick |newspaper=Frederick News-Post |access-date=2010-11-09 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120328175057/http://www.fredericknewspost.com/sections/news/display.htm?storyid=100566 |archive-date=2012-03-28 |first=Patti S. |last=Borda |date=January 27, 2010 }}</ref> Mathias graduated from [[Haverford College]] in [[Pennsylvania]] in 1944. He went on to attend [[Yale University]] and received a law degree from the [[University of Maryland School of Law]] in 1949.<ref name="CongBio">{{cite web |url=http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=M000241 |title=Mathias, Charles McCurdy |access-date=2008-07-06 |publisher=United States Congress }}</ref>

In 1942, during [[World War II]], Mathias enlisted in the [[United States Navy]] and served at the rank of seaman apprentice. He was promoted to [[Ensign (rank)|ensign]] in 1944 and served sea duty in the [[Pacific Ocean]], including the recently devastated [[Hiroshima]], from 1944 until he was released from active duty in 1946. Following the war, Mathias rose to the rank of [[Captain (U.S. Navy)|captain]] in the [[United States Naval Reserve]].<ref name="Ebrahimian-Mar2005"/><ref name="CongBio"/>

Mathias briefly served as assistant [[Attorney General of Maryland]] from 1953 to 1954.<ref name="CongBio"/> From 1954 to 1959, he worked as the [[City Attorney]] of Frederick, where he supported civil rights for [[African Americans]]. He played a role in desegregating the local Opera House movie theater, which restricted African American seating to the back of the theater. Mathias also worked to relocate the Frederick post office and helped protect a park in the city.<ref name="Ebrahimian-Mar2005"/> In 1958, he was elected to the [[Maryland House of Delegates]], serving from 1959 to 1960. As a delegate, he voted in favor of Maryland ratifying the [[Fourteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution]], which secured African American rights following the [[American Civil War]]. With his support, the legislature ratified the amendment in 1959, nearly 100 years after it was first introduced.<ref name="Ebrahimian-Mar2005"/>

In 1958, Mathias married Ann Bradford, whom he met at a birthday party for his law school roommate [[Daniel Brewster]]. Ann Bradford (1928–2012) was the daughter of former [[Massachusetts]] governor [[Robert F. Bradford]].<ref name="Ebrahimian-Mar2005"/>  Their children included sons Robert and Charles.<ref name="nytimesjan25">{{cite news | first =Adam | last=Clymer |title = Charles Mathias, Former U.S. Senator, Dies at 87 | newspaper = [[The New York Times]] | date = January 25, 2010 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/26/us/politics/26mathias.html}}</ref>