Dirksen, Everett McKinley, 1896-1969

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Everett McKinley Dirksen (January 4, 1896 – September 7, 1969) was an American politician. A member of the Republican Party, he represented Illinois in the United States House of Representatives and the United States Senate. As Senate Minority Leader from 1959 to 1969, he played a highly visible and key role in the politics of the 1960s. He helped write and pass the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Civil Rights Act of 1968, both landmark pieces of legislation during the Civil Rights Movement. He was also one of the Senate's strongest supporters of the Vietnam War. A talented orator with a florid style and a notably rich baritone voice, his flamboyant speeches caused his detractors to refer to him as "The Wizard of Ooze".

Born in Pekin, Illinois, Dirksen served as an artillery officer during World War I and opened a bakery after the war. After serving on the Pekin City Council, he won election to the House of Representatives in 1932. In the House, he was considered a moderate and supported much of the New Deal; he became more conservative and isolationist over time, but reversed himself to support US involvement in World War II. He won election to the Senate in 1950, unseating Senate Majority Leader Scott W. Lucas. In the Senate, he favored conservative economic policies and supported the internationalism of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. Dirksen succeeded William F. Knowland as Senate Minority Leader after the latter declined to seek re-election in 1958.

As the Senate Minority Leader, Dirksen emerged as a prominent national figure of the Republican Party during the 1960s. He developed a good working relationship with Senate Majority Leader Mike Mansfield and supported President Lyndon B. Johnson's handling of the Vietnam War. He helped break the Southern filibuster of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. While still serving as Senate Minority Leader, Dirksen died in 1969.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
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creatorOf Everett McKinley Dirksen Collection Dirksen Congressional Center
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referencedIn Records of the Selective Service System (World War I). 1917 - 1939. Draft Registration Cards. 1917 - 1918. World War I Draft Registration Card for Everett M. Dirksen National Archives at Atlanta
referencedIn Clark, William George, 1924-2001. William G. Clark papers, 1950-1976. Chicago History Museum
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referencedIn Papers, 1854, 1881-1961 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
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referencedIn Ryerson Family. Papers, 1803-1971 Special Collections Research Center, University of Chicago Library,
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referencedIn Harold Phelps Stokes papers, 1908-1969 Yale University. Department of Manuscripts and Archives
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referencedIn Meek, Joseph T. (Joseph Thomas), 1904-1976. Joseph T. Meek papers, 1947-1971. Chicago History Museum
creatorOf Dirksen, Everett McKinley. Letter to Cyril Clemens. Washington, DC. 1965 Aug. 24. University of Iowa Libraries
referencedIn Harvard Law School Forums Records Harvard Law School Library Langdell Hall Cambridge, MA 02138
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referencedIn William H. Taylor Case Files, 1938-1957 Harvard Law School Library Langdell Hall Cambridge, MA 02138
referencedIn Smith, George Howard Edward, 1898-1962. George Howard Edward Smith papers, 1917-1962 (inclusive). Yale University Library
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referencedIn Records of the Office of the Chief Signal Officer. 1860 - 1985. Motion Picture Films from the Army Library Copy Collection. 1964 - 1980. ARRIVAL OF SEN. EVERETT DIRKSEN, (R-ILL), K-14 AND 8TH ARMY HEADQUARTERS, KOREA National Archives at College Park
referencedIn Smith, Ralph T. (Ralph Tyler), 1915-1972. Papers, 1969-1971. Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library
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referencedIn Richard Hodgins, Sr. Cartoons., circa 1968 Syracuse University. Library. Special Collections Research Center
referencedIn Guide to the Daily Worker and Daily World Photographs Collection, 1920-2001 Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives
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creatorOf Dirksen, Everett McKinley. Everett McKinley Dirksen : commercials, 1968. University of Oklahoma, Political Community Archives
referencedIn Smith, George H. E. (George Howard Edward), 1898-1962. George Howard Edward Smith papers, 1917-1962 (inclusive). Yale University Library
referencedIn Page, Archer Anderson, 1887-1974. Scrapbooks, 1908-1978. Library of Virginia
referencedIn Minow, Newton N., 1926-. Papers, 1954-1965. Wisconsin Historical Society, Newspaper Project
referencedIn Robert A. Taft Papers, 1885-1980, (bulk 1938-1953) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Harris, Fred R., 1930-. Papers, 1963-1976. University of Oklahoma, Bizzell Memorial Library
referencedIn Ogden Rogers Reid papers, 1925-1982 Yale University. Department of Manuscripts and Archives
creatorOf Congress of Racial Equality. Chicago Chapter. Congress of Racial Equality, Chicago Chapter records, 1956-1966. Chicago History Museum
referencedIn Robert Taft, Jr. Papers, 1897-1993, (bulk 1963-1976) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
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creatorOf Walker, L. C. (Louis Carlisle), 1875-1963. Louis Carlisle Walker papers, 1881-1963. Bentley Historical Library
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referencedIn Wilber M. Brucker Papers, 1877-1968 Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Kotz, Nick. Papers, 1935-2004. Wisconsin Historical Society, Newspaper Project
referencedIn President's Daily Diary. 11/22/1963 - 1/20/1969. President's Daily Diary. 11/22/1963 - 1/20/1969. President's Daily Diary Entry, June 25, 1967 Lyndon Baines Johnson Library
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referencedIn Roger Mudd Papers Washington & Lee University, James G. Leyburn Library
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creatorOf Lyle, Guy Redvers, 1907-1994. Autograph collection, 1949-1978. Francis Marion University, James A Rogers Library, James A. Rogers Library
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referencedIn American Committee on Italian Migration, Chicago Chapter (Ill.) Records, 1954-1967 University of Minnesota Libraries. Immigration History Research Center [ihrc]
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referencedIn Rayburn, Sam, 1882-1961, Papers, 1822, 1831, 1845, 1903-2007 Dolph Briscoe Center for American History
Relation Name
associatedWith Adkerson, J. Carson (Joseph Carson), 1892- person
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associatedWith Kotz, Nick. person
associatedWith Lee, Maurice du Pont, 1885-1974. person
associatedWith Lemble, George Francis, 1924-1974. person
associatedWith Ludlow, Louis, 1873-1950 person
associatedWith Lyle, Guy Redvers, 1907-1994. person
associatedWith Martin, John Butlin, 1909- person
correspondedWith Matthews, J. B. (Joseph Brown), 1894-1966 person
associatedWith Matthews, J. B. (Joseph Brown), 1894-1966 person
associatedWith Meek, Joseph T. (Joseph Thomas), 1904-1976. person
associatedWith Miller, Emma Guffey, 1874-1970. person
associatedWith Minow, Newton N., 1926-. person
associatedWith Morton, Rogers C. B. (Rogers Clark Ballard), 1914-1979. person
associatedWith Mudd, Roger, 1928- person
associatedWith New Jersey Committee for Fair Representation. corporateBody
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correspondedWith Pilch, Alex, 1913- person
associatedWith Rayburn, Sam, 1882-1961 person
associatedWith Reid, Ogden R. (Ogden Rogers), 1925- person
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correspondedWith Rumsfeld, Donald, 1932- person
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correspondedWith Taft, Robert, 1917-1993. person
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associatedWith Younger, J. Arthur (Jesse Arthur), 1893-1967. person
Place Name Admin Code Country
District of Columbia DC US
Pekin (Illinois) IL US
Subject
Advertising, political
Television advertising
Occupation
City Councilman
Representatives, U.S. Congress
Senators, U.S. Congress
Activity

Person

Birth 1896-01-04

Death 1969-09-07

Male

Americans

English,

German

Information

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