Paul M. Weyrich

Paul Weyrich was born on October 7, 1942 in Racine, Wisconsin. He was involved in politics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and became one of the most influential conservatives in America. He was a lobbyist and advocate for some of the early New Right foundations which preceded the Heritage Foundation, Cato Institute, and others. He was President of the Free Congress Research and Education Foundation, he headed up the Coalition for America, and was the founding President of the Heritage Foundation. Weyrich was also a reporter, radio and television director, and writer. He published policy reports and journals, and he wrote editorials on a variety of conservative issues. He was also interested in railway transportation and held a variety of administrative railway positions from 1958 to 2002. Weyrichs coworker and friend, Connaught Marshner, was a fellow conservative and lobbyist. She wrote a variety of books and articles about education, families and abortion, and she was a major influence in the growth of the Pro Family and Pro Life movements.

From the description of Paul M. Weyrich papers, 1968-2002. (University of Wyoming, American Heritage Center). WorldCat record id: 62876819

Paul Weyrich was born on October 7, 1942 in Racine, Wisconsin, where he was raised and educated. While attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison he was involved in politics and became one of the most influential conservatives in America. He was a lobbyist and advocate for some of the early "New Right" foundations which preceded the Heritage Foundation, Cato Institute, and others. He was President of the "Free Congress Research and Education Foundation" throughout its history; he headed up the "Coalition for America", and was the founding President of the Heritage Foundation. He was particularly concerned about welfare, adoption, abortion, and homosexual rights. During the 1970’s and 1980’s he worked to replace the Democratic Congress with a conservative Republican Congress. Weyrich was also a reporter, radio and television director, and writer. He published policy reports and journals, and he wrote editorials on a variety of conservative issues. He was also interested in railway transportation and held a variety of administrative railway positions from 1958–2002; including the National Railroad Passenger Corporation (AMTRAK) Board of Directors from 1987-1993. Paul Weyrich's co-worker and friend, Connaught Marshner, was a fellow conservative and lobbyist. She wrote a variety of books and articles about education, families and abortion, and she was a major influence in the growth of the Pro-family and Pro-life movements.

From the guide to the Paul M. Weyrich papers, 1968-2002, (University of Wyoming. American Heritage Center.)

Biographical Note

• 1942, Oct. 7: Born, Racine, Wis.
• 1960 - 1962 : Student, University of Wisconsin, Racine, Wis.
• 1960 - 1964 : Active in Racine County Young Republicans and Barry Goldwater’s 1964 presidential campaign in Wisconsin
• 1960 - 1966 : Radio announcer WFNY (Racine, Wis.); political reporter, WLIP and WAXO (Kenosha, Wis.); political reporter, Milwaukee Sentinel; political reporter and weekend anchor, WISN-TV (Milwaukee, Wis.), and news director, KQXI-TV (Denver, Colo.)
• 1963: Married Joyce Anne Smigun
• 1967 - 1970 : Press secretary and staff assistant on transportation, Colorado Senator Gordon L. Allott
• 1968: Joined Byzantine Rite Roman Catholic Church
• 1971: Established Analysis and Research, Inc., providing conservative public policy analysis
• 1973 - 1976 : Special assistant and consultant, Nebraska Senator Carl T. Curtis
• 1973: Cofounder with Edwin Feulner and Joseph Coors, Heritage Foundation, Washington, D.C. Cofounder, American Legislative Exchange Council (director, 1975-1978) Co-organizer with Edwin Feulner and Congressman Phil Crane of Illinois of the Republican Study Committee
• 1974 - 2008 : Founded Committee for the Survival of a Free Congress with support from Joseph Coors, in 1977 renamed Free Congress Research and Education Foundation and commonly known as the Free Congress Foundation (President, 1977-2002, and Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, 1996-2008)
• 1977: Cofounded Christian Voice with Robert Grant
• 1979: Coined phrase “Moral Majority” used by Jerry Falwell and worked with him to coordinate political activism among conservative Protestant and Catholic evangelicals
• 1980 - 1990 : Conservative Digest columnist (senior editor, 1985-1988, and copublisher 1988)
• 1981 - 2008 : Member, Council for National Policy, serving as treasurer, 1981-1992, and on executive board, 1992-2008
• 1987 - 1993 : Member, Amtrak Board of Directors
• 1989 - 1996 : President, Krieble Institute of Free Congress Foundation, promoting democracy and capitalism in the former Soviet Bloc
• 1990: Ordained as deacon, Holy Transfiguration Melkite Greek Catholic Church, McLean, Va.
• 1993 - 1997 : Directed National Empowerment Television (NET), rebranded as NET-Political NewsTalk Network, 1995-1997
• 1998 - 2002 : Vice chairman, Amtrak Reform Council
• 2008, Dec. 18: Died, Fairfax, Va.
• 2009: Posthumous publications, with William Lind, by the Free Congress Research and Education Foundation, Alexandria, Va.: The Next Conservatism: Paul Weyrich’s Last Testament. South Bend, Ind.: St. Augustine’s Press; and Moving minds: Conservatives and Public Transportation. Alexandria, Va.: Free Congress Foundation

From the guide to the Paul M. Weyrich Scrapbooks, 1942-2009, (bulk 1960-2008), (Manuscript Division Library of Congress)