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Senator Everett Dirksen (R-IL)
Everett Dirksen (1896–1969) grew up in the small town of Pekin, Illinois. He entered the University of Minnesota to study law but left to serve in World War I. His long career in public service began with his election to the city council in 1926. In 1932, he won his bid for a congressional seat. In 1950 he was elected to the Senate and in 1957 elevated to minority whip. In 1959 he became the Republican minority leader, a post he held until his death. Through his service on the Judiciary Committee, he acquired an intimate knowledge of civil rights issues. Dirksen worked with Lyndon Johnson on the Civil Rights Act of 1960 and provided valuable support in securing the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. |