Karl Mundt

Karl Earl Mundt(June 3, 1900 – August 16, 1974) was an American educator and aRepublicanmember of theUnited States Congress,representingSouth Dakotain theUnited States House of Representatives(1939–1948) and in theUnited States Senate(1948–1973).

Karl Mundt
Mundt in 1940
United States Senator fromSouth Dakota
In office December 31, 1948 – January 3, 1973
Preceded by	Vera C. Bushfield
Succeeded by	James Abourezk
Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromSouth Dakota's1stdistrict
In office January 3, 1939 – December 31, 1948
Preceded by	Fred H. Hildebrandt
Succeeded by	Harold O. Lovre
Personal details
Born	Karl Earl Mundt (1900-06-03)June 3, 1900 Humboldt, South Dakota,U.S.
Died	August 16, 1974(1974-08-16)(aged 74) Washington, D.C.,U.S.
Resting place	Graceland Cemetery inMadison, South Dakota
Political party	Republican
Spouse	Mary Elizabeth Moses ​ ​ (m.1924)​
Parents	Ferdinand John Mundt (father) Rose Schneider (mother)
Alma mater	Carleton College
Occupation	Teacher school administrator politician

Biography

Mundt was born inHumboldt, South Dakota.He was the son of Ferdinand John Mundt (1875–1947) and Rose (Schneider) Mundt (1874–1965). Both of his parents were the descendants of German immigrants. Mundt attended public schools in Humboldt,Pierre,andMadison,graduating from Madison High School in 1919. In high school, he excelled inoratoryanddebate,which became lifetime passions.

Early career

After receiving aBachelor of Artsdegree fromCarleton CollegeinMinnesotain 1923 with a major ineconomics,he became a teacher and principal at Bryant High School inBryant,South Dakota. As a first-year teacher he taught speech,psychology,sociology,and government, coached the debate, oratory, and extemporaneous speech teams, and began a school newspaper. After his first year, he was promoted to Superintendent of Bryant schools, a position he held until 1927. As superintendent, he continued to coach debate and oratory.

Marriage

In 1924, Mundt married Mary Elizabeth Moses (1900–1985), a college classmate who also taught at Bryant High School. In 1927, both Karl and Mary Mundt receivedMaster of Artsdegrees fromColumbia Universityfollowing four years of summer study there. Beginning in 1928, they both taught at Eastern State Normal School(nowDakota State University), continuing there until 1936. Karl headed the speech department and taught psychology and economics, while Mary taught drama and French.

U.S. House of Representatives

In 1936, Mundt was the Republican candidate for the House of Representatives inSouth Dakota's 1st congressional district,losing in aDemocraticyear toFred H. Hildebrandt.He won the seat in the 1938 election, a year more favorable to Republicans, and was re-elected four times.

U.S. Senate

In 1948, he was elected to the Senate seat previously held byHarlan J. Bushfield.He resigned his House seat on December 30, 1948, having been appointed to the Senate to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of SenatorVera C. Bushfield,who had succeeded herhusbandafter his death in September 1948. Mundt was re-elected to the Senate in 1954, 1960, and 1966.In 1960, he was challenged for reelection by then-U.S. RepresentativeGeorge McGovernand nearly defeated.

Illness

On November 23, 1969, Mundt suffered a severestrokeand was subsequently unable to attend sessions of Congress, although he received extensive speech andphysical therapy.His wife, Mary, led his staff in Mundt's place and refused calls for the crippled Senator to resign. Mundt was stripped of his committee assignments by the Senate Republican Conference in 1972, but he remained in office through the end of his term on January 3, 1973.He did not seek reelection in 1972, and was succeeded in the Senate by DemocratJames G. Abourezk.

Death and burial

Karl Mundt died inWashington, D.C.in 1974 of a heart ailment and was buried at Graceland Cemetery inMadison, South Dakota.

Accomplishments in the U.S. Congress

South Dakota's congressional delegationin the87th U.S. Congress.
L-R:Ellis Y. Berry,Joseph H. Bottum,Karl E. Mundt, andBen Reifel.

In the House of Representatives, Mundt sponsored and supported proposals for "Buy American" legislation, was a member of the Foreign Affairs committee from 1941 to 1948, and played a key role in encouraging the United States to join theUnited Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO)in 1945. He was a key proponent of theVoice of America,which was established as a result of theSmith-Mundt Act,signed into law in 1948. He was a member of theHouse Un-American Activities Committeefrom 1943 to 1948. HUAC's activities during this period included theAlger Hisshearings and investigations of themotion picture industry.Mundt was unsuccessful in attempts to have HUAC continue investigating theKu Klux Klan.

He also introduced a modification to Title 50, criminalizing the passage of certain classified information to foreign nationals.

Mundt voted in favor of theCivil Rights Acts of 1957,1960,1964,and1968,as well as the24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution,theVoting Rights Act of 1965,and the confirmation ofThurgood Marshallto theU.S. Supreme Court.

As a Senator, Mundt served on the Senate'sAppropriations Committee,Foreign Relations Committee,Government Operations Committee,andPermanent Investigations Subcommittee,and he represented the Senate on the Intergovernmental Relations Advisory Commission. In 1954, he chaired the Senate Subcommittee on Investigations for theArmy-McCarthy Hearings.His accomplishments as a Senator included obtaining support forMissouri Riverprojects, establishment of theEROS Data CenterinSioux Falls, South Dakota,agriculture programs, andInterstate highwayconstruction inSouth Dakota.

The National Forensic League

In 1925,Bruno E. Jacobfounded theNational Forensic League,a high school organization promoting speech anddebateactivities. Mundt served as the organization's national president from 1932 until 1971.

Mundt was the primary sponsor of the Alexander Hamilton Bicentennial Convention, held in the summer of 1957. It featured 55 high school (mostly) seniors inWashington, D.C.,andPhiladelphia,Pennsylvania, as representatives of the (then) 48 states and seven territories in a "mock" constitutional convention.

Legacy

The Karl Mundt Archives including personal papers, congressional correspondence and many personal items are available atDakota State UniversityinMadison.TheKarl Mundt Librarywas named in his honor and dedicated byRichard Nixonin 1969.TheKarl E. Mundt National Wildlife Refugein South Dakota was named in his honor when it was established in 1974.

The Karl E. Mundt Foundation, established in Mundt's honor in 1963, awards prizes for essays and oratorical contests, sponsors seminars and public lectures, and helps support the annual Karl E. Mundt Debate Tournament and Karl E. Mundt Dakota Invitational Oral Interpretation Contest in South Dakota. The Karl E. Mundt Foundation had its offices at the Karl Mundt Library at Dakota State University, but closed in July 2017. The Karl Mundt Archives are now one with the library.

In film

One of the principal characters of theCoen brothers' 1991 filmBarton Finkis a traveling salesman named Karl Mundt, played by actorJohn Goodman.

See also

• United States House of Representatives
• House Un-American Activities Committee
• List of members of the House Un-American Activities Committee
• Karl Mundt Archives
• Karl Mundt Library
• Mundt-Nixon Bill
• Smith–Mundt Act
• Voice of America
• UNESCO

Related reading

• Heidepriem, Scott (1988)A Fair Chance for a Free People: A Biography of Karl E. Mundt, United States Senator(Madison, SD: Leader Printing)

External links

• United States Congress."Karl Mundt (id: M001078)".Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.
• Karl E. Mundt ArchivesBiography and information about the Senator's papers and memorabilia archived atDakota State University
• "Letter from J.J. Singh requesting support for Mundt amendment" in the South Asian American Digital Archive (SAADA)
• Karl E. Mundt National Wildlife Refuge
• Biographical Dictionary of the US Congress:Karl Mundt – Extended Bibliography
• Biographical Dictionary of the US Congress:Karl Mundt – Guide to Research Collections
• House History:Karl Mundt