American politician
Edmond Augustus Edmondson (April 7, 1919 – December 8, 1990) was an American World War II veteran, lawyer, and politician from Oklahoma . He served 10 terms in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1953 to 1973. He was defeated in U.S. Senate elections in Oklahoma three times in 1972 , 1974 , and 1978 .
Early life
Edmondson was born and raised in Muskogee, Oklahoma , where he attended public school before going on to attend Muskogee Junior College.[1] Following graduation from the University of Oklahoma , where he was a member of the Phi Gamma Delta fraternity in 1940, he joined the Federal Bureau of Investigation , serving as a special agent until 1943.[2] From 1943 to 1946, he served in the United States Navy and continued in the reserves until 1970. He earned a law degree from Georgetown University Law Center in 1947.[3]
Political career
Edmondson served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1953 to 1973.[4]
Edmondson did not sign the 1956 Southern Manifesto , and voted in favor of the Civil Rights Acts of 1957 ,[5] 1960 ,[6] 1964 ,[7] and 1968 ,[8] as well as the 24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 .[9] [10]
He sponsored a bill which authorized the return of the building which housed the Five Civilized Tribes Museum to the city government of Muskogee, Oklahoma .[11]
In the 1972 election , he was a candidate for the U.S. Senate, but narrowly lost the general election to former Oklahoma Governor Dewey F. Bartlett .[citation needed ]
In the 1974 election , he ran for the state's other U.S. Senate seat, losing to incumbent Henry Bellmon by less than 1 percent of the vote.[citation needed ]
In the 1978 election , he made a surprise late entry in the U.S. Senate race, losing the Democratic primary runoff to popular Governor David Boren by a wide margin.[citation needed ]
Family
Edmondson and his wife June had five children, including their sons, Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice James E. Edmondson , and former Oklahoma Attorney General Drew Edmondson . His brother was J. Howard Edmondson , a former Governor of Oklahoma and U.S. Senator.[citation needed ]
Death and legacy
Edmondson died in Muskogee, Oklahoma on December 8, 1990.
In 2003, the federal courthouse in Muskogee was renamed the Ed Edmondson United States Courthouse in his honor.[12]
References
^ Kosmerick, Todd J. "Edmondson, Edmond Augustus (1919-1990)." Archived 2010-06-02 at the Wayback Machine Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History & Culture. Retrieved 10-12-09
^ Kosmerick, Todd J. Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History & Culture. Archived 2010-06-02 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 10-12-09
^ Kosmerick, Todd J. Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History & Culture. Archived 2010-06-02 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 10-12-09
^ Kosmerick, Todd J. Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History & Culture. Archived 2010-06-02 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 10-12-09
^ "HR 6127. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1957" . GovTrack.us .
^ "HR 8601. PASSAGE" .
^ "H.R. 7152. PASSAGE" .
^ "TO PASS H.R. 2516, A BILL TO ESTABLISH PENALTIES FOR INTERFERENCE WITH CIVIL RIGHTS. INTERFERENCE WITH A PERSON ENGAGED IN ONE OF THE 8 ACTIVITIES PROTECTED UNDER THIS BILL MUST BE RACIALLY MOTIVATED TO INCUR THE BILL'S PENALTIES" .
^ "S.J. RES. 29. CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO BAN THE USE OF POLL TAX AS A REQUIREMENT FOR VOTING IN FEDERAL ELECTIONS" . GovTrack.us .
^ "TO PASS H.R. 6400, THE 1965 VOTING RIGHTS ACT" .
^ Five Civilized Tribes Museum website , fivetribes.org; accessed May 14, 2010.
^ "Statement on H.R. 1668." The White House (news release). September 17, 2003. Retrieved 10-12-09
External links
International National People