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Born in 1900, Karl Earl Mundt was an educator and Republican congressman representing South Dakota in the House of Representatives from 1939-1948 and the Senate from 1948-1973. Mundt graduated with a bachelor's degree in economics from Carleton College in Minnesota. He worked as a teacher and principle at Bryant High School in Bryant, South Dakota in 1923, becoming Superintendent of Bryant schools one year later. In 1928, Mundt taught at Eastern State Normal School (DSU) until 1936 when he began running for congress. After losing in 1936, Mundt was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1938 and later became a senator in 1948. As a house representative of South Dakota, Mundt was a primary advocate of the Voice of America (VOA) and in encouraging the U.S. in joining the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Mundt was an active member of the House Un-American Activities Committee (HOAC) during the Alger Hiss hearings and investigations of the film industry (he attempted to have HOAC investigate the Ku Klux Klan but failed). Mundt voted in favor of the Civil Rights Acts, the 24th Amendment, the Voting Rights Act of 1965, and the confirmation of Thurgood Marshall to the Supreme Court. Mundt served on the Appropriations Committee, Foreign Relations Committee, Government Operations Committee, and Permanent Investigations Subcommittee, and he represented the Senate on the Intergovernmental Relations Advisory Commission. He also chaired the subcommittee for the Army-McCarthy Hearings. His accomplishments include obtaining support for Missouri River projects, establishment of the EROS Data Center, agriculture programs, and interstate highway construction in South Dakota. DSU's library was dedicated to Mundt in 1969 and currently holds his donated papers. Mundt died in 1974 from heart ailments. |
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The Karl Mundt Collection is open to research, and no special permissions are necessary to access its materials. Researchers requiring extended access to the collection are asked to contact the archivist to make arrangements.
The document portion of the collection is available on microfilm via inter-library loan.
Copyright status for some collection materials may be unknown. Responsibility and potential liability based on copyright infringement for any use rests exclusively and solely with the user.
The current revision of this finding aid is generated from different sources. The first is Karl E. Mundt, United State Congress, 1938-1972: A Description of the Manuscript Collection, written by Pauline E. Teagarden, and published by the Karl E. Mundt Historical and Education Foundation in April, 1994. The second is the detailed Karl E. Mundt Archival Library inventory sheets, compiled by the Mundt Archivist. The last revision of the inventory sheet was published in 2014. The finding aids here reflect the most current and up to date description of the collection based on those sources.
The Karl Mundt Collection contains materials that represent the breadth of Senator Mundt's life and career. The approximate period of time covered by these materials is from Mundt's birth in 1900, to the death of his wife, Mary Moses, in 1985. In addition to Mundt's Congressional papers, the collection includes personal effects, family heirlooms, a reference library, and various other ephemera and memorabilia related to the Senator and the impact of his work.
The document collection is arranged into fifteen distinct records groups, and further divided into series and sub-series that reflect specific topics and subjects that are addressed by the materials in those series. In total the Karl Mundt Collection includes over 1,500 document boxes totaling nearly 700 linear feet, containing approximately two million individual documents. The media collection consists of over 300 audiovisual recordings, 6,000 photographs, paintings, and 100 scrapbooks. In addition to those materials, the collection holds approximately 270 three-dimensional artifacts, and over 1,200 bound volumes.
Creator: Senator Karl E. Mundt
Format: 100 linear feet (240 Hollinger boxes)
Date: 1939-1972
Description: The Departmental Files records group includes correspondence, reports, and meeting minutes relative to Senator Mundt's work with various federal government departments. Departments represented in this records include the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Housing and Urban Development, and Interior.
Language: English
Microfilm: #1-50
Restrictions: None
| Subseries | Box Number |
|---|---|
| Agriculture | 1-50 |
| Commerce | 51-58 |
| Defense | 59-83 |
| Health, Education, & Welfare | 84-108 |
| Housing & Urban Development | 109-113 |
| Interior | 114-161 |
| Justice | 162-169 |
| Labor | 170-174 |
| Post Office | 175-205 |
| State | 206-221 |
| Treasurery | 222-228 |
| Transportation | 229-233 |
| War Department | 234 |
| Office of Economic Opportunity | 235-240 |
Creator: Senator Karl E. Mundt
Format: 23 linear feet (53 Hollinger boxes)
Date: 1949-1972
Description: Series in the Independent Agencies records group contain materials relative to various agencies and federal commissions. These include the Atomic Energy Commission, Environmental Protection Agency, Federal Aviation Agency, and Federal Communications Commission.
Language: English
Microfilm: #50-62
Restrictions: None
| Subseries | Box Number | Subseries | Box Number |
|---|---|---|---|
| Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations | 241-242 | National Foundation on Arts and Humanities | 276 |
| American Revolution Bi-Centennial Commission | 243 | National Labor Relations Board | 277 |
| American Battle Monuments Commission | 244 | National Science Foundation | 278 |
| Atomic Energy Commission | 245-246 | Railroad Retirement Board | 279 |
| Civil Aeronautics Board | 247-250 | Securities and Exchange Commission | 279 |
| Environmental Protection Agency | 251 | Selective Service Commission | 280 |
| Export-Import Bank | 252 | Small Business Administration | 281-286 |
| Farm Credit Association | 253 | Surplus Property Administration | 287 |
| Federal Aviation Agency | 254 | Civil Production Administration | 287 |
| Federal Communication Commission | 255-257 | Civilian Service Commission | 288 |
| Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. | 258 | U.S. Information Agency | 289 |
| Federal Power Commission | 259 | U.S. Tariff Commission | 290 |
| Federal Trade Commission | 260 | Veterans Administration | 291-296 |
| General Services Administration |
261-264 |
Civil Defense | 297 |
| Housing & Home Finance | 265-266 | General Accounting Office | 297 |
| Native American Claims Commission | 267 | Warren Commission | 297 |
| Interstate Commerce Commission | 268-274 | Office of Emergency Preparedness | 297 |
| National Aeronautics & Space Administration | 275 | Obscenity and Pornography Commission | 298-299 |
| National Commission on Food Marketing | 276 | Miscellaneous | 300-306 |
Creator: Senator Karl E. Mundt
Format: 213 linear feet (510 Hollinger boxes)
Date: 1939-1972
Description: The Legislation records group is the single largest records group in the Karl Mundt Collection. Materials in this records group cover the breadth of Senator Mundt's legislative work in Congress. Boxes contain correspondence between Mundt and other congresspeople, committees, and subcommittees in the form of letters and telegrams, as well as statistical data, polls, and Mundt's personal notes. Notable series topics in this records group are the Finance Committee, Foreign Affairs Committee, Government Operations Committee, and the House Un-American Activities Committee.
Language: English
Microfilm: #62-135
Restrictions: None
| Subseries | Box Number | Subseries | Box Number |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aeronautics & Space Science | 325 | Organization of Congress - Joint Committee | 579 |
| Agriculture Committee | 326 | Interior & Insular Affairs | 580-589 |
| Agriculture & Forestry | 327-357 | Judiciary Committee | 590-626, 677 |
| Appropriations Committee | 360-399 | Committee on Labor & Public Welfare | 627-654 |
| Armed Services Committee | 400-404 | Committee on Memorials | 655 |
| Joint Atomic Energy Committee | 405 | Post Office & Civil Service | 656-665 |
| Banking & Currency Committee | 406-411 | Committee on Public Works | 666-669 |
| Commerce Committee | 411-417 | Rules and Administration | 670-671 |
| Committee on Congressional Reorganization | 418 | Republican Policy Committee | 672-673 |
| District of Columbia Committee | 419 | Committee on Rivers and Harbors | 674 |
| Committee on Expenditures | 420 | Small Business Committee | 675 |
| Committee on Education & Labor | 421 | Select Committee on Standards and Conduct | 676 |
| Committee on Expenditures in the Executive Department | 422 | Un-American Activities Committee | 678-694 |
| Finance Committee | 423-452 | Veterans Affairs Committee | 695-699 |
| Foreign Affairs Committee | 453-528 | Ways and Means Committee | 700 |
| Government Operations Committee | 529-572 | Labor Unions & Racketeering | 701-705 |
| Committee on Native American Affairs | 573-574 | Congressional Records | 706, 725-835 |
| Interstate & Foreign Commerce | 575-578 |
Creator: Senator Karl E. Mundt
Format: 5 linear feet (11 Hollinger boxes)
Date: 1938-1972
Description: This records group contains personal notes and letters between Senator Mundt and colleagues, including United States Presidents and foreign dignitaries.
Language: English
Microfilm:
Restrictions: All restrictions on this file have been lifted.
Creator: Senator Karl E. Mundt
Format: 26 linear feet (61 Hollinger boxes)
Date: 1947-1972
Description: This file contains letters from constituents requesting aid from Senator Mundt for personal issues. The records group contains two series, one for domestic letters, and one for foreign letters. The documents are arranged alphabetically by the constituent's last name, and then by the date of the letter.
Language: English
Microfilm:
Restrictions: None
Creator: Senator Karl E. Mundt
Format: 72 linear feet (172 Hollinger boxes)
Date: 1949-1972
Description: This records group contains miscellaneous correspondence, office reports, articles, and pamphlets that Senator Mundt collected during his years in Congress. The files are arranged alphabetically by last name of individuals represented, and then by year of the document.
Boxes: 915-1087
Language: English
Microfilm: #151-178
Restrictions: None
Creator: Senator Karl E. Mundt
Format: 44 linear feet (105 Hollinger boxes)
Date: 1936-1972
Description: These boxes contain materials related to Senator Mundt's election campaigns, as well as the campaigns of other representatives with whom he worked. The files are arranged chronologically in general, otherwise in the original order which they were received from the Mundt estate.
Language: English
Microfilm: #178-197
Restrictions: None
Creator: Senator Karl E. Mundt
Format: 15 linear feet (36 Hollinger boxes)
Date: 1924-1969
Description: This is a complete collection of Senator Mundt's speeches, beginning with his first position as a teacher and superintendent at Bryant High School in Bryant, South Dakota. In addition to copies of the final speeches, there is included drafts, outlines, and notes Mundt used to write his speeches. The files are kept in the original order in which they were received from the Mundt estate. An index of the speeches is available.
Language: English
Microfilm: N/A
Restrictions: None
Creator: Senator Karl E. Mundt
Format: 31 linear feet (74 Hollinger boxes)
Date: 1939-1972
Description: The boxes here contain news releases from Senator Mundt's office to newspapers, radio and television programs, as well as transcripts, memorandums, and correspondence between Mundt's office and news agencies. A complete collection of the "Your Washington And You" are held in this records group. The files are arranged chronologically.
Language: English
Microfilm: #197-207
Restrictions: None
Creator: Senator Karl E. Mundt
Format: 5 linear feet (11 Hollinger boxes)
Date: 1954-1972
Description: This series contains requests from South Dakota constituents for military academy information and appointments. This includes the Air Force Academy, Naval Academy, West Point, Merchant Marine, and Coast Guard.
Language: English
Microfilm: #207-211
Restrictions: None
Creator: Senator Karl E. Mundt
Format: 14 linear feet (33 Hollinger boxes)
Date: 1952-1972
Description: Correspondence in this series relates to constituent's requests for Senator Mundt's help in seeking employment and White House appointments. The letters are grouped chronologically, and then alphabetically. There is a series in this records group dedicated to correspondence between Karl Mundt and Richard M. Nixon.
Language: English
Microfilm: #211-219
Restrictions: None
Creator: Senator Karl E. Mundt
Format: 5 linear feet (12 Hollinger boxes)
Date: 1935-1973
Description: The Administration records group holds documents related to the daily administration of Senator Mundt's offices in Washington D.C. and Madison, South Dakota. They contain inter-office correspondence, memorandums, receipts, form letters, staff reports, and engagement/event schedules.
Language: English
Microfilm: #219-220
Restrictions: All restrictions on this file have been lifted.
Creator: Senator Karl E. Mundt
Format: 39 linear feet (92 Hollinger boxes)
Date: 1939-1972
Description: The documents in this records group relate to specific federal projects that Senator Mundt either was involved in directly or endorsed. Notable projects represented in this records group include the Missouri River Basin Development Project, Earth Resources Observation Satellite (EROS), the Badlands National Monument, and the Mount Rushmore Memorial, as well as several other memorial and conservation projects.
Language: English
Microfilm: #220-233
Restrictions: None
Creator: Senator Karl E. Mundt
Format: 28 linear feet (65 Hollinger boxes)
Date: 1939-1972
Description: This records group contains miscellaneous documents and materials that do not necessarily fit into any other records group. Boxes in this group can include guest books, invitations, greeting cards, and other ephemera.
Language: English
Microfilm: #233-235
Restrictions: None
Creator: Senator Karl E. Mundt
Format: 5 linear feet (12 Hollinger boxes)
Date: 1935-1969
Description: These boxes contain articles written by Senator Mundt, and his wife Mary Moses, that were published in various magazines, brochures, and pamphlets. Items received from the Mundt's apartment in Madison, South Dakota following Mary Moses' death are in these boxes.
Language: English
Microfilm: N/A
Restrictions: None
Creator: Senator Karl E. Mundt
Format: .5 linear feet (1 Hollinger box)
Date: 1939-1972
Description: This box contains invitations to Senator Mundt for speaking engagements and social events.
Language: English
Microfilm: N/A
Restrictions: None
Creator: Senator Karl E. Mundt
Format: 105 bound volumes
Date: 1935-1969
Description: A collection of scrapbooks organized by Senator Mundt's office staff.
Language: English
Microfilm: N/A
Restrictions: None
Karl Mundt Reading the Evening Star, 1963