ScholarWorks at University of Montana

This digital collection consists of speeches by, statements of and interviews with Mike Mansfield (1903-2001) drawn from the extensive Mike Mansfield Papers held at the University of Montana’s Mansfield Library. Mansfield was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1942 and served five terms as representative of Montana’s 1st District. He was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1952 and reelected in 1958, 1964 and 1970. He became Assistant Majority Leader (Majority Whip) of the Senate in January 1957, and served in that capacity until 1961 when he was elected Majority Leader of the Senate. He held that position until he retired from the Senate in 1977 - longer than any other Majority Leader in the history of the U.S. Senate. He served as Ambassador to Japan from 1977-1988, and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1989.

The digitized content in this online collection spans Mansfield’s career as a candidate, legislator and ambassador. The majority of the content is from the 1940s to the 1970s. The Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library and the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Center partnered to make this digital collection available. You may search or browse this collection.