“South Dakota Senator” Karl Mundt Hand Signed 3X5 Card Todd Mueller COA

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“South Dakota Senator” Karl Mundt Hand Signed 3X5 Card.
This item is authenticated By Todd Mueller Autographs and comes with their certificate of authenticity.
ES-8937E
Karl Earl Mundt
(June 3, 1900 – August 16, 1974) was an American educator and a
Republican
member of the
United States Congress
, representing
South Dakota
in the
United States House of Representatives
(1939–48) and in the
United States Senate
(1948–73). Mundt was born in
Humboldt, 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
, and
Madison
, graduating from Madison High School in 1919. In high school, he excelled in
oratory
and
debate
, which became lifetime passions. After receiving a
Bachelor of Arts
degree from
Carleton College
in
Minnesota
in 1923 with a major in
economics
, he became a teacher and principal at Bryant High School in
Bryant
, 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. 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 received
Master of Arts
degrees from
Columbia University
following four years of summer study there. Beginning in 1928, they both taught at Eastern State Normal School (now
Dakota State University
), continuing there until 1936. Karl headed the speech department and taught psychology and economics, while Mary taught drama and French. In 1936, Mundt was the Republican candidate for the House of Representatives in
South Dakota's 1st congressional district
, losing in a
Democratic
year to
Fred H. Hildebrandt
. He won the seat in the 1938 election, a year more favorable to Republicans, and was re-elected four times. In 1948, he was elected to the Senate seat previously held by
Harlan 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 Senator
Vera C. Bushfield
, who had succeeded her husband after 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. Representative
George McGovern
and nearly defeated. On 23 November 1969 he suffered a severe
stroke
and was subsequently unable to attend sessions of Congress, although he received extensive speech and
physical 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.
[5]
He did not seek reelection in 1972, and was succeeded in the Senate by the Democrat
James G. Abourezk
. Karl Mundt died in
Washington, D.C.
during 1974 of a heart ailment and was buried at Graceland Cemetery in
Madison, South Dakota
.