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Ed Edmondson
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Oklahoma's 2nd district
In office January 3, 1953 – January 3, 1973
Preceded by	William G. Stigler
Succeeded by	Clem McSpadden
Personal details
Born	Edmond Augustus Edmondson (1919-04-07)April 7, 1919 Muskogee, Oklahoma, U.S.
Died	December 8, 1990(1990-12-08) (aged 71) Muskogee, Oklahoma, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	June Edmondson
Children	James E. Edmondson Drew Edmondson
Relatives	J. Howard Edmondson (brother)
Alma mater	University of Oklahoma Georgetown University Law Center
Military service
Allegiance	United States of America
Branch/service	United States Navy
Years of service	1943–1946 (Navy) 1946-1970 (Navy Reserve)

Edmond Augustus Edmondson (April 7, 1919 – December 8, 1990) was an American World War II veteran, lawyer, and politician from Oklahoma. A member of the Democratic Party, he served ten terms in the U.S. House of Representatives, representing Oklahoma's 2nd congressional district from 1953 to 1973.

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 and education

Edmondson was born and raised in Muskogee, Oklahoma, where he attended public school before going on to attend Muskogee Junior College. His brother, J. Howard Edmondson, also became a politician, and would be elected Governor of Oklahoma and as a member of the U.S. Senate.

He attended the University of Oklahoma, where he was a member of the Phi Gamma Delta, graduating in 1940. After graduating, he joined the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), serving as a special agent until 1943.

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.

U.S. House of Representatives

Edmondson served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1953 to 1973, representing the state's 2nd congressional district.Edmondson did not sign the 1956 Southern Manifesto. He voted in favor of the Civil Rights Acts of 1957, 1960, 1964, and 1968. Additionally, he voted in favor of the 24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

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.

U.S. Senate elections.

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.

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.

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.

Personal life

Edmondson and his wife June had five children. One of their sons, James E. Edmondson, went on to become an Oklahoma Supreme Court Justice. Another son, Drew Edmondson, was elected Attorney General of Oklahoma and was the Democratic nominee for Governor in the 2018 election.

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.

References

1. 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
2. Kosmerick, Todd J. Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History & Culture. Archived 2010-06-02 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 10-12-09
3. Kosmerick, Todd J. Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History & Culture. Archived 2010-06-02 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 10-12-09
4. Kosmerick, Todd J. Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History & Culture. Archived 2010-06-02 at the Wayback Machine Retrieved 10-12-09
5. "HR 6127. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1957". GovTrack.us.
6. "HR 8601. PASSAGE".
7. "H.R. 7152. PASSAGE".
8. "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".
9. "S.J. RES. 29. CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO BAN THE USE OF POLL TAX AS A REQUIREMENT FOR VOTING IN FEDERAL ELECTIONS". GovTrack.us.
10. "TO PASS H.R. 6400, THE 1965 VOTING RIGHTS ACT".
11. Five Civilized Tribes Museum website, fivetribes.org; accessed May 14, 2010.
12. "2020 Overview of Judicial Retention on Oklahoma Ballot". CAIR Oklahoma. Retrieved 2024-08-20.
13. "LETTERS TO THE EDITOR: Edmondson has government service in his genes". Muskogee Phoenix. 2018-10-12. Retrieved 2024-08-20.
14. "Statement on H.R. 1668." The White House (news release). September 17, 2003. Retrieved 10-12-09

External links

• United States Congress. "Ed Edmondson (id: E000054)". Biographical Directory of the United States Congress.

v t e Members of the U.S. House of Representatives from Oklahoma
1st district	McGuire Davenport Chandler Howard Chandler Howard Montgomery Howard O'Connor Disney Schwabe Gilmer Schwabe Belcher Jones Inhofe Largent Sullivan Bridenstine Hern
2nd district	Fulton Morgan Hastings Robertson Hastings Nichols Stigler Edmondson McSpadden Risenhoover Synar Coburn Carson D. Boren Mullin Brecheen
3rd district	Davenport Creager Davenport Carter Cartwright Stewart Albert Watkins Brewster Watkins Lucas
4th district	Carter Murray McKeown Pringey McKeown Gassaway L. Boren G. Johnson Steed McCurdy Watts Cole
5th district	Ferris Thompson Harreld Swank Stone Swank Lee Hill G. Smith Monroney Jarman Edwards Istook Fallin Lankford Russell Horn Bice
6th district	Ferris Gensman Thomas J. Johnson Sr. Morris Wickersham Morris Wickersham J. Johnson Jr. J. Smith Camp English Lucas
7th district	McClintic Massingale Wickersham Peden Wickersham
8th district	Morgan Swindall Herrick Garber Marland Ferguson Rizley Wilson Belcher
At-large	Murray  Thompson Weaver Rogers
Territory	Harvey Flynn Callahan Flynn McGuire

• 1919 births
• 1990 deaths
• Edmondson family
• Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Oklahoma
• Candidates in the 1972 United States elections
• Candidates in the 1974 United States elections
• Candidates in the 1978 United States elections
• Politicians from Muskogee, Oklahoma
• Federal Bureau of Investigation agents
• United States Navy reservists
• Military personnel from Oklahoma
• United States Navy personnel of World War II
• University of Oklahoma alumni
• Georgetown University Law Center alumni
• 20th-century Oklahoma politicians
• 20th-century American military personnel
• 20th-century members of the United States House of Representatives