Mo Udall facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mo Udall
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| Chair of the House Interior Committee | |
| In office January 3, 1977 – May 4, 1991 |
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| Preceded by | James A. Haley |
| Succeeded by | George Miller |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Arizona's 2nd district |
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| In office May 2, 1961 – May 4, 1991 |
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| Preceded by | Stewart Udall |
| Succeeded by | Ed Pastor |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Morris King Udall
June 15, 1922 St. Johns, Arizona, U.S. |
| Died | December 12, 1998 (aged 76) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouses |
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| Children | 5, including Mark |
| Alma mater | University of Arizona (BA) University of Denver (JD) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Branch/service |  Army Air Forces |
| Years of service | 1942–1946 |
| Rank |  Captain |
| Battles/wars | World War II
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Morris King Udall (June 15, 1922 – December 12, 1998), known as Mo Udall, was an American lawyer and politician. He was a member of the Democratic Party. Mo Udall served as a U.S. representative for Arizona from 1961 to 1991. He was also a strong candidate for president in 1976. Many people knew him for his independent and liberal ideas.
In 1961, Udall won a special election to take over from his brother, Stewart Udall, in Congress. Mo Udall became well-known for his independent thinking. He played a big part in protecting nature and the environment. He also helped change how the U.S. Congress worked and how political campaigns were funded. He was one of the first to speak out against the Vietnam War.
Udall tried to become the Democratic candidate for president in 1976. However, he lost to Jimmy Carter. He later supported Ted Kennedy when Kennedy challenged Carter in the 1980 Democratic primary. Udall gave an important speech at the 1980 Democratic National Convention.
He led the House Interior Committee from 1977 to 1991. In 1980, he was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. As his illness got worse, Udall left Congress in 1991. He passed away in 1998. His son, Mark Udall, later became a U.S. Senator for Colorado. His nephew, Tom Udall, also served as a U.S. Senator for New Mexico.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Mo Udall was born in 1922 in St. Johns, Arizona. He was one of six children. His father, Levi Stewart Udall, was a lawyer who became the Chief Justice of the Arizona Supreme Court. His mother, Louisa Lee, was a writer who loved Indian culture. His father taught him that responsible people should work in public service. Mo and his siblings went to local schools in St. Johns.
When he was six, Udall lost his right eye in an accident with a friend's pocket knife. His family could not afford quick treatment, so he lost the eye. He wore a glass eye for the rest of his life. This experience affected his personality and his political views.
He described his childhood in the desert as tough. Everyone in his small town worked hard. He remembered using horses and plows instead of tractors.
Even with one eye, Udall was a great athlete in high school. He was a star basketball player and a quarterback for an undefeated football team. He also played in the school band, wrote for the school paper, and acted in school plays.
Military Service
During World War II, Udall tried to join the Army Air Forces. He almost passed the eye exam by covering his glass eye. But another person complained, and Udall was retested and rejected. Later, the rules changed, and Udall was able to join the Army.
He joined the Army Air Forces in 1942. He became an officer and commanded an all-black squadron in Louisiana for two years. Udall said this experience "really shaped my life" because he "fought their fights with them" against local unfairness. He later served in the South Pacific and became a captain before leaving the Army in 1946.
Higher Education
After the war, Udall finished his bachelor's degree at the University of Arizona. He was a star basketball player and team co-captain. He was also President of the student government.
For one year, Udall played professional basketball with the Denver Nuggets. At the same time, he went to law school at the University of Denver. He finished his law studies at the University of Arizona in 1949, earning a Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree.
Personality and Philosophy
Udall was a tall man, known for his humor and easygoing style. Because of his wit, a writer named James J. Kilpatrick once said he was "too funny to be president." This later became the title of Udall's autobiography.
He joked that his height and one eye meant he never had a date in high school. This led him to use self-deprecating humor to get by.
People knew Udall for his humor, his relaxed style (he often wore cowboy boots), and his strong ethics. A political journalist described him as "funny, smart, down-to-earth, honest, sassy, patient."
Udall was raised Mormon, but his spiritual views changed after his military service. In college, he read philosophy and history and decided to leave his Mormon faith. He especially disagreed with the idea held by some church members at the time that black people were "cursed."
Early Career
In 1949, Mo Udall and his brother, Stewart, started a law firm called Udall & Udall in Tucson, Arizona. He practiced law there until 1961.
Udall was elected as the chief deputy attorney for Pima County from 1950 to 1952. He then served as the county attorney from 1953 to 1954. In 1954, he tried to become a judge but did not succeed.
He taught labor law at the University of Arizona law school in 1955 and 1956. In 1961, he became vice-president of the Arizona Bar Association. Udall also helped start the Bank of Tucson and the Catalina Savings and Loan Association. In 1960, he became president of Tucson's YMCA.
Political Career
Udall always wanted to work in public office. His older brother, Stewart Udall, won a Congressional seat in 1954. Mo Udall's dream of becoming an Arizona Supreme Court judge did not happen. The position went to his very conservative uncle instead.
Congressman
In 1961, his brother Stewart was chosen to be the Secretary of the Interior by President John F. Kennedy. Mo then won a special election for his brother's empty seat by a small number of votes. He won the seat again in 1962 and was reelected 13 more times. He held the position until he resigned on May 4, 1991.
For his first term, Udall represented almost all of Arizona outside of Maricopa County. After new district maps were drawn, his district became the southern part of the state, mainly around Tucson.
From 1977 until he retired in 1991, Udall led the House Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs. He had been a member of this committee since 1963. He also served on the Committee of the Post Office and Civil Service and the Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Vietnam War
Udall first became known nationally for a speech he gave on October 23, 1967, in Tucson. He spoke to 2,800 civic leaders, most of whom supported President Johnson's policy on the Vietnam War. Despite their views, Udall firmly stated that America's involvement in Vietnam was "a mistaken and dangerous road." He called for reducing American involvement and eventually leaving the war. He was the first major figure in the U.S. Democratic Party to openly disagree with the Democratic president about the war. The speech received a standing ovation and gained national attention. It also started a gradual split within the Democratic Party over the war.
Conservation and the Environment
Udall worked hard to protect nature and the environment. He is largely remembered as a strong supporter of these causes. He joined the House Interior committee in 1961. As chairman of the House Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs, he fought for environmental protection. He also pushed for expanding the National Park System. He helped pass laws that added 8 million acres to the federal wilderness system across 20 states.
One challenge was his support for dam projects in Arizona that could flood parts of the Grand Canyon. This led to a conflict with the Sierra Club, a leading conservation group. The dam projects were eventually stopped.
However, Udall's "proudest achievement" was passing a bill for Alaska lands. This law permanently protected 104.3 million acres of beautiful wilderness. He achieved this despite strong opposition from many people in Alaska and from industries that use natural resources.
In 1973, the National Wildlife Federation named Udall "Legislator of the Year."
Udall was interested in limiting strip mining, which caused a lot of damage to wilderness areas. After many years of discussions, he helped pass a law that limited coal strip-mining. This law also required companies to restore millions of acres of land that had been strip-mined.
Udall also helped write and pass the Alaska Lands Act of 1980. He also worked on important 1982 laws about managing nuclear waste.
Government Legislative Reform
Udall challenged the old and complicated rules of the House of Representatives. He wanted to reduce the power of leaders who secretly controlled laws and committees. Udall's efforts led to major changes in how Congress worked.
He was the first Congressman in the 20th Century to challenge a sitting Speaker of the House for his seat. He challenged Rep. John McCormack in 1968. Although he lost, Udall tried again two years later. He lost again but shook up the old system in the House. This system was later changed, largely because of Udall's efforts.
Udall also wrote a guidebook in 1966 called The Job of a Congressman. This book helped new Congressmen learn how to work in the House of Representatives and understand the government.
Government Campaign Reform
Udall helped create the Federal Election Campaign Act of 1971. This was the first major law about campaign money since 1925. It required candidates to report where their campaign money came from. Udall also helped create the 1974 Campaign Reform Act. He believed in being open about money in politics and shared his own financial information.
Government Administrative Reform
Udall focused on changing the civil service and the U.S. Post Office. He was on the Committee of the Post Office and Civil Service since 1961. He tried to change how federal employees were paid and to create a system where pay was based on performance.
Udall was a main leader in making big changes to the U.S. civil service system. This system had not been changed much since 1883. The new law gave workers reasons to perform well and made it easier to fire federal workers. Udall worked hard to get this bill passed, even though many federal employees and some Congressmen were against it.
Udall also wanted to change the Post Office Department from a government agency into a semi-private organization. He was a key force in passing the Postal Reorganization Act of 1970. Today, it is the U.S. Postal Service.
Other Issues
Because he lost his eye as a child due to a lack of money, Udall strongly believed that everyone should have good medical care, no matter how much money they had.
In 1963, Udall tried to get cigarettes and other tobacco products regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). It took many years for people to fully understand how much damage smoking caused.
Presidential Campaign
In 1976, Udall ran for president as a more liberal choice than Jimmy Carter. Carter was the former Governor of Georgia. Carter became a front-runner after winning early caucus and primary votes in places like Iowa and New Hampshire. By the time of the Wisconsin primary in April, most other candidates had dropped out. It looked like Udall might win in Wisconsin, which could have slowed Carter's progress. Udall was even predicted to win, saying "Oh, how sweet it is." But Carter eventually won in Wisconsin.
Some newspapers mistakenly said Udall won because he was ahead late the night before. This was like the 1948 presidential election, when the Chicago Tribune wrongly announced "Dewey Defeats Truman."
Carter won in Wisconsin by only 1%, about 7,500 votes. He got 37% to Udall's 36%, gaining one more convention delegate. Even with the small difference, Carter got the headlines and more support. Udall finished second in many primaries, including New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Ohio. He won the caucuses in his home state of Arizona. Udall finished a distant second to Carter at the Democratic National Convention.
During the Michigan primary, the mayor of Detroit, Coleman Young, accused Udall of racism. This was because Udall had been a member of the LDS church, which at the time did not allow black people to serve in its priesthood. Udall had long criticized this church policy and had stopped being an active member because of it. Carter then won a lot of the black vote in Michigan, which was key to his narrow victory there.
Udall supported Senator Edward Kennedy when he challenged President Carter in 1980. Udall gave the main speech at the 1980 Democratic National Convention. He thought about running for president again in 1984. However, he had been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1979, and his illness kept him from running.
Legacy
In 1992, the U.S. Congress created the Morris K. Udall Scholarship and Excellence in National Environmental Policy Foundation. This organization gives scholarships to students who study environmental policy. In 2009, Congress also honored Mo's brother, Stewart Udall, by renaming it the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation.
Money for Parkinson's research is given through the Morris K. Udall Parkinson's Disease Research Act of 1997. This law created a national network of "Centers of Excellence." These centers help diagnose and treat Parkinson's disease patients.
In 1996, President Clinton gave Udall the Presidential Medal of Freedom. This is one of the highest honors a civilian can receive in the United States.
Point Udall on Guam is the westernmost point of the United States. It was named after him in 1987. The easternmost point, Point Udall, U.S. Virgin Islands, was named after his brother Stewart in 1968. This means that "America's day ... begin(s) and end(s) at a Point Udall."
In Tucson, Arizona, the main post office was named in his honor in 2007. A local park was also named after him.
Family Life
Udall was married three times. In 1949, he married Patricia "Pat" Emery. They had six children. Pat did not like politics and often used a wheelchair due to arthritis. She and Mo rarely saw each other because of his busy political schedule. Pat felt unhappy with her life because of her illness and lack of interest in politics. She also tended to start arguments.
Pat Udall struggled emotionally with raising six children and dealing with arthritis. She did not want to get counseling at first. She finally filed for divorce in 1966. Mo Udall did not want the divorce, but he did not object because he was more focused on politics.
Both Mo and Pat later regretted the divorce. They said the marriage ended because Pat did not get help and made a quick decision under pressure. Pat Udall said she was "ashamed" of her choice to end the marriage. Pat married and divorced three more times in the next seven years. She later regretted these short marriages. Mo and Pat eventually became close friends again and stayed that way for the rest of his life.
Two years after his divorce, Mo Udall married Ella Lee Royston. This marriage lasted until Ella's death in 1988. In 1989, he married his third wife, Norma Gilbert. They were together until his death in 1998. His later years were affected by Parkinson's disease.
Udall's son, Mark Udall, was elected to the U.S. Congress from Colorado in 1998. He then became a U.S. Senator in 2008. His nephew, Tom Udall of New Mexico, also became a U.S. Senator in 2008.
Books
Mo Udall wrote several books. His books, except for the first one, are described as "humorous and informative."
- The Job of a Congressman (1966) – a guide for new Congressmen.
- Education of a Congressman (1972).
- Too Funny to Be President (1988) – his autobiography.
Udall's papers and personal items are kept at the University of Arizona Libraries, Special Collections in Tucson, Arizona.
See also
- Udall family
- List of American sportsperson-politicians
