Remarks & Releases

This section contains drafts and transcripts of speeches, selected remarks in Congress; interviews on radio and television; Republican congressional leadership press releases; Dirksen’s constituent newsletter, “The Congressional Front” (1933-46); radio and television broadcasts to constituents, “Your Senator Reports” (after the mid-1950s); and newspaper columns, “A Senator’s Notebook” (1968-69).

Documents in the remarks, releases, and interviews section before 1949 relate chiefly to “The Congressional Front.” This newsletter included brief observations on many subjects, including legislative issues. Dirksen generally avoided editorial comment or analysis in his newsletter. Other documents predating Dirksen’s Senate career primarily concern his campaigns in 1944 and 1950. This series does not include, for the most part, items appearing in the Congressional Record.

It is also worth noting that Dirksen almost always spoke extemporaneously or from brief outlines. As a result, those remarks that were not recorded or transcribed do not survive. Given the senator’s reputation for oratory, it is unfortunate that his collection contains so little documentation of his speech-making. For example, there are virtually no texts of campaign speeches. The Notebooks series of the collection contains drafts and ideas for speeches personally written by Dirksen. Information about “A Senator’s Notebook” is located in the Personal series, “Writings” subseries.

Topical coverage in this section is extensive and includes the following: Dirksen’s activities, political issues, observations about individuals, pending legislation, domestic and foreign policies, and government operations. The remarks, releases, and interviews are arranged chronologically. A more detailed finding aide listing each document individually follows.

The documents in this section were used by Dirksen’s staff to respond to constituent inquiries. They are organized by subject: bipartisanship, Christmas wish, Constitution and domestic tranquility, biographical, eye problem, freedom, government growth, Lincoln, Pearl Harbor, politics, wars, and youth.

Republican Congressional Leadership Press Conferences. The Dirksen Congressional Center received copies of audio tapes of the “Ev and Charlie” and “Ev and Jerry” shows—press conferences held by the Republican leaders of the Senate and House—from the National Archives. The tapes are shelved with the audiovisual collection. A list of the tapes received is part of this finding aid. Transcripts of these press conferences appear in the separate Republican Congressional Leadership series.

The documents in this section were used by Dirksen’s staff to respond to constituent inquiries. They are organized by subject: bipartisanship, Christmas wish, Constitution and domestic tranquility, biographical, eye problem, freedom, government growth, Lincoln, Pearl Harbor, politics, wars, and youth.

Republican Congressional Leadership Press Conferences. The Dirksen Congressional Center received copies of audio tapes of the “Ev and Charlie” and “Ev and Jerry” shows—press conferences held by the Republican leaders of the Senate and House—from the National Archives. The tapes are shelved with the audiovisual collection. A list of the tapes received is part of this finding aid. Transcripts of these press conferences appear in the separate Republican Congressional Leadership series.

Center staff copied Dirksen’s constituent newsletter, which is filed in the Remarks, Releases, and Interviews series, for preservation purposes. The newsletters were also copied, organized by the following subjects, and placed in the Dirksen Information File: Constitution, the Depression, domestic news, foreign affairs, government role, judicial branch, legislation, legislative branch, liquor, military, miscellaneous, monetary matters, personalities, random notes, Washington happenings, and World War II.

These bound volumes contain Congressional Record entries only for Dirksen. Note the absence of volumes for the last four years of Dirksen’s Senate service, 1966-1969.