Selections from the Stewart L. Udall Papers

This digital collection serves to highlight some of the images and text documents within the Stewart L. Udall Collection at the University of Arizona Libraries, Special Collections. The material in this exhibit will provide the user with an introduction to the manuscript collection, including selected photographic images documenting Stewart Udall's public career and private interests. The collection spans the course of Stewart Udall's life, including his time as Secretary of the Interior, under Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson, 1961-1969.

Stewart Udall was born January 31st, 1920 in St. Johns Arizona, one of six children born to Levi and Louise Udall. Stewart Udall went on to the University of Arizona, with a four year interruption in his education to serve during World War II; eventually Udall finished a law degree and began to practice in Tucson, Arizona. Udall began participating in public service almost immediately after starting his practice, which led him to politics; from 1954-1961 Udall was Arizona's Congressman for District 2. As Secretary of the Interior, 1961-1969, Udall was forward thinking in terms of environmental issues and participated in diplomatic trips to Russia, the Middle East, Africa and Venezuela. He was also a patron of the arts. During his tenure with the Department of Interior, Udall moved to restore the Ford Theater and supported, along with his wife Lee Udall, the creation of the National Endowment for the Arts and Humanities.

After Udall's service as Secretary of the Interior he worked on a number of conservation projects as well as representing Native American uranium miners in Arizona, New Mexico and Utah in their lawsuits against the United States Government. Udall also authored a number of books and articles throughout his lifetime. He passed away in 2010 at the age of 90, having actively served his home state of Arizona and his country for 68 years.