David Sjodahl King, a Utah Democrat and attorney, was a Representative from Utah's 2nd Congressional district to the United States House of Representatives. From 1959 to 1966 he served three terms in Congress, his third term coming after an unsuccessful bid for a Senate seat in 1962. As a member of the 86th, 87th, and 89th Congresses, Representative King worked in the administrations of three different United States Presidents, and was a part of the nation's governing body during times of such political and social activity in this country as the civil rights movement and the United States' intervention into Vietnam.
Congressman King was born June 20, 1917 in Salt Lake City, Utah. In that same year his father, William H. King, was elected as United States Senator from Utah, a seat which he held for the next twenty four years. As the son of a United States Senator, King spent his childhood in Washington, D. C. but returned to Utah to attend college at the University of Utah. He served as president of his senior class, graduated with a B. A. in Economics, and was accepted as a member of the Phi Beta Kappa scholastic honor society. Following two years of missionary work for his church, King returned to Washington to attend law school at Georgetown University. After graduating with honors in 1942, he spent one year as a law clerk for Justice Harold M. Stephens at the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. Upon returning to Utah in 1943, King spent two years as a counsel to the Utah State Tax Commission; in 1945 he established a private law practice in Salt Lake City.
As a resident of Utah, Congressman King was an active participant in the local, civic and business community. He taught commercial law at Stevens Henager College for two years; he was a member of the Board of Directors for the Salt Lake Junior Chamber of Commerce; he served as vice-president and director of a finance company; with a fluent knowledge of the French language, he broadcast numerous programs in French over the Voice of America.
In 1958 King was elected to the United States House of Representatives having defeated Republican William Dawson. He served for two consecutive terms until 1962, at which time he chose not to run for re-election, but to bid for Wallace F. Bennett's Senate seat. King lost that election but was nevertheless elected to a third term in the House in 1964.
During all three of his terms, the congressman served on the Committee of Interior and Insular Affairs. Consequently much of his interest and work centered upon matters that directly affected Utah. Projects such as reclamation, desalinization of water, and national parks and monuments received much of his energy and attention. He also served on the Committee on Government Operations for his third term. His work in these areas enabled him to help secure contracts for Thiokol, Hercules, and Sperry Rand corporations, promote helium development in Utah, and play a significant role in congressional investigations into the Vietnam conflict in 1966. In addition the congressman served as a member of the Government Operation Subcommittees on Foreign Operations and Government Information, Government Activities, and Natural Resources and Power; and as a member of the Interior Subcommittees on Mines and Mining, Public Lands, and National Parks and Recreation.
In 1967 Representative King left Congress and was appointed by President Lyndon B. Johnson as a United States Ambassador to Mauritius and the Malagasy Republic. He remained in this post for two and a half years at which time he returned to Washington, D. C. to practice law.
The David S. King papers (1959-1966) are comprised of those materials that were used and collected by Congressman King during his three terms in the United States House of Representatives and during a two year interim period between terms. These materials, particularly those associated with the committees on which King served, provide the researcher with valuable information pertaining to such national issues as education and Vietnam, and more specific Utah matters as reclamation and water, national parks, mineral exploration, and industrial development.
The collection consists of written manuscript materials, photographs, tapes, records, and films. The written materials make up by far the most extensive portion of the collection, filling some 79 boxes with manuscript papers. These written materials consist of constituent and official correspondence, reports, newsletters, press releases, statements and testimony, pamphlets and publications, bills, committee hearings and reports, memorandums, graphs, charts, and maps. These types of materials appear consistently throughout the collection. Therefore, to prevent repetitiveness, in most cases specific descriptions of folder contents have been omitted. Where warranted however, brief statements summarizing folder content have been included. This applies to descriptions of specific subject matter of particular interest or importance and any materials pertaining to Utah affairs.
The collection consists of three major sections. They concern his terms in office and in-between. There is little material from King's first two terms in office or from the interim period between terms. Most of the material pertains to Congressman King's senatorial campaign against Wallace F. Bennett. Also included is correspondence and political files which have been arranged alphabetically by subject. King's third term, is by far the largest of the three sections. It represents a nearly complete compilation of his work in Congress during 1965-1966. These papers contain information on a wide variety of government and political subjects, with particular emphasis in the areas of Interior and Insular Affairs and Government Operations, the two committees on which King served. The original filing system used by the congressman's staff has been retained and the collection has been organized according to that system. A copy of this filing guide may be found in Bx 16 Fd 1. The third section has been further divided into ten segments:
This includes copies of outgoing correspondence written by King and is arranged alphabetically. Much of this correspondence appears elsewhere in the collection, its location being determined by its matter. Because of the alphabetical arrangement, the names of individuals have not been indexed.
The Departments are the largest segment and consist of materials associated with the various departments of government. This includes the State and Treasury Departments, Military Departments, Justice, the Post Office, Interior, Agriculture, Labor, and Health, Education and Welfare. Some subjects that have materials pertaining to Utah include defense establishments, Interior, the Bureau of Land Management, mining and education.
These smaller agencies include the Atomic Energy Commission, the Indian Claims Commission, and other agencies, commissions and boards.
The papers that emerge from committees consist of materials pertaining to legislation that is to be put before the Congress. Issues generating the most controversy and interest include common situs picketing, repeal of the Taft-Hartly Act (right to work), gun control, education bills and reclamation projects in Utah.
This section contains materials from those areas in which King was personally involved. These include bills he sponsored before the House, his work on the Committees of Government Operations and Interior and Insular Affairs, press releases, newsletters and speeches. Of particular interest are those items in government operations dealing with King's participation in the Vietnam Congressional Investigations which included a trip to South Vietnam. Materials in the Interior and Insular Affairs have a particular bearing on Utah as most of the papers deal with water and reclamation projects in Utah and the West.
Although materials pertaining to Utah may be found throughout the collection, this section contains items that deal specifically with Utah matters. It includes such subjects as the Governor's office, industrial development, education, water and various reclamation projects.
This section contains those items associated with the logistics and technicalities of running a Congressman's office. Bills, receipts, subscriptions, orders for office equipment and instructions for office procedure comprise the bulk of this material. Also included are several folders, pertaining specifically to King's Utah office.
This is an alphabetical arrangement by subject of various political matters such as the John Birch Society and the Democratic National Committee. This section also includes some materials on other politicians such as Frank E. Moss, Sherman P. Lloyd and Laurence Burton.
This section contains materials associated with the United States Supreme Court and circuit courts and subjects of national interest--labor, food and drugs, fuels, the elderly and urban renewal among others.
The reference files contain materials on subjects that for the most part have already appeared in the collection, but these items provide source material not found elsewhere. Draft bills, notes, recommendations, department policies, notes of meetings and conferences, publications and briefings are examples of these materials.
Twenty-four hour advanced notice encouraged. Materials must be used on-site. Access to parts of this collection may be restricted under provisions of state or federal law.
Some original items have been removed and placed in Reserve. Access must be given by the Manuscripts Curator and by appointment. An archivist must remain with the items if being used. Photocopies are available in the collection for research use.
The library does not claim to control copyright for all materials in the collection. An individual depicted in a reproduction has privacy rights as outlined in Title 45 CFR, part 46 (Protection of Human Subjects). For further information, please review the J. Willard Marriott Library's
Collection Name, Collection Number, Box Number, Folder Number. Special Collections, J. Willard Marriott Library, The University of Utah.
Photographs and audio-visual materials were transferred to the Multimedia Division of Special Collections (P0033 and A0033).
Processed by Barbara Dickey in 1979.
Correspondence pertaining primarily to Congressman King's senatorial campaign; post election condolences from friends and associates; constituent correspondence.
Correspondence and voting record from 1951 to 1961.
Materials concerning an anticommunism speech by Benson and Congressman King's response.
Includes the party platform and statements on various issues.
Missile programs and installations in Utah.
Reports on campaign strategies, newsletters, press releases, campaign literature, memorabilia, and "A Survey of Political Climate in Utah" by Louis Harris.
Food and Drug Administration, education, small business, national debt, and labor-management relations.
Correspondence, press releases, and
Address by Congressman King.
Statements, mailing lists, newsclippings.
Personal letters to associates concerning Utah polities and Congressman King's future plans; correspondence pertaining to the 1964 congressional campaign-King's activities, thank you notes for campaign contributions, letters dealing with the technicalities of taking office; constituent correspondence. Two original letters have been removed and placed in Reserve. Photocopied versions are available in the collection for access purposes. Access to the originals must be given by the Manuscripts Curator and by appointment. An archivist must remain with the items if being used.
Speeches and letters pertaining to Congressman Harding's speech in the House of Representatives criticizing Benson's involvement with the John Birch Society. Included is correspondence from prominent Utah church and civic leaders.
Legislative action of the Eighty-eighth Congress.
Materials concerning attempts to reorganize and implement morality in government.
Speeches, statements and position papers on a number of political issues.
Democratic Party newspaper.
Suggested statements for candidates on various political issues.
Variety of campaign aids for candidates.
Materials pertaining to the economic conversion of defense establishments to civilian work.
Unemployment, inflation, the national debt, and labor groups.
Materials dealing with the economic growth of Utah an the potential of industrial development including the establishment of a freeport and helium development.
Statements and reports concerning the quality of education in Utah and federal aid programs for education and schools.
Health care and rights of the elderly under Social Security.
Analysis of voting trends in Utah during the 1960 election.
Itemized lists of federal expenditures for various projects and programs in Utah.
Goldwater's position on various issues, voting record, articles on his political future.
Nutrition, cancer, pesticides and chemicals in foods, state of the national health.
Materials pertaining to the development of helium in Utah's Paradox Basin.
Speeches.
Saline water conversion; wilderness bills.
Position papers.
Newsletter of the Utah Department of Fish and Game and a report on the recreational potential of Salt Lake and Davis counties.
Correspondence, certificates, programs and tax reports.
Remarks of President Kennedy in Salt Lake City.
Federal aid to education, Utah's economy, Cuba and defense.
Materials relating to such projects as the Dixie Project, Glen Canyon Dam, the Provo River Project, the Scofield Project, the Sanpete Project, the Strawberry Reservoir and the Strawberry Valley Project.
Items pertaining to the radical right and ultra-conservatism in America. Contains correspondence reports, a thesis on the
Veterans benefits in Utah.
Lists of voting district representatives in Salt Lake City.
Includes state nominees for the Women's State Legislative Council of Utah.
Utah items include the economy, land use planning, water reclamation and tourism.
This section follows the filing guide set up by Congressman King's staff. The order has not been changed, nor have any of the divisions been rearranged. The reasoning behind this arrangement is not always clear, and King's relationship to many of these departments or bureaus is tenuous at best. The section on the "White House" is particularly confusing as there apparently is no direct correlation between the White House and the offices and bureaus listed in this section. At times a presidential directive, for example, may provide the only relationship between an office and the White House.
One original letter has been removed and placed in Reserve. A photocopied version is available in the collection for access purposes. Access to the original must be given by the Manuscripts Curator and by appointment. An archivist must remain with the item if being used.
White House Fellowships--application forms.
Reports pertaining to Southeast Asia and defense.
Materials dealing with such programs as Head Start, Job Corps, Vista and other community action programs.
Pamphlet on water resources.
Includes reports of Committee on Consumer Interests.
Publications from the Committee of One Million and other anti-communist organizations.
Includes material dealing with military construction and defense programs in Utah.
Proposed Army Reserve-National Guard merger.
Correspondence and reports pertaining to flood control and water resources in Utah as well as a report on the Little Dell Project.
Deals in part with the future use of Red Butte Canyon.
Reports and bill pertaining to the utilization of Fort Douglas lands and applications of the University of Utah for a portion of those lands as well as buildings and housing.
Pertains primarily to the contested election in Mississippi in 1965.
Correspondence pertaining to the establishment of new post offices, the appointments of postmasters general and other Utah matters.
Materials pertaining to the Bonneville Power Administration's request for funds for the proposed construction of a power transmission line through southern Idaho.
Includes resolutions from the Navajo Tribal Council concerning the investigation and reorganization of government agencies that deal with the Navajo Tribe.
Materials concerning the Newbold Homesteading case in Southern Utah.
Fish Lake National Forest and dispute by residents over grazing rights.
Bureau of Land Management activities in Utah.
Coal development.
Helium development, lead-zinc industry and other mineral production.
Reports of the Utah mineral industry, open-pit mining, and directory for the Utah Mining Association.
Materials dealing with such topics as a nationwide system of scenic trails, fee areas for recreational use, and access routes from Lake Powell to Bull Frog Basin.
General reclamation in Utah and the West.
Colorado River Storage Project and other Utah projects.
Progress reports on fish and wildlife programs and the Colorado River Storage Project.
Scenic Roads and Parkways study.
Oil Shale, geothermal steam, water and other natural resources.
Materials pertaining to the Forest Service, forestry and the timber industry, and problems associated with specific Utah National Forests.
Deals with such subjects as agricultural conservation, farm prices, school lunch programs, the Child Nutrition Act of 1966, and estimated budgets for Utah 1965-1966.
Bound volume of research materials on the Department of Agriculture including facts and figures, explanations pf programs and price controls, and information on specific crops.
Reports on soil conservation programs in Utah including water resources and community conservation.
Shortages of domestic farm labor.
Materials pertaining to the Neighborhood Youth Corps Camp Center at the Clearfield Freeport Center.
Reports on employment and training programs including a report on progress in 1965 on the Status of Women Departments--Health, Education and Welfare.
Concerns Title III of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act and its effect on Utah.
Reports and publications pertaining to various education acts and the implications of some of them for Utah. Also includes reports and applications for research and teaching grants from: Utah State Board for Vocational Education; Iron County School District; Nebo School District and the College of Southern Utah.
Reports on results from testing for leukemia and thyroid cancer following nuclear testing in Utah and Nevada.
Includes material on Utah Valley as a proposed site for a nuclear acceleration station.
Includes Aircraft Accident Report of crash at Salt Lake Airport in 1965.
Report on multi-family housing in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area.
Rate proceedings for natural gas companies; planning reports for hydroelectric plants in the Lower Colorado River Basin.
Reports issued to the GAO by Congressman King.
Resolution from the National Indian Youth Council calling for the resignation of Arthur V. Watkins, head of the Indian Claims Commission.
Includes listings of firms receiving business loans and loan listings for 1965.
Reports and pamphlets dealing with laws and benefits for veterans.
Aid to rural communities and families; livestock and meat packing industry; Food for Freedom; soil banks, conservation and price supports.
Includes report on bureau of Land Management appropriations for Utah.
Materials pertaining to home rule legislation for Washington, D. C.
Includes index to
Correspondence pertaining to revisions in the Taft-Hartley Act. Included is personal correspondence between Congressman King and leaders of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (fds 9-11).
Reports and propaganda from both advocates and opponents of right to work.
Some materials pertaining to Vietnam.
Deals primarily with control of water pollution.
Challenge to the seating of the Mississippi delegation.
Correspondence pertaining primarily to the possible building of Marble and Bridge Canyon Dams in the Grand Canyon as part of the Lower Colorado River Storage Project.
Hearings on the Lower Colorado River Storage Project.
Correspondence concerning the Larabee Dam and Reservoir of the Weber Basin Project.
Materials pertaining to such Utah matters as: the Uinta National Forest; the Great Salt Lake National Monument Bill; the Golden Spike National Monument and the Lower Colorado River Storage Project.
Cigarette and Advertising Act.
Educational Assistance and Nurses Training.
Television (CATU).
Narcotics, crime, civil rights, jury selection.
Dodd Firearms Control Bill.
Civil Rights Act of 1966 prohibiting discrimination in housing.
Predator Control and hearings on Vietnam shipping policy.
Includes listing of approved projects throughout the country.
Material concerned with action designed to abolish the committee on Un-American activities.
Report on conditions at the Salt Lake City Veterans Administration Hospital.
Medicare, eldercare and other aspects of the Social Security System.
Bills-House Con. Res. to H. R. 1971 and Bills-H. R. 1791 to H. R. 7391.
Bills-H. R. 7392 to H. R. 17251.
Committee Reports to Foreign Operations and Government Information.
Series of confidential reports, memorandums, and directions of USIP's policies and practices in Vietnam, Japan, Korea, Thailand and the Philippines. Also included are reports of the activities in Vietnam of the Joint United States Public Affairs Office (JUSPAO).
Includes materials pertaining to Congressman King's trip to Vietnam during December 1965 and May 1966 as part of a Congressional Committee investigating United States policy in Vietnam. Itineraries, forms, notes, reports, fact sheets, memorandums, maps, examples of Vietnamese propaganda, briefing kits and memorabilia. Also included are personal notebooks and reports of Congressman King's impressions and observations.
Materials pertaining to water pollution control and abatement.
Geothermal steam, water salinity and water resources.
Includes reports on the water supplies of the Colorado River.
Water Resources Planning Act.
Colorado River Storage Project including materials of the Colorado River Basin Consumers Power, Inc. and data pertaining to proposed transmission lines.
Lower Colorado River Storage Project.
Kays Creek Irrigation Company.
Materials pertaining to the state of Utah's title to lands surrounding the Great Salt Lake.
Federal Metal and Nonmetallic Mine Safety Act.
Summaries of Bureau of Reclamation activities in Utah-proposed and completed projects.
Histories, notes, meetings, statements of prominent Utahns, bills, reports, maps and programs.
Majority of newsletters deal with Congressman King's visit to Vietnam.
Examples of those mailed to constituents.
Speeches and Statements.
Correspondence between Congressman King and leaders of the church. Nine original letters have been removed and placed in Reserve. Photocopied versions are available in the collection for access purposes. Access to the originals must be given by the Manuscripts Curator and by appointment. An archivist must remain with the items if being used.
Correspondence with Calvin Rampton and other state officials.
Reports and plans on alcoholism, the Utah Little Hoover Commission, Utah Juvenile Court and senior citizens.
Salt Lake City hosts the Utah Federal Procurement Conference to explore how private businesses and industries do business with the government.
Fort Douglas.
Reports on community action and antipoverty programs.
Statistical Review of Government in Utah.
Materials pertaining to the conservation of water in Utah and the western states.
Negotiations for contracts placing NASA translation work with the University of Utah.
Committee requests and assignments for Congressman King.
Lists of bibliographies and selected references for such subjects as the sheep and wool industry in Utah and political assassinations. Also listings of available Legislative Reference Service Reports.
Personal correspondence and condolences.
Correspondence and memos with Utah staff and supporters concerning matters relating to the Utah office and Utah politics. Correspondence of particular interest with Jean Westwood.
Includes Individual Voting Record for House of Representatives (1965-1966).
Correspondence, fact sheets on pending legislation, five month report on President Johnson.
Materials on common situs picketing and right to work legislation.
Listing of Moss sponsored bills for 89th Congress.
Membership lists.
Airline companies, common situs picketing and right to work legislation.
Finance; silver and silver coinage.
Materials on Vietnam.
Coal, oil and gas.
Social Security, nursing homes, retirement.
Cigarettes and health.
Social Security Amendments of 1965.