WAULowryMikePH2005_040.xml Preliminary Guide to the Mike Lowry Photograph Collection 1973-1988 Lowry (Mike) Photograph Collection Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries © 2005 (Last modified: 4/17/2018)
Seattle, WA 98195
Finding aid written inEnglish. Finding aid based on DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard). University of Washington Libraries, Special Collections PH2005-040 Mike Lowry photograph collection 1973-1988 145 b/w prints; 34 color prints; 18 b/w negatives; 14 color negatives; 3 color slides (1 box) Collection materials are inEnglish. Photographs related to Mike Lowry's political career

Michael E. Lowry, commonly known as Mike, served in local, state, and national government during his public career.

Born in 1939 in Eastern Washington, Lowry attended public schools in Endicott and graduated from Washington State University in 1962. After working for the Washington State Legislature’s Senate Ways and Means Committee in 1969-1973, Lowry served on the King County Council in 1975-1978, chairing it in 1977.

In 1978 he won a seat to Congress over conservative incumbent Republican Jack Cunningham in the overwhelmingly Democratic 7th Congressional District, which includes the city of Seattle and its southern suburbs. The 7th District's population was mainly Caucasian, but also included Seattle’s African American and Japanese American communities, as well as a growing population of Asian immigrants.

After Senator Henry M. Jackson’s sudden death in 1983, Lowry defeated the former mayor of Seattle, Charles Royer, in the Democratic primary for senator. Although he was unsuccessful in the general election against former governor Daniel Evans, who had been appointed to fill Jackson’s vacant seat, Lowry did win 45% of the vote.

Lowry opposed many policies of the Reagan Administration, as cuts in social programs adversely affected many of his constituents in the central area of Seattle. He was an ardent opponent of aid to the Contras in Nicaragua and other aspects of Reagan’s Latin America policy. He championed reparations for Japanese Americans incarcerated during World War II and environmental measures, such as the Washington Wilderness bill. Lowry’s voting record reflected his activist and liberal stance in the House.

Lowry served on the House Budget Committee, and by his last year in Congress was the third-ranking Democrat. On the Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee, he chaired the Panama Canal and Outer Shelf Subcommittee, and the Oceanography Subcommittee.

Re-elected four times to Congress, Lowry made another run for the U.S. Senate in 1988. He defeated Washington State Senator Jim McDermott in the primary but lost in the general election to former State Attorney General Slade Gorton. In 1992 Lowry was elected governor of Washington state and served through 1997.

In his retirement from public life, Lowry taught at Seattle University’s Institute for Public Service and joined with his former opponent Dan Evans to promote the Washington Wildlife and Recreation Coalition. He also ran two nonprofit foundations that encouraged citizen participation in government and addressed needs of the working poor.

Portraits of Mike Lowry and publicity photos taken with other politicians and representatives from local and regional organizations.

The collection is open to the public.

Request at UW

Restrictions might exist on reproduction, quotation, or publication. Contact the repository for details.

Donor: Mike Lowry; January 27, 1989.

Photographs and negatives were relocated from the Mike Lowry Papers, Manuscript Collection No. 3993 in the Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries in 2005.

Lowry, Mike Visual Materials Collections (University of Washington) Photographs Politics and Politicians Washington (State)

 

Portraits and Candids 1/1 Portraits of Mike Lowry, in his office, on television, speaking 1973-undated Veteran's Adminstration Hospital Tour 1/2 Mike Lowry touring VA Hospital with Jerome Dolezol, meeting with doctors and nurses 1979 Lowry with colleagues and constituents 1/3 Rod Chandler, Joel Pritchard, Carl Orme, Bronson and Helen Parrott at Columbia Club, Radwaste glass furnace at Penberthy Electromelt, meeting with Lieutenant Governor John Cherberg, auto dealers strike circa 1979-circa 1980s Boeing 1/4 500th 747 built, 767s and 757s being built, models of 757s 1980-1981 Campaigns and Events 1/5 Lowry & Geraldine Ferraro at campaign event, Lowry speaking at podium, in front of campaign poster, at dinner, Chili Cook-Off of Public, Professional & Office Employees Local 763, horse race, White House Christmas Open House, Bankers Lunch 1981-1984 Group Photos 1/6 Lowry with Space Shuttle astronauts, probably with Chinese delegates 1983, undated Family Photographs 1/7 Mike Lowry with wife and daughter at home, walking outdoors undated Redress Bill for Japanese Americans 1/8 Mike Lowry and Norm Mineta outside of U.S. Capitol 1984 First Subcommittee Hearing as Chairman 1/9 Mike Lowry as chairman in subcommittee hearing March 7, 1985 Coast Guard Hearing in Detroit 1/10 Mike Lowry in life vest, onboard a boat, meeting with U.S. Coast Guard officers 1985 Funerals 1/11 Arriving via plane for Phil Buton's funeral, Lowry with mourners at Gillis Long's funeral 1983, 1985 Elks in Congress 1/12 Mike Lowry and Frank Garland, former National President of Order of Elks 1985-1986 Philadelphia String Quartet 1/13 Philadelphia String Quartet posing with Washington State Delegation in Washington, D.C. March 6, 1986 U.S. Senate Photograph Independent Insurance Agents of Washington 1/14 Representatives from Independent Insurance Agents of Washington meeting with Mike Lowry March 19, 1986 Constituent Mail 1/15 Tractor with attachment, plowed fields, close-up of attachment July 1986 Tip O'Neill 1/16 State of Washington Delegation presenting Speaker Tip O'Neill with set of golf clubs as a farewell gift August 1986 Congressional City Conference 1/17 Mike Lowry posing with conference participants circa 1987 C.A.P. 1/18 Lowry speaking, people at luncheon or banquet 1987-1988 Contact sheets and negatives 1/19 Lowry portraits, speaking, at events, outdoors, at meetings, in his office, with family undated, circa 1973-1982