Paul Findley (Republican) was U.S. Congressman from west central Illinois, serving the 20th IL District from 1961 through 1982, when he was defeated. Findley started his political career as a strong fiscal conservative and champion of farmers. By the end of the 1960s his focus had turned more toward foreign affairs. He was an early opponent to the Vietnam War, and one of the early sponsors of the War Powers Act. By the late 1970s, he sought ways to reach out to the PLO and its leader Yasser Arafat. That move angered what Findley referred to the Jewish lobby, a factor in his defeat by newcomer Dick Durbin.
Interview Links
Feature Excerpt
Political Evolution
Abstract
Interview Session 01 (Audio)
Life in Jacksonville, IL and World War II service in Pacific
Interview Session 02 (Audio)
Career as a journalist and election to Congress in 1960
Interview Session 03 (Audio)
Early years in U.S. House in 1960s, and domestic policies
Interview Session 04 (Audio)
Findley’s entry into foreign affairs in the 1960s
Interview Session 05 (Audio)
The Vietnam War, the War Powers Act and Watergate
Interview Session 06 (Audio)
Middle East initiatives, the PLO, and the 1980 and '82 elections
Transcript
Photos
Caption
A family portrait of Paul Findley and his siblings. From left to right are Paul, Miriam, Bill, Barbara and Ruth Findley. This photo was taken at the Otto Speith Studio in Jacksonville, Illinois circa 1929/1930.
Where:
Otto Speith Studio in Jacksonville, Illinois
When:
Circa 1929/1930
Ownership:
Paul Findley Collection, Illinois College, Jacksonville, Illinois.
Caption
Paul Findley’s 1st grade picture circa 1927-29.
Where:
Unknown
When:
Circa 1927-29
Ownership:
Paul Findley Collection, Illinois College, Jacksonville, Illinois.
Caption
Paul Findley in the Newsroom at the Jacksonville Journal Courier where Paul worked as a reporter while attending Illinois College, circa 1939. In his memoir he recalled: “The newsroom became my home.”
Where:
Newsroom at the Jacksonville Journal Courier
When:
Circa 1939
Ownership:
Paul Findley Collection, Illinois College, Jacksonville, Illinois.
Caption
The official U.S. Navy photo of Ensign Paul Findley taken in 1943.
Where:
Unknown
When:
1943
Ownership:
Paul Findley Collection, Illinois College, Jacksonville, Illinois. This image is considered to be in the public domain.
Caption
This photo was taken the night Paul Findley and Lucille Gemme met at the Officers Club on Guam in early 1945.
Where:
Officers Club on Guam
When:
Early 1945
Ownership:
Paul Findley Collection, Illinois College, Jacksonville, Illinois.
Caption
As his unit’s Commissary Officer, Findley was responsible for organizing special events, including this Independence Day party on Guam in 1945. Lucille Gemme is third from the left; Paul is cutting the cake on the right.
Where:
Guam
When:
1945
Ownership:
Paul Findley Collection, Illinois College, Jacksonville, Illinois.
Caption
The 72nd U.S. Naval Construction Battalion (Seabees) were photographed on November 19, 1944 while on Guam; Lieutenant Findley is second from the right in the back row.
Where:
Guam
When:
November 19, 1944
Ownership:
Paul Findley Collection, Illinois College, Jacksonville, Illinois.
Caption
Paul Findley directing the unit choir on Easter Sunday, 1945, while he was stationed on Guam.
Where:
Guam
When:
Easter Sunday, 1945
Ownership:
Paul Findley Collection, Illinois College, Jacksonville, Illinois.
Caption
Lieutenant JG Lucille M. Gemme.
Where:
Unknown
When:
Unknown
Ownership:
Official US Navy Photograph; Paul Findley Collection, Illinois College, Jacksonville, Illinois.
Caption
A summer campaign event during Paul Findley’s 1st race for the U.S. Congress in 1960.
Where:
Unknown
When:
1960
Ownership:
Paul Findley Collection, Illinois College, Jacksonville, Illinois
Caption
The Findley family moved to Washington, DC in 1961 in their 1955 Oldsmobile. From left to right are Craig, Diane, Lucille and Paul Findley.
Where:
Washington, DC
When:
1961
Ownership:
Paul Findley Collection, Illinois College, Jacksonville, Illinois.
Caption
Findley as a young man, in the years following WW II.
Where:
Unknown
When:
years following WW II
Ownership:
Paul Findley Collection, Illinois College, Jacksonville, Illinois.
Caption
One of the Findley Trail Rides that Paul’s campaigns sponsored to develop grass roots support.
Where:
Unknown
When:
Unknown
Ownership:
Paul Findley Collection, Illinois College, Jacksonville, Illinois.
Caption
An evening speech during a Findley Trail Ride.
Where:
Unknown
When:
Unknown
Ownership:
Paul Findley Collection, Illinois College, Jacksonville, Illinois; Trail ride campaign speech.
Caption
Findley and a group of Republican Congressman toured Eisenhower’s Gettysburg Farm in the spring of 1961. Findley chatted with the former president about the proper role of the government in agriculture.
Where:
Eisenhower’s Gettysburg Farm
When:
Spring of 1961
Ownership:
A UPI photograph. May be restricted. Patrons desiring to use this photograph should contact the Paul Findley Collection, Illinois College, Jacksonville, Illinois
Caption
Congressman Findley and Bob Church open a campaign office in Springfield, supported by several enthusiastic campaign workers.
Where:
Springfield
When:
Unknown
Ownership:
Paul Findley Collection, Illinois College, Jacksonville, Illinois.
Caption
President Richard Nixon signed the Lincoln Home Historic Site Act at the Old State Capital on August 18, 1974. Present at the signing were Governor Richard Ogilvie and Congressman Paul Findley.
Where:
Old State Capital, Springfield, Illinois
When:
August 18, 1974
Ownership:
This is a Galloway Photo and may be restricted. Patrons desiring to use this photograph should contact the Paul Findley Collection, Illinois College, Jacksonville, Illinois.
Caption
Findley enjoyed entertaining his campaign workers during Findley Trail Rides. He played his trombone for one such performance at Alton, Illinois on September 30th 1972.
Where:
Alton, Illinois
When:
September 30th 1972
Ownership:
Paul Findley Collection, Illinois College, Jacksonville, Illinois.
Caption
Findley works the phone in his Washington, D.C. Congressional office. Date unknown.
Where:
Washington, D.C.
When:
Date unknown
Ownership:
Paul Findley Collection, Illinois College, Jacksonville, Illinois.
Caption
Findley is acting as his own clipping service in his office in Washington, DC. Date unknown.
Where:
Washington, DC
When:
Unknown
Ownership:
Paul Findley Collection, Illinois College, Jacksonville, Illinois.
Caption
Congressman Findley met with President Ford in the Oval Office, circa 1975-76.
Where:
Oval Office
When:
Circa 1975-76
Ownership:
Paul Findley Collection, Illinois College, Jacksonville, Illinois.
Caption
Congressman Findley greeting Egyptian President Anwar Sadat, circa 19
Where:
Washington, D.C.
When:
Unknown
Ownership:
Paul Findley Collection, Illinois College, Jacksonville, Illinois.
Caption
Paul Findley’s first Congressional Identification card issued in 1961.
Where:
Unknown
When:
1961
Ownership:
Paul Findley Collection, Illinois College, Jacksonville, Illinois.
Caption
There were lots of ways to get the word out about Congressman’s Findley’s reelection campaign, including using classic cars and motorcycles as mobile campaign posters.
Where:
Illinois College, Jacksonville, Illinois
When:
Unknown
Ownership:
Paul Findley Collection, Illinois College, Jacksonville, Illinois.
Caption
Findley makes a campaign appearance at MacMurray College's McClellan Dining Hall, sometime during the Richard Ogilvie administration, circa 1970.
Where:
MacMurray College, Jacksonville, Illinois
When:
Circa 1970
Ownership:
Paul Findley Collection, Illinois College, Jacksonville, Illinois.
Caption
This lobster shell was presented to Cong. Paul Findley in May, 1974 by Muhammad L. Motie, Minister of Foreign Affairs for the People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen (South Yemen) while he was on a humanitarian mission to free an imprisoned constituent.
Where:
Unknown
When:
May, 1974
Ownership:
Paul Findley Congressional Office Museum, Illinois College, Jacksonville, Illinois.
Caption
This antique Jambiya (Arabic dagger) was presented to Congressman Findley in Aden, Yemen in May, 1974 by Salim Rubai Ali, Chairman of the Presidential Council, People’s Democratic Republic of Yemen. Findley was trying to free an imprisoned constituent.
Where:
Aden, Yemen
When:
May, 1974
Ownership:
Paul Findley Congressional Office Museum, Illinois College, Jacksonville, Illinois.
Caption
Findley was awarded an honorary doctorate in Political Science by Sana’a University, Sana'a, and Yemen. Pictured left to right: Dr. Daowood Ahmed Othman, University Pres. Dr. Abdul-Aziz Kakalah, Findley, unidentified and poet Sulaiman al-Issa.
Where:
Unknown
When:
Dec 3, 1997
Ownership:
Paul Findley Collection, Illinois College, Jacksonville, Illinois.)
Caption
Congressman Findley rides a camel during a visit to Egypt in 1972.
Where:
Egypt
When:
1972
Ownership:
Paul Findley Collection, Illinois College, Jacksonville, Illinois.
Caption
Mike Boren of Nebo, Illinois met Congressional Findley on January 27, 1966, while on a trip to Washington DC during a semester break from his studies at the University of Illinois.
Where:
Washington DC Unknown
When:
January 27, 1966
Ownership:
Paul Findley Collection, Illinois College, Jacksonville, Illinois.
Caption
Former President Gerald Ford presented plaques to Rep. Findley and former Senator Hubert Humphrey commemorating their contributions to the fight against world hunger at the First International Symposium on Famine Prevention held in Washington DC.
Where:
Unknown
When:
December 19, 1977
Ownership:
Paul Findley Congressional Office Museum, Illinois College, Jacksonville, Illinois.
Caption
Congressman Findley was one of a host of representatives attending this Agriculture Committee meeting in the U.S. Capitol in early 1960s. He is seated third from the right in the photo, next to Bob Dole.
Where:
Washington D.C.
When:
Early 1960s
Ownership:
This image is considered to be in the public domain.
Caption
Findley proudly displays this Lincoln heirloom in his Illinois College office. The mahogany sofa dates from 1837, and was used by Abraham Lincoln in his Springfield, Illinois law office. Findley purchased the sofa in 1978, while he served in Congress.
Where:
Illinois College, Jacksonville, Illinois
When:
1978
Ownership:
Paul Findley Congressional Office Museum, Illinois College, Jacksonville, Illinois