| 1896 |
Born in Pekin, Illinois, January 4 |
| 1913 |
Graduated from Pekin High School |
| 1914 |
Enrolled at the University of Minnesota. Completed four
semesters of general education along with four semesters
of law school. Education interrupted by service in World
War I. |
| 1918 |
Enlisted in the U.S. Army; commissioned overseas as 2nd
Lieutenant, 328th Field Artillery, 19th Balloon Corps and
G-2 of the General Staff |
| 1919 |
Returned to Pekin |
| 1924 |
Participated in Pekin's Centennial play, "A Thousand
Years Ago," where he met Louella Carver |
| 1926 |
Elected Commissioner of Finance, City of Pekin |
| 1927 |
Married Louella Carver |
| 1929 |
Daughter, Danice Joy, born |
| 1930 |
Defeated in first campaign for U.S. House of Representatives |
| 1932 |
Elected to the U.S. House |
| 1933 |
Entered the U.S. House for the first of eight consecutive
terms |
| 1944 |
Endorsed by more than 40 Members of the House for a place
on the national Republican ticket |
| 1945 |
Toured 21 nations, including war-torn Europe |
| 1948 |
Declined to run for re-election because of an eye ailment |
| 1950 |
Defeated Senate Majority Scott Lucas, Democrat from Havana,
in Dirksen's first campaign for the U.S. Senate |
| 1951 |
Daughter, Joy, married Howard H. Baker, Jr., future Senator
from Tennessee |
| 1953 |
Grandson, Darek Baker, born |
| 1954 |
Granddaughter, Cynthia "Cissy" Baker, born |
| 1957 |
Chosen Senate Minority Whip |
| 1959 |
Elected Minority Leader of the U.S. Senate, a post he
held until his death in 1969 |
| 1960 |
Began introducing legislation to make the marigold the
national floral emblem |
| 1962 |
Began weekly Republican Leadership press conferences,
first known as the "Ev and Charlie Show," and later the "Ev
and Jerry Show," referring to Charles Halleck and Gerald
Ford respectively, the House Minority Leaders |
| 1963 |
Helped secure passage of the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty |
| 1964 |
Helped secure passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 |
| 1966 |
Saved the Taft-Hartley "Right to Work" bill |
| 1967 |
Introduced an amendment to the U.S. Constitution to permit
prayer in public schools; won the Grammy Award for Best
Documentary Recording, "Gallant Men" |
| 1968 |
Chairman, Republican National Convention Platform Committee |
| 1969 |
Died in Washington, DC, September 7, following lung surgery;
buried at Pekin, Illinois |
| 1979 |
Louella Carver Dirksen died; buried at Pekin, Illinois |
Dirksen Biography 
