Born on Milwaukee’s North Side in 1912, Reuss utilized his Harvard law degree locally before serving in Europe during World War Two. Afterwards, he turned his attention to electoral politics, enduring several unsuccessful city and state campaigns. In 1954, Reuss finally won Wisconsin’s Fifth Congressional seat. Achievements in his twenty-eight year House career included advocating for a youth volunteer program that anticipated, broadly conceived, the Peace Corps; offering sustained support for environmental protections; and enduring a hard-fought campaign for the Ice Age National Scenic Trail. Twice (1948 and 1960), he lost mayoral bids. Henry Reuss died in early 2002.
For Further Reading
Reuss, Henry S. When Government Was Good: Memoirs of a Life in Politics. Madison, WI: The University of Wisconsin Press, 1999.