Martin Dies Jr.

Martin Dies Jr.
Dies chairing a 1938 meeting of the
House Un-American Activities Committee
Member of the
U.S. House of Representatives
from Texas
In office
March 4, 1931  January 3, 1945
Preceded byJohn Calvin Box
Succeeded byJesse Martin Combs
Constituency2nd district
In office
January 3, 1953  January 3, 1959
Preceded bydistrict created
Succeeded bydistrict abolished
ConstituencyAt-large district
Chairman of the House Committee Investigating Un-American Activities
In office
1938–1944
Preceded byoffice established
Succeeded byEdward J. Hart
Personal details
Born(1900-11-05)November 5, 1900
Colorado City, Texas, U.S.
DiedNovember 14, 1972(1972-11-14) (aged 72)
Lufkin, Texas, U.S.
Political partyDemocratic
Spouse
Myrtle McAdams
(m. 1920)
Children3, including Martin Dies Jr.
Parents
Alma materUniversity of Texas
National University School of Law (LLB)
Occupation
  • Lawyer
  • politician

Martin Dies Jr. (November 5, 1900 – November 14, 1972), also known as Martin Dies Sr., was a Texas politician and a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives. He was elected as a Democrat to the Seventy-second and after that to the six succeeding Congresses (March 4, 1931 – January 3, 1945). In 1944, Dies did not seek renomination to the Seventy-ninth Congress, but was elected to the Eighty-third and to the two succeeding Congresses (January 3, 1953 – January 3, 1959). Again, he did not seek renomination in 1958 to the Eighty-sixth Congress. In 1941 and 1957, he was twice defeated for the nomination to fill a vacancy in the United States Senate. A Southern Conservative Democrat, Dies served as the first chairman of the Special Committee to Investigate Un-American Activities from 1937 through 1944 (Seventy-fifth through Seventy-eighth Congresses).