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This is the eleventh installment of our NHPRC funded project to digitize Hubert H. Humphrey's speech texts. This month we focus on the years 1969-1972, Humphrey's re-emergence onto the political scene in Washington and the continuation of his quest for the presidency.

In 1969 Humphrey went back to teaching at the University of Minnesota and Macalester College. His keynote address at the five-day student-planned Urban Crisis Symposium at Macalester College on February 23, 1969 was his first public appearance in his new position as professor of political science and international affairs.

Humphrey also became the Chairman of the Board of the Encyclopaedia Britannica Education Corporation and traveled extensively around the country and the world. In this awards presentation speech in Skokie, Illinois on April 8, 1970 Humphrey congratulates School District 68 on significant improvement of its elementary school library media services on behalf of Britannica. He also became the first board chairman of the new Wilson International Center for Scholars, established by Congress in 1968.

It was a special, mind-clearing opportunity to be not only my own man, but simply a private person again. Just Hubert Humphrey. I spent more time doing the things that people do in private life: traveling, fishing, playing with my grandchildren, catching up on conversations with my children (delayed for a decade), and earning more money than I ever had before. It was a wonderful time (Education of a Public Man, p. 325).

Ever the public man, however, Humphrey still looked for the next position he could attain. Nixon had offered him a position in his administration after becoming president but Humphrey firmly refused. After Ten Kennedy's incident at Chappaquiddick Humphrey's prospects of regaining a significant political office grew more promising. When Eugene McCarthy decided not to seek re-election for his Senate seat in 1969, Humphrey was ready to campaign again.

After easily regaining a seat in the Senate in 1971, Humphrey found that he was not accorded the same power or committee positions that he had earned during his previous tenure. Though refused a seat on the Foreign Relations Committee, he was again granted a place on the Agricultural Committee and got right to work. In this speech to the Dairymen, Inc. Roundtable in Louisville Kentucky on January 29, 1971, Humphrey informs them of his new position and urges them to work together to influence national policy.

While adjusting to life in the Senate once more, the possibility of attaining the presidency again began to entice Humphrey. In an article printed a day after his 60th birthday in May of 1971 Humphrey admitted to reporters in Florida that he would love another chance at Richard Nixon in the next election, saying that he was "not running for president at this time, but I may. I've got my sails up, testing the weather. I'm not salivating -- but I'm licking my chops."

On January 10, 1972 Humphrey made his announcement of candidacy in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Running against his long-time friend and fellow South Dakotan, George McGovern, Humphrey beat him in the Florida primary but experienced yet another defeat in Wisconsin, conceding that primary in this speech on April 4. Though Humphrey went on to win primaries in Pennsylvania, Indiana, Ohio and West Virginia in the next weeks and months, funding began to dwindle.

McGovern won the Oregon, California and South Dakota primaries, perpetuating the decline of Humphrey's campaign. Humphrey stayed in the race officially until he issued his withdrawal statement on July 11. By August he was campaigning by McGovern's side.

At the same time Humphrey's son Skip, Hubert Humphrey III, was running for a position in the Minnesota Senate and won his seat in November of that year. It was the first time the DFL had captured control of the state legislature since Humphrey led it, and was a welcome chance for father and son to serve in public office together.

These speech texts, as well as all of Humphrey's speeches from 1941-1972 are linked to the inventory of his Speech Text Files. We are nearing the end of the project so look for the remainder of Humphrey's speech texts in August!

This project was awarded the support of a $46,000 grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) administered by the National Archives.

Learn more about how the NHPRC helps preserve records of enduring national historical value and promotes their public access and interpretation through archival and documentary programs.