Luther Youngdahl

Luther Youngdahl (1949)

Luther Wallace Youngdahl (born May 29, 1896 in Minneapolis , Minnesota , † June 21, 1978 in Washington, DC ) was an American lawyer and politician and from 1947 to 1951 governor of the state of Minnesota.

Early years and political advancement

Luther Youngdahl attended Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter until 1919 and then studied law at the University of Minnesota until 1921 . His training was interrupted by the First World War, in which he participated as a soldier. After his admission to the bar, he began a successful legal career. Between 1921 and 1924, Youngdahl was the Assistant District Attorney for the City of Minneapolis; from 1930 to 1936 he served as a judge at a city court. From 1942 to 1946 he was a member of the Minnesota Supreme Court . Politically, he was a member of the Republican Party , as whose candidate he was elected governor of his state on November 5, 1946. He prevailed against the Democrat Harold H. Barker with 59:40 percent of the vote .

Governor and federal judge

Youngdahl took up his new office on January 8, 1947. In 1948 and 1950 he was confirmed in this office by the voters of Minnesota. During his tenure, the budget for education policy was increased. Slot machines were banned in Minnesota. Racial segregation was abolished in the state's National Guard. In addition, the governor still had to deal with a few strikes.

After being appointed federal judge in Washington, Luther Youngdahl resigned as governor on September 8, 1951. Until his death in 1978, he served as a judge in the federal district court for the District of Columbia . He had three children with his wife Irene Annet Engdah. Youngdahl was buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Web links

• Luther Youngdahl in the National Governors Association (English)
• Minnesota Historical Society (English)

• Luther Youngdahl in the database of Find a Grave (English)