Philip Hart
Philip Aloysius Hart (December 10, 1912 – December 26, 1976) was an American lawyer and Democratic politician who represented Michigan in the United States Senate from 1959 until his death.[1]
Born in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, Hart graduated from Georgetown University in 1934 and the University of Michigan Law School in 1937 before serving as a lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army during World War II, where he was wounded in the D-Day assault on Utah Beach.[1] After the war, he held various positions in Michigan state government, including lieutenant governor from 1955 to 1958, prior to his successful Senate campaign.[1]
Hart earned the nickname "Conscience of the Senate" for his steadfast commitment to principle, notably as a supporter of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and floor manager for the Voting Rights Act of 1965; he also chaired the Antitrust Subcommittee, leading to reforms like the Hart–Scott–Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act of 1976, and advocated for environmental measures establishing national lakeshores in Michigan, such as Sleeping Bear Dunes.[2][1][3]