Crusading Liberal: Paul H. Douglas of Illinois

A lifelong crusader for society's powerless, Senator Paul Douglas championed reform and helped to bring civil rights issues to the forefront of mid-twentieth-century American politics. During his eighteen years in the U.S. Senate, his advocacy of liberal causes brought him national recognition. In the eyes of many, Douglas embodied the very ideals of the "Great Society."

A man of conscience and a stubborn defender of his core principles, Douglas was nonetheless a patient legislator, and…