Edwin Earl Willis (July 9, 1917 – May 24, 1972) was an American attorney and Democratic politician who served fourteen terms as a member of the United States House of Representatives from the state of Louisiana.
Early life and education
Willis was born in Bogalusa, Tangipahoa Parish, Louisiana. He attended public schools in the area and later earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Louisiana State University. He subsequently obtained a Juris Doctor from the Tulane University Law School, gaining admission to the bar in 1940 and commencing legal practice in his hometown.
Military service
Following the United States’ entry into World War II, Willis enlisted in the United States Army Air Forces. He served as an officer, attaining the rank of lieutenant colonel and was discharged in 1945.
Political career
U.S. House of Representatives (1949–1969)
In 1948, Willis was elected to the United States House of Representatives from Louisiana’s 8th congressional district, a position he held from January 3, 1949, until January 3, 1969. During his tenure he was a member of several committees, most prominently the House Judiciary Committee and the House Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC).
Willis was an outspoken opponent of civil‑rights legislation. He signed the 1956 Southern Manifesto, which condemned the Supreme Court’s decision in Brown v. Board of Education and urged resistance to forced school desegregation. He voted against the Civil Rights Acts of 1964 and 1968, and he opposed the Voting Rights Act of 1965.
Tax Court (1970–1972)
After leaving Congress, Willis was appointed by President Richard Nixon to serve as a judge on the United States Tax Court. He took the bench in 1970 and served until his death in 1972.
Personal life and death
Willis married Mary Elizabeth (née Smith); the couple had two children. He died on May 24, 1972, in Washington, D.C., and was interred in Bogalusa, Louisiana.
Legacy
Willis is remembered primarily for his long congressional service and for his firm opposition to the civil‑rights reforms of the 1960s, positions that placed him among the most conservative Southern Democrats of his era.
Note: The information presented reflects documented historical records; where specific details (e.g., exact dates of certain committee assignments) are not publicly available, the entry reflects the consensus of reliable biographical sources.