Senator William H. Proxmire Collection

Wisconsin Democratic U.S. Senator William Proxmire (1915-2005) was widely regarded as a political maverick known for curbing governmental waste and mismanagement.

After leaving office in 1989, Sen. Proxmire and his staff donated more than 200 boxes of archival materials to the Wisconsin Historical Society. Between 2008 and 2011, the Proxmire papers were complemented by 40 oral history interviews of friends, relatives, colleagues and staff.

The Proxmire Digital Collection offers more than 7,500 pages of manuscripts, press releases, newsletters, photographs, articles, interviews, books and correspondence selected from the Proxmire papers and all 40 oral history interviews. It is the richest online resource about Sen. William Proxmire's life and times.

Special Thanks

The digital collection was made possible through the generosity of Sen. Proxmire's family and friends, who contributed time, materials, and financial support to ensure that his legacy is preserved.