Remembering Idaho Sen. Frank Church nearly 100 years after his birth

Idaho Matters

Three counsels to U.S. President Gerald Ford meet with members of the Select Senate Committee on Intelligence in Washington, D.C., June 26, 1975. They brought White House files with them to aid panel's investigation into where orders to assassinate Cuban Premier Fidel Castro originated. From left are: seated, James Wilderoffer, counsel; Roderick Hills, counsel; Philip Buchan, counsel; Sen. Frank Church, D-Idaho, chairman; and Sen. John Tower, R-Texas. Standing, Senators Gary Hartr, D-Colorado; Robert Morgan, D-N.C.; Walter Mondale, D-Minn.; Richard Schweiker, R-Pa.; Howard Baker. R-Tenn.; and Charles McC. Mathias, R-Md. (Henry Griffin / AP)

Next week marks 100 years since the birth of Idaho Sen. Frank Church.

Church, a Democrat, served as a U.S. senator from Idaho from 1957 until 1981, and he is currently the last Democrat to do so. He was also the longest-serving democratic senator from our state and the only Democrat from Idaho who served more than two terms in the Senate.

Church served on the senate committee on foreign relations, and in 1960 he gained national exposure when he gave the keynote speech at the Democratic National Convention.

He was also considered a strong progressive and environmental legislator, and he played a major role in creating a system of protected wilderness areas.

Frank Church Institute Board Member, Rod Gramer, and the granddaughter of Frank Church, Monica Church, who is also the Executive Director of the Frank Church Institute, joined Idaho Matters to talk more about his life and legacy.