in the
87th U.S. Congress.L-R: Ellis Y. Berry,
Joseph H. Bottum,
Karl E. Mundt, and
Ben Reifel. Berry started his law practice in
Kennebec, South Dakota; two years later, he moved to
McLaughlin. He was elected as state's attorney, probate court judge for
Corson County, and mayor of McLaughlin. He served as the publisher of the newspaper
Mclaughlin Messenger beginning in 1938. He was editor of the
State Bar Association Journal from 1938 through 1950.
Politics Berry was elected to the
South Dakota State Senate from 1938 through 1942, a total of two terms. In 1950, Berry was elected as a
Republican to the
United States House of Representatives, and reelected nine consecutive times, retiring in 1971. Beginning in 1952, he also published the
McIntosh News and
Morristown World. In 1966, journalist
Drew Pearson reported that Berry was one of a group of four Congressmen who had received the "Statesman of the Republic" award from
Liberty Lobby for their "right-wing activities". Berry voted in favor of the
Civil Rights Acts of 1957,
1960, and
1968, and the
Voting Rights Act of 1965, but voted against the
Civil Rights Act of 1964 and
24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
Later career and death After retiring from Congress, Berry he settled in
Rapid City, South Dakota. He lived there until his death on April 1, 1999, aged 96. ==Legacy and honors==