Representative Matthew Anthony Dunn - Contact Information

Matthew Anthony Dunn (August 15, 1886 – February 13, 1942) was a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from Pennsylvania who served four consecutive terms in Congress from 1933 to 1941. His congressional career spanned a critical era in American history, encompassing the Great Depression and the early years of the New Deal, during which he participated in the legislative process and represented the interests of his Pennsylvania constituents.

Dunn was born in Braddock, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania, on August 15, 1886. His early life was marked by significant physical adversity. As a result of numerous accidents in childhood and youth, he lost the sight of his left eye at the age of twelve and became totally blind at the age of twenty when he lost the sight of his right eye. Despite this profound disability, he pursued education and vocational training that would enable him to support himself and later enter public life.

Dunn attended the School for the Blind in Pittsburgh and subsequently enrolled at the Overbrook School for the Blind in Overbrook, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He graduated from Overbrook in 1909. Even before completing his formal education, he began working to earn a living; in 1907 and 1908 he was engaged in the sale of periodicals and newspapers. After graduation he continued to build a career in private enterprise, later entering the insurance brokerage business, in which he was engaged from 1920 to 1924. His experience in business and his personal perseverance in the face of blindness helped establish his reputation in the community and laid the groundwork for his entry into politics.

Dunn’s formal political career began at the state level. A member of the Democratic Party, he was elected to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, where he served from 1926 to 1932. During these years he gained legislative experience and became known as an advocate for his constituents, positioning himself for higher office as the Democratic Party expanded its influence in Pennsylvania during the late 1920s and early 1930s.

In 1932, Dunn was elected as a Democrat to the Seventy-third Congress and subsequently reelected to the three succeeding Congresses, serving from March 4, 1933, to January 3, 1941. As a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania, he took part in the federal legislative response to the economic crisis of the Great Depression and the implementation of New Deal programs. His service in Congress occurred during a significant period in American history, and he contributed to the national legislative process while consistently representing the interests of his Pennsylvania constituents.

During his final term, Dunn held a key leadership role in the House. He served as chairman of the United States House Committee on the Census during the Seventy-sixth Congress (1939–1941). In this capacity, he oversaw legislative matters related to the federal census, an essential function for apportionment, representation, and the allocation of federal resources. His chairmanship reflected the confidence of his colleagues in his abilities and judgment, despite the challenges posed by his blindness.

Dunn chose not to seek renomination in 1940, withdrawing from electoral politics due to ill health. After leaving Congress in January 1941, he retired from active business and public life. He died in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, on February 13, 1942. Matthew Anthony Dunn was interred in Homewood Cemetery in Pittsburgh, closing a life distinguished by perseverance over disability, service in the Pennsylvania State House of Representatives, and four terms in the United States Congress.