Luke Hart was born July 31, 1880 and raised on a farm at Maloy, Iowa. He received his law degree at the University of Missouri in 1905, began his law practice in St. Louis and in 1913 was admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court. He was assistant city attorney of St. Louis and was the Supreme advocate of the Knights of Columbus in 1928 and a delegate to the Republican National Convention from Missouri in 1940. He was the tenth Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus from September 1, 1953 to February 19, 1964. By the end of the 1950's Supreme Knight Hart was actively encouraging councils to accept black candidates. It was during HART's tenure in 1954 that the Knights petitioned to get "under God" inserted into the Pledge of Allegiance.
He recieved the honor of interment in the crypt of the Cathedral Basilica of St. Louis.


Update September 2013
The Rededication Ceremony honoring the restoration and additional lettering on the LUKE E. HART Monument at Calvary Cemetery was held this past Saturday Spet. 21st in St. Louis, MO. Auxiliary Bishop Edward M. Rice conducted the prayer service, with a brief address by Past Supreme Knight Virgil Dechant who came in specifically for this ceremony. All were moved by the ceremonies, which featured more than 60 members of the Missouri KofC honor guard in full regalia.
Photographs were taken by the KofC Main Office which will be profiled in an upcoming issue of COLUMBIA Magazine. They will also be available by the end of this week to KofC, contact the KC Headquarters Press Office in New Haven, CT.
May God Rest Bro. LUKE's soul, and may he be comforted to know that his many Brother Knights present, as well as his many grandchildren and great-grandchildren, appreciated the spiritual and patriotic significance of his life and leadership in Columbianism.
Sincerely, Bro. Max S. Kaiser, Jr. KC4th, KHS
Craftsman/Historian