Anna Belle Clement O'Brien

Anna Belle Clement O'Brien in August 2008.

Anna Belle Clement O'Brien (May 6, 1923 – August 31, 2009) was a Tennessee politician, nicknamed "the first lady of Tennessee politics."[1] She served as the governor's chief of staff from 1963 to 1967, was a member of the Tennessee House of Representatives in the 89th General Assembly, from 1975 to 1977, and a Tennessee State Senator in the 90th to 99th General Assemblies, from 1977 to 1996.[2] While she was not the first woman ever to be in the Tennessee Senate, she was the first woman ever to be a chairman of a committee (as enacted in her tenure). Senator Mildred Jolly Lashlee was Chair of the Public Utilities Committee 1945-1947 which was absorbed into Energy & Natural Resources Committee during Senator O'Brien's tenure. During her 22 years in the General Assembly, she was the chairperson for three committees: Education, Transportation, and the Democratic Caucus.

  1. ^ Ken Whitehouse, Annabelle Clement O'Brien passes away at 86; Former state senator was stalwart of Tennessee Democratic politics Archived 2009-09-06 at the Wayback Machine, Nashville Post, September 1, 2009
  2. ^ "Tennessee General Assembly Legislation".