Jeannette Rankin | |
|---|---|
 Rankin in 1917 | |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Montana | |
| In office January 3, 1941 – January 3, 1943 | |
| Preceded by | Jacob Thorkelson |
| Succeeded by | Mike Mansfield |
| Constituency | 1st district |
| In office March 4, 1917 – March 3, 1919 Serving with John Evans | |
| Preceded by | Tom Stout |
| Succeeded by |
|
| Constituency | At-large district |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Jeannette Pickering Rankin June 11, 1880 Missoula County, Montana, U.S. |
| Died | May 18, 1973 (aged 92) Carmel, California, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Other political affiliations | National (1918) |
| Education | |
Jeannette Pickering Rankin (June 11, 1880 – May 18, 1973) was an American politician and women's rights advocate who became the first woman to hold federal office in the United States. She was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives as a Republican from Montana in 1916 for one term, then was elected again in 1940. Rankin remains the only woman ever elected to Congress from Montana.[1][2]
Each of Rankin's congressional terms coincided with the initiation of U.S. military intervention in one of the two world wars. A lifelong pacifist, she was one of 50 House members who opposed the declaration of war on Germany in 1917. In 1941, she was the sole member of Congress to vote against the declaration of war on Japan following the attack on Pearl Harbor.
A suffragist during the Progressive Era, Rankin organized and lobbied for legislation enfranchising women in several states, including Montana, New York, and North Dakota. While in Congress, she introduced legislation that eventually became the 19th Constitutional Amendment, granting unrestricted voting rights to women nationwide. She championed a multitude of diverse women's rights and civil rights causes throughout a career that spanned more than six decades. In 1920, she helped found the American Civil Liberties Union and served as a vice president.
- ^ Greenspan, Jesse (November 2, 2016). "7 Things You May Not Know About Jeannette Rankin – History Lists". HISTORY.com. Retrieved November 19, 2016.
- ^ Lutey, Tom. "Montana's women candidates are out to set another record". The Billings Gazette. Retrieved April 12, 2018.