Jeanette Rankin
Jeanette Rankin was born in Missoula, Montana, on 11th June, 1880. After graduating from Montana
University in 1902 Rankin worked as a schoolteacher before entering the New York School of
Philanthropy in 1908. This was followed by periods as a social worker in Montana and Washington.
Unable to settle to social work, Rankin enrolled in the University of Washington. While a student in
Washington she became involved in the struggle for women's suffrage and eventually became
legislative secretary of the National American Woman Suffrage Association.
A member of the Republican Party, in 1916 Rankin decided to run for Congress. Rankin, who
campaigned for universal suffrage, prohibition, child welfare reform, an end to child labour and staying
out of the First World War, became the first woman to be elected to the House of Representatives.
One of her first actions was to introduce a bill that would have allowed women citizenship independent
of their husbands.
A pacifist, Rankin was one of the 49 members of Congress to vote against war with Germany. Fellow
suffragists such as Carrie Chapman Catt urged Rankin to change her mind, fearing that she would
damage the cause by reflecting the view that women were sentimental and irresponsible.
Rankin's controversial views on the First World War, trade union rights, equal pay and birth-control,
lost her the Republican Senate nomination in 1918. She therefore stood as an independent but without
the support of a party machine, was easily defeated.
After the war Rankin successfully campaigned for independent citizenship (1922), the Maternity and
Infancy Protection Act (1921), Independent Citizenship (1922) and Child Labour Amendment (1924).
Rankin was also active in the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom and the National
Council for the Prevention of War.
In 1940 Rankin was elected to the House of Representatives on an anti-war programme. Rankin
maintained this position and in December, 1941, was the only member of Congress to vote against the
declaration of war on Japan. Rankin was convinced that Franklin D. Roosevelt had deliberately
provoked the Japanese attack. Once again her pacifism made her extremely unpopular with the
electorate and she decided not to stand for re-election.
In the 1960s Rankin established a self-sufficient women's co-operative in Georgia. Rankin was also
active in the campaign against the Vietnam War and on 15th May, 1968, at the age of 87, led a women's
demonstration against the war in Washington. Jeannette Rankin died at Carmel, California, on 18th May,
1973.
She purchased land in Bogart, Georgia in the 1920's and 44 acres on the Mars Hill Road in 1933
(known as her beloved "Shady Grove"). She renovated an old farmhouse and used it as a seasonal
residence from the thirties to the seventies. She left her Oconee County property to a charitable trust
to be used for advancement of women's rights. The Jeanette Rankin Foundation is still helping women
improve their lives.
 |
 |
 |
|
||