Stanley, Winifred Claire, 1909-1996

Winifred Claire Stanley (August 14, 1909 – February 29, 1996) was an American politician and attorney from New York affiliated with the Republican Party. Stanley is known for her vigorous women's rights advocacy during the WWII war time period, her work as a prosecutor, and for being the first female assistant district attorney in Erie County. Although Stanley served only one term before her constituency was redistricted, she used her legislative standing to champion peacetime demobilization and equal pay regardless of sex.

Born in the Bronx and raised in Buffalo, New York, Stanley pursued her undergraduate degree at the University of Buffalo following graduation from Lafayette High School, graduating with honors. Stanley went on to receive her LLB and JD from the same institution in 1933, graduating first in her class. In 1934 she commenced her law practice. Stanley’s reputation as a lawyer was impeccable, but her greatest precongressional accomplishment proved to be the root of her future defense of women’s rights while serving in Congress. She was ultimately named assistant district attorney of Erie County at the age of 28.

When New York was redistricted following the 1940 Census, two seats were lost in the process. This warranted the Republican Party to search for a candidate to take a short-term seat slated for elimination. At this point in her career, Stanley was an accomplished attorney who wouldn't threaten a higher-ranking Republican when reelection came around, making her the prime candidate for the job. Stanley ran on a campaign of $6.00 and was elected to the 78th Congress in November 1942. She beat out eight other candidates for the position by garnering nearly 2 million votes.

Although Winifred Stanley vied for a position on the powerful House Judiciary Committee, she was appointed to Patents and Civil Service Committees. Her background in law inspired her inclination to be appointed to the Judiciary, however those in charge of committee assignments opposed women in the workplace vehemently and she received little support from her Republican colleagues due to her short-term status. Stanley advocated women’s rights during her congressional service, introducing an equal pay for equal work bill. She also was a noted supporter of increasing wages for postal employees and supported eliminating the poll tax. During the 1944 campaign, while losing her own seat to reapportionment, she nevertheless remained busy, taking to the campaign trail in 15 states to urge election of the GOP presidential candidate, New York Governor Thomas E. Dewey.

After leaving Congress in 1945, Stanley accepted an appointment in New York Governor Dewey’s administration. She was later appointed counsel for the State Employees Retirement System and subsequently returned to the position of assistant district attorney, this time in the Albany office of the state law department. She retired from state service in 1979 but remained in private practice until 1986. After a brief illness, Winifred Stanley died on February 29, 1996, in Kenmore, New York.