Rankin, Jeannette, 1880-1973

Variant names
Dates:
Birth 1880-06-11
Death 1973-05-18
Gender:
Female
Americans
English,

Biographical notes:

Jeannette Rankin, pacifist and feminist, was born near Missoula, Montana, on June 11, 1880, the daughter of John Rankin and Olive (Pickering) Rankin. She graduated from the University of Montana (1902) and attended the School of Philanthropy (now the Columbia University School of Social Work) in New York City (1908-1909). After working briefly as a social worker in Seattle, JR campaigned for women's suffrage in Washington, California, Montana and other states from 1910 to 1915.

The first woman elected to Congress (1916), she voted against United States entry into World War I and worked for women's rights as well as peace legislation. From 1919 to 1940 Rankin lobbied Congress and lectured for various peace and other humanitarian causes: in the 1920's she was employed by the National Consumers' League and the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom and founded the Georgia Peace Society; in the 1930's she worked mainly for the National Council for the Prevention of War.

Re-elected to Congress in 1940, she was the only legislator to vote against United States entry into World War II. From 1945 through the early 1970's JR traveled extensively, especially to India. In the late 1960's and early 1970's she was active in both peace and feminist causes, opposing the war in Vietnam and working for passage of the Equal Rights Amendment. She also strongly supported the direct election of Presidents and multiple-member Congressional districts. She died in Carmel, California, on May 18, 1973.

From the guide to the Papers, 1879-1976, (Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute)

A pacifist and feminist (B.A., University of Montana, 1902) Rankin was the first congresswoman, representing Montana in 1917-1919 and in 1941-43; she was the only Member of Congress to vote against U.S. participation in both world wars. In the 1920s she worked for the National Consumers' League and the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom, and founded the Georgia Peace Society. In the 1930s, she worked for the National Council for Prevention of War. From 1945 to the early 1970s, she traveled extensively, especially in India, opposed the Vietnam War, and worked for the Equal Rights Amendment.

From the description of Papers, 1973. (Harvard University). WorldCat record id: 232007879

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Subjects:

  • Political campaigns
  • Children
  • Draft
  • Droughts
  • Electoral college
  • European War, 1914-1918
  • Farmers
  • Politics and government
  • Legislators
  • Montana
  • Pacifism
  • Pacifists
  • Peace
  • Peace movements
  • Peace movements
  • Preferential ballot
  • Presidents
  • Probate record
  • Prohibition
  • Suffragists
  • Vietnam War, 1961-1975
  • Vietnam War, 1961-1975
  • World War, 1914-1918
  • World War, 1914-1918
  • World War, 1914-1918
  • World War, 1914-1918
  • Women
  • Women
  • Women
  • Women and peace
  • Women and peace
  • Women and war
  • Women in politics
  • Women legislators
  • Women's rights
  • World War, 1939-1945
  • World War, 1939-1945
  • World War, 1939-1945
  • World War, 1939-1945
  • Peace movements
  • Vietnam War, 1961-1975
  • World War, 1914-1918
  • World War, 1914-1918
  • World War, 1914-1918
  • Women
  • Women
  • Women and peace
  • World War, 1939-1945
  • World War, 1939-1945
  • World War, 1939-1945

Occupations:

  • Feminists
  • Legislators
  • Pacifists
  • Politicians
  • Lecturers
  • Ranchers
  • Representatives, U.S. Congress
  • Seamstresses
  • Social workers
  • Suffragists

Places:

  • MT, US
  • Carmel, CA, US
  • Missoula County, MT, US
  • CA, US
  • WA, US
  • MT, US
  • WA, US
  • NY, US

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