Langley, Katherine Gudger, c. 1888-1948

Katherine Emeline Gudger Langley (c. February 14, 1888 – August 15, 1948) was an American politician. The first woman elected to Congress from Kentucky, she served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Kentucky between 1927 and 1931. She was the wife of Kentucky Congressman John W. Langley and daughter of James M. Gudger, Jr., a four-term Congressman from North Carolina.

Born Katherine Emeline Gudger in Madison County, North Carolina, she graduated from the Woman's College, Richmond, Virginia in 1901 before attending Emerson College of Oratory. Langley taught at the Virginia Institute at Bristol, TN and worked as a secretary for her father before marrying John Langley and moving to Pikeville, Kentucky in 1905. Moving to Washington D.C. in 1907, she served as secretary for her husband for the eighteen years he served as a Congressman. From 1919 to 1925 she was clerk to the Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds while John Langley was chairman. She also held numerous appointed and elected public positions including vice chairman of the Republican State Central Committee of Kentucky from 1920 to 1922 and as an alternate delegate and delegate to the Republican National Convention in 1920 and 1924, respectively.

Following her husband's resignation from Congress after being convicted of violating the Volstead Act by selling alcohol illegally and trying to bribe a federal officer, Katherine Langley resolved to clear her husband’s name by running for his seat. Defeating her husband's successor, Andrew J. Kirk, in the Republican primary, Langley won election to the House with 58 percent of the vote; she was re-elected in 1928 with 56 percent of the vote. Her physical presence became the target of derision by the Washington elite, and her Kentucky-style oratory was also attacked. During her tenure as a Representative, she missed a third (52 out of 174) of the roll-call votes. Her committee appointments were Claims, Invalid Pensions, and Immigration and Naturalization as well as the Committee on Education. While in Congress she supported women's issues and advocated for the creation of a cabinet-level department of education. In 1930 Katherine Langley was the first woman to serve on the Republican Committee on Committees in the U.S. House of Representatives. Once her husband announced he would try to run for office again, Katherine Langley's support among her constituents withered. Though she easily won the Republican primary in 1930, she lost in the general election to Democrat Andrew J. May.

Congresswoman Langley retired to Pikeville, Kentucky, where John Langley had earlier resumed his law practice. John Langley died in January 1932 of pneumonia, still arguing that he had been sent to prison unjustly. Katherine Langley served as a postmaster and was twice elected as a district railroad commissioner. She died in Pikeville, Kentucky, on August 15, 1948.