Rankin, Jeannette, 1880-1973
Variant namesJeannette 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
Archival Resources
| Role | Title | Holding Repository | |
|---|---|---|---|
| referencedIn | McCulloch, Catharine Waugh, 1862-1945. Papers in the Mary Earhart Dillon Collection, 1869-1945 | Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America | |
| referencedIn | Papers of Edna Lamprey Stantial, 1836-1985 (inclusive), 1900-1955 (bulk) | Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America | |
| creatorOf | Rankin, Jennette. Memorandum of settlement, 1842. | Connecticut Historical Society | |
| referencedIn | Missoula Women for Peace oral history project interviews, 2000 | University of Montana--Missoula Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library Archives and Special Collections | |
| creatorOf | Anne Henrietta Martin papers, 1892-1951. | UC Berkeley Libraries | |
| creatorOf | Emergency Peace Campaign (U.S.). Records, 1935-1941 bulk, 1936-1937. | Swarthmore College, Peace Collection, SCPC | |
| creatorOf | Gwendolen Haste papers, 1900-1964. | New York State Historical Documents Inventory | |
| referencedIn | Harry L. and Gretchen Billings Papers, 1940-1984 | MSU-Bozeman Library, Merrill G Burlingame Special Collections | |
| referencedIn | Dennett, Mary Ware, 1872-1947. Papers: Series IV, 1910-1944 (inclusive) [microform]. | Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America | |
| referencedIn | Catalogue I of the Regional Oral History Office, 1954-1979 | Bancroft Library | |
| referencedIn | Levy, Edward G.,. Edward G. and Hortense R. Levy Collection, 1829-1972 (inclusive). | Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America | |
| referencedIn | Bancroft Library. Regional Oral History Office Oral History Interviews, 1959-1979, (bulk 1969-1975) | Library of Congress. Manuscript Division | |
| referencedIn | Papers, 1893-1978 | Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America | |
| referencedIn | Foley, Margaret, 1875-1957. Papers, 1847-1968 (inclusive), 1909-1929 (bulk). | Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America | |
| referencedIn | Pendergrast, Nan, 1920-. Nan Pendergrast papers, 1935-1993. | Emory University. Special Collections and Archives | |
| referencedIn | McCulloch, Catharine Waugh, 1862-1945. Papers in the Mary Earhart Dillon collection, 1869-1945 | Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America | |
| referencedIn | Ludlow mss., 1898-1948 | Lilly Library (Indiana University, Bloomington) | |
| referencedIn | McKinnon, Edna Rankin, b. 1893. Papers, 1893-1978 (inclusive). | Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America | |
| creatorOf | Rankin, Jeannette. Activist for world peace, women's rights, and democratic government : oral history transcript / Jeanette Rankin; tape recorded interview conducted by Malca Chall and Hannah Josephson in 1974. Regional Oral History Office, The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley, California, 1974 : and related material, 1972-1974. | UC Berkeley Libraries | |
| referencedIn | National Consumers' League Records, 1882-1986, (bulk 1920-1950) | Library of Congress. Manuscript Division | |
| creatorOf | Rankin, Jeannette, 1880-1973. Papers, 1941-1945 (inclusive). | Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America | |
| referencedIn | Lutz, Alma, 1890-1973. Collection of documents by and about abolitionists and women's rights activists, 1775-1943 | Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America | |
| referencedIn | Gore Vidal papers, 1850-2020 (inclusive), 1936-2008 (bulk) | Houghton Library | |
| creatorOf | Rankin, Jeannette, 1880-1973. Papers, 1915-1965 (inclusive). | Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America | |
| referencedIn | Rankin Family Papers, 1888-1946 | Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library Archives and Special Collections | |
| referencedIn | Billings, Harry L., 1913-1990. Harry L. and Gretchen Billings papers, 1940-1984. | Montana State University (Bozeman, Mont.). Library | |
| referencedIn | Lindseth, Jon A.,. Lindseth collection of American woman suffrage, [ca. 1820-1920]. | Cornell University Library | |
| creatorOf | Jeannette Rankin Brigade. Jeannette Rankin Brigade records, 1967-1968. | New York Public Library System, NYPL | |
| referencedIn | Candidates for public office campaign materials, 1966-1976 (inclusive). | Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America | |
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| referencedIn | Yarrow, Harriet. Papers, 1943-1974 (inclusive), 1943-1961 (bulk). | Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America | |
| referencedIn | Diana Davies Papers MS 309., 1960s-1996 (ongoing) | Sophia Smith Collection | |
| referencedIn | Papers, 1917, 1935-1973 | Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America | |
| referencedIn | National American Woman Suffrage Association. National American Woman Suffrage Association records, 1839-1961 (inclusive), 1890-1930 (bulk), [microform]. | Yale University Library | |
| creatorOf | Manahan, James, 1866-1932. James Manahan and family papers, 1880-1937. | Minnesota Historical Society Library | |
| referencedIn | National American Woman Suffrage Association Records, 1839-1961, (bulk 1890-1930) | Library of Congress. Manuscript Division | |
| referencedIn | Smith, Norma, 1913-2001. Norma Smith papers, 1895-2000. | Montana State University (Bozeman, Mont.). Library | |
| referencedIn | Laidlaw, H. B. (Harriet Burton), b. 1874. Papers: Series I-IV, 1851-1958 (inclusive). | Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America | |
| referencedIn | Jeannette Rankin Brigade records, 1967-1968 | New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division | |
| creatorOf | Rankin, Jeannette, 1880-1973. Letter, 1917 Sept. 6, Washington D.C., to Perry Walton, Boston. | Boston Athenaeum | |
| referencedIn | Papers of Mary Ware Dennett | Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America | |
| referencedIn | Suffragists Oral History Project (Bancroft Library). Transcripts of oral history project, 1959-1974 (inclusive). | Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America | |
| referencedIn | Newman, Pauline, ca. 1890-1986. Papers, 1900-1980 | Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America | |
| referencedIn | Board, John C. The lady from Montana : Jeannette Rankin. | Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America | |
| creatorOf | Rankin, Jeannette, 1880-1973. Jeannette Rankin collection, 1914-2001. | ||
| referencedIn | Jeannette Rankin - scrapbook re, 1917-1966. | ||
| referencedIn | National American Woman Suffrage Association. National American Woman Suffrage Association records, 1839-1961 (inclusive), 1890-1930 (bulk), [microform]. | University of Hawaii at Manoa, Hamilton Library | |
| referencedIn | Geer, Peter Zack, 1927-. Peter Zack Geer, Jr. papers, 1923-1967. | Georgia Southern University | |
| creatorOf | Rankin, Jeannette. Papers, 1915-1965 (inclusive). | Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America | |
| creatorOf | Rankin, Jeannette, 1880-1973. Papers, 1973. | Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America | |
| referencedIn | Papers | New Jersey Historical Society Library | |
| referencedIn | Lindseth collection of American woman suffrage, [ca. 1820-1920]. | Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library. | |
| creatorOf | Papers of Jeannette Rankin, 1879-1976 (inclusive), 1916-1973 (bulk) | Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America | |
| referencedIn | Women's History, 1977-1980 | Indiana University, Bloomington. Center for the Study of History and Memory | |
| creatorOf | Papers, 1915 - 1961 | Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America | |
| referencedIn | San Francisco Women for Peace records, 1943-[on-going] | Bancroft Library | |
| referencedIn | James Manahan and family papers., 1880-1937. | Minnesota Historical Society | |
| referencedIn | Josephson, Hannah. Papers, 1969-1974 (inclusive). | Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America | |
| referencedIn | Missoula Women for Peace Records on the Jeanette Rankin Statue, 1983-1988 | University of Montana--Missoula Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library Archives and Special Collections | |
| referencedIn | Hayler, Guy Wilfrid. Guy Wilfrid Hayler papers, [ca. 1897-1962]. | UC Berkeley Libraries | |
| referencedIn | Surles, Flora Belle, 1887-1971?. Papers, 1917-1973 (inclusive). | Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America | |
| referencedIn | Foley, Margaret, 1875-1957. Papers in the Woman's Rights Collection, 1911-1924 (inclusive). | Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America | |
| referencedIn | Norma Smith Papers, 1895-2000 | MSU-Bozeman Library, Merrill G Burlingame Special Collections | |
| referencedIn | Anne McGrew Bennett Collection, 1959-84 | Graduate Theological Union | |
| referencedIn | Mary Church Terrell Papers, 1851-1962, (bulk 1886-1954) | Library of Congress. Manuscript Division | |
| creatorOf | Committee on Militarism in Education (U.S.). Records, 1925-1940. | Swarthmore College, Peace Collection, SCPC | |
| referencedIn | Franklin, Robert A. Women in Congress radio broadcast, 1997. | Montana Historical Society Library | |
| referencedIn | Georgia Peace Society. Collection, 1931-1937. | Swarthmore College, Peace Collection, SCPC | |
| referencedIn | Jeanette Rankin collection, 1917-2009 | University of Montana--Missoula Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library Archives and Special Collections | |
| creatorOf | National Council for Prevention of War (U.S.). Records, 1921-1975. | Swarthmore College, Peace Collection, SCPC | |
| creatorOf | Papers of Jeannette Rankin, 1879-1976 | Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America | |
| referencedIn | Winestine, Belle Fligelman. Papers, 1972, n.d. | Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America | |
| referencedIn | McKinnon, Edna Rankin, b. 1893. Audiotape collection of Edna Rankin McKinnon, ca. 1970 [sound recording]. | Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America | |
| creatorOf | Rankin, Jeannette, 1880-1973. Jeannette Rankin recording, 1938-1941. | Montana Historical Society Library | |
| referencedIn | Cheek, Katrina Rebecca, 1946-. The rhetoric and revolt of Jeannette Rankin. | Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America | |
| creatorOf | Rankin, Jeannette. Jeannette Rankin interview / with Dick Cavett : typescript, 1972 Apr. 17. | UC Berkeley Libraries | |
| referencedIn | Gwendolen Haste papers, 1900-1964 | New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division | |
| referencedIn | Lutz, Alma, 1890-1973. Collection of documents by and about abolitionists and women's rights activists, 1775-1943 | Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America | |
| referencedIn | Hochstein, Irma E., 1887-1974. Irma E. Hochstein papers, 1916-1965. | Wisconsin Historical Society, Newspaper Project | |
| creatorOf | Rankin, Jeannette, 1880-1973. Papers, 1961-1971 (inclusive). | Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America | |
| creatorOf | Rankin, Jeannette. Collection, 1917-1968, 1917-1929. | Swarthmore College, Peace Collection, SCPC | |
| referencedIn | Rainey, Glenn W. (Glenn Weddington), 1907-1988,. Glen Rainey oral history interview, 1977 Nov. 8. | Georgia State University | |
| referencedIn | Suffragists Oral History Collection MS 421., 1959-1977 | Sophia Smith Collection | |
| referencedIn | Women in the Making of America: Women in Politics and Government | National Archives at College Park | |
| referencedIn | Hicks, Mildred, 1880-1961. Mildred and Mary Hicks papers, 1917-1945. | Emory University. Special Collections and Archives | |
| creatorOf | Clapp, Moses E. (Moses Edwin), 1851-1929. Moses E. Clapp papers, 1873-1929. | Minnesota Historical Society, Division of Archives and Manuscripts | |
| referencedIn | Monterey Public Library. California History Room. Biography clippings : "R" [surname] folder 1899-2001. | Monterey Public Library | |
| creatorOf | Bancroft Library. Regional Oral History Office Oral History Interviews, 1959-1979, (bulk 1969-1975) | Library of Congress. Manuscript Division | |
| referencedIn | Levy, Edward G. and Hortense R. Collection, 1829-1972 | Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America | |
| creatorOf | Cady, Alonzo D., ca. 1823-1917. Cady and Randolph family papers, 1844-1943. | Minnesota Historical Society Library | |
| referencedIn | Papers, 1928-1996 | Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America | |
| creatorOf | Jeanette Rankin Papers, 1916-1919 | Montana Historical Society Archives | |
| referencedIn | Election Records from the 65th Congress | Center for Legislative Archives | |
| referencedIn | Davies, Diana, 1938-. Papers 1960-1996 (ongoing). | Smith College, Neilson Library | |
| referencedIn | Maud Wood Park papers, 1844-1979 (bulk 1886-1951) | Library of Congress. Manuscript Division | |
| creatorOf | Hannah Clothier Hull Papers | Swarthmore College, Peace Collection, SCPC | |
| referencedIn | Laidlaw, Harriet Burton, 1873-1949. Papers, 1851-1958 | Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America | |
| creatorOf | Rankin, Jeannette, 1880-1973. Letters, 1917. | Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America | |
| referencedIn | Jeannette Rankin Document Exhibit - September 21, 1994 | National Archives at College Park | |
| referencedIn | Terrell, Mary Church, 1863-1954. Mary Church Terrell papers, 1851-1962 (inclusive), 1886-1954 (bulk) [microform]. | Yale University Library | |
| referencedIn | Papers, ca.1905-1989 | Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America | |
| referencedIn | Foley, Margaret, 1875-1957. Papers, 1847-1968 (bulk: 1909-1929) | Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America | |
| creatorOf | Dickerman, Judson C., 1873-1967. Papers of Judson C. Dickerman [manuscript], 1924-1945. | University of Virginia. Library |
Bibliographic and Digital Archival Resources
| Role | Title | Holding Repository | |
|---|---|---|---|
| referencedIn | [STOCK NEWSREEL EXCERPTS] | National Archives at College Park | |
| referencedIn | Resolution Adopted by Suffragetts of Fifth Congressional District of Michigan, Favoring Rankin Bill for Investigation Concerning Treatment of Suffragetts at Occoquan | Center for Legislative Archives | |
| referencedIn | [STOCK NEWSREEL EXCERPTS] | National Archives at College Park |
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Birth 1880-06-11
Death 1973-05-18
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