 Jeannette Rankin Papers
Collection DescriptionBiographical/Historical noteJeannette Rankin was the first woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives and was a notable activist for peace and women's suffrage. She served two non-consecutive terms in Congress (1917-1919 and 1941-1943), where she voted against United States entry into World War I and later became the only member of Congress to oppose entry into World War II. During her first term, she was also instrumental in passing the Nineteenth Amendment, granting all American women the right to vote, in the House of Representatives. Rankin was instrumental in humanitarian causes throughout her life, including women's suffrage and women's rights, working at Hull House for Jane Addams, and lobbied Congress for various pacifist organizations and worked for child labor laws. She helped form the Georgia Peace Society in 1935 with Lucy Stanton and 35 others. From 1943 to 1958, Rankin traveled extensively, studying the political and social systems of the countries she visited. Rankin played a growing role in the social movements of the 1960s and frequently spoke to classes and other groups at the University of Georgia. Beginning in 1968 and throughout the rest of her life Jeannette Rankin was a forceful, vigorous, and outspoken opponent of the Vietnam War and organized several protests against it that gained national attention. Jeannette Rankin was born June 11, 1880 in Missoula, Montana and received her education at the University of Montana, Columbia University, and the University of Washington. In 1925 she purchased land near Watkinsville, Georgia where she built a house to serve as a base for her work in the eastern part of the country. She died in Carmel, California on May 23, 1973. Scope and ContentThe Jeannette Rankin Papers document the political and activist career of Jeannette Rankin, the first woman elected to the U.S. Congress, who was known for her work for women's suffrage and pacifism. The papers include correspondence, her writings, articles and papers written about her, and subject files. Significant subjects include her opposition to World War I, World War II, and the Vietnam War, and her support for abolishing the electoral college in favor of electing the President of the United States through popular vote. Organization and ArrangementOrganized into four series: I. Correspondence, II. Writings, III. Biographical, IV. Subject Files. Administrative InformationPreferred CitationJeannette Rankin Papers, Richard B. Russell Library for Political Research and Studies, University of Georgia Libraries, Athens, Georgia, 30602-1641. Copyright InformationBefore material from collections at the Richard B. Russell Library may be quoted in print, or otherwise reproduced, in whole or in part, in any publication, permission must be obtained from (1) the owner of the physical property, and (2) the holder of the copyright. It is the particular responsibility of the researcher to obtain both sets of permissions. Persons wishing to quote from materials in the Russell Library collection should consult the Director. Reproduction of any item must contain a complete citation to the original. Library acts as "fair use" reproduction agent. Finding Aid PublicationFinding aid prepared on: 2009 October 16. Related Materials and SubjectsSubject Terms | ||||||||||||||||||||||