Jeannette Rankin: podcast appearances and interviews

Jeannette Pickering Rankin was an American politician and women's rights advocate who made significant contributions to both civil rights and pacifism. She was the first woman to hold federal office in the United States, serving as a Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Montana. Elected in 1916 for one term, she was later re-elected in 1940. Rankin remains the only woman ever elected to Congress from Montana. Throughout her terms, she demonstrated a consistent commitment to pacifism and civil liberties, often opposing military interventions. She was one of 50 House members who opposed the declaration of war on Germany in 1917 and was the sole member of Congress to vote against the declaration of war on Japan following the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941. She also abstained from the declaration of war on Hungary, Romania, and Bulgaria in 1942. As a suffragist during the Progressive Era, Rankin organized and lobbied for legislation that enfranchised women in several states, including Montana, New York, and North Dakota. Her efforts contributed to the passage of the 19th Amendment, which granted women nationwide the right to vote. Over a career that spanned more than six decades, she championed numerous women’s rights and civil rights causes. Additionally, she was a founding member of the American Civil Liberties Union and served as a vice president of the organization.