Jeannette Rankin

Jeannette Rankin – Life, Career, and Famous Quotes

Jeannette Rankin (1880–1973) was the first woman elected to the U.S. Congress. A suffragist and lifelong pacifist, she cast the only votes against U.S. entry into both World Wars. Explore her biography, achievements, and enduring legacy.

Introduction

Jeannette Pickering Rankin occupies a singular place in American history: she was the first woman to hold federal office in the United States, elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1916.

Beyond the milestone of her election, Rankin is remembered for her steadfast advocacy for women’s suffrage, her commitment to peace and pacifism, and her moral courage in voting against U.S. entry into both World War I and World War II—standing nearly alone in her convictions.

This article traces Rankin’s life, political career, beliefs, notable actions, quotes, and lessons from a life lived at the intersection of principle and politics.

Early Life and Family

Jeannette Rankin was born on June 11, 1880, on her family’s ranch near Missoula in the Montana Territory (before Montana became a state).

She was the eldest of six (or seven, by some accounts) children of Olive (née Pickering), a schoolteacher, and John Rankin, a rancher and businessman who had emigrated from Canada.

Growing up on the frontier, Rankin worked alongside men in ranch tasks—operating machinery, maintaining property, and helping care for her siblings. She later reflected that in rural life, women labored side by side with men but lacked the same political voice.

Rankin completed her primary and secondary schooling locally, graduating from high school in 1898.

Education & Early Career

In 1902, Rankin earned a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from the University of Montana in Missoula.

After her undergraduate work, she pursued studies at the New York School of Philanthropy (later part of Columbia University) in 1908–1909, which prepared her for work in social reform and social work.

She worked briefly as a social worker in Spokane, Washington, and later in Seattle, engaging with issues of poverty, women’s welfare, and reform.

During this period, Rankin became active in the suffrage movement, traveling, organizing, and lobbying for women’s voting rights in Washington, California, and Montana.

By 1914, she had become legislative secretary of the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA), and she led the successful push to grant women full suffrage in Montana that same year.

Political Career & Congressional Service

First Term in Congress (1917–1919)

In 1916, Rankin ran for one of Montana’s two at-large seats in the U.S. House of Representatives. With support from her brother Wellington and grassroots suffrage networks, she campaigned across the vast state—speaking at train stations, schools, county gatherings, and remote rural areas.

She won the election and took office on March 4, 1917, becoming the first woman in U.S. Congress.

That same day, President Woodrow Wilson asked Congress to approve entry into World War I. Rankin, committed to pacifism, voted against declaring war. She was one of only 50 House members to dissent.

Her position was controversial: some suffragists distanced themselves from her; many critics labeled her vote unpatriotic. Yet she held firm to her principles.

In office, she also championed labor protections, better working conditions, and reform in federal agencies (for example, pushing for an eight-hour day in the Bureau of Engraving and Printing).

She did not seek reelection to the House in 1918, instead running (unsuccessfully) for the U.S. Senate—first in the Republican primary, then on an independent ticket.

Between Terms: Peace and Activism

After her first congressional term, Rankin continued her activism. She worked with the National Consumers League, lobbied for women’s rights, child labor reforms, and social welfare legislation such as the Sheppard–Towner Act.

In 1920, she was a founding figure of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and served as a vice president.

She relocated to Georgia in 1924, established a modest farm, lived simply (initially without electricity or plumbing), and remained active in peace organizations and Women's International League for Peace and Freedom.

Throughout the 1930s, Rankin opposed U.S. involvement in conflicts overseas and testified against preparedness bills, asserting that disarmament and diplomacy should be prioritized.

Second Term in Congress (1941–1943)

In 1940, at age 60, Rankin made a political comeback and won election to the House again, defeating incumbent Jacob Thorkelson.

On December 8, 1941—following the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor—Rankin was the only member of Congress to vote against declaring war on Japan.

She faced intense backlash. Some members urged her to change or abstain; others heckled or ignored her. She is quoted as saying, “As a woman I can’t go to war, and I refuse to send anyone else.”

That vote effectively ended her prospects for further political office. She did not run again in 1942.

Afterward, she resumed ranching, lecturing, and peace advocacy.

Later Life & Death

In her later years, Rankin remained a voice for peace and justice, especially during the Vietnam War era. In January 1968, she led the Jeannette Rankin Brigade, a women’s antiwar march in Washington, D.C., involving thousands of participants.

Even late in life, she spoke publicly against militarism and urged disarmament.

Rankin died on May 18, 1973, in Carmel, California, at age 92.

She bequeathed her estate to help unemployed women.

The Jeannette Rankin Women’s Scholarship Fund (originally the Jeannette Rankin Foundation) continues to award scholarships to low-income women aged 35 and older.

A statue of Rankin, inscribed “I Cannot Vote For War,” stands in the U.S. Capitol’s Statuary Hall (a replica is in Montana’s capitol).

Legacy & Historical Impact

• Pioneering representation: Rankin broke a major gender barrier with her election to Congress, setting a precedent for women’s political participation.

• Suffrage activism: Her work at both state and national levels contributed to greater enfranchisement of women in Montana and beyond.

• Pacifist consistency: Rankin remains unique in U.S. congressional history for voting against entry into both World Wars.

• Moral courage: Her willingness to vote against overwhelming consensus—despite knowing the political cost—underscores her integrity.

• Enduring inspiration: Her life has inspired plays, musicals (e.g., We Won’t Sleep), and scholarships aimed at women’s leadership and peace.

• Complexity in legacy: While celebrated, some critiques point to tensions: her essentialist views about women’s unique role, or how being “the only woman” in Congress both burdened and isolated her.

Notable Quotes

While Rankin is not widely remembered for pithy maxims, several statements encapsulate her beliefs:

• “I may be the first woman member of Congress, but I won’t be the last.” — upon her election in 1916.

• During her 1941 vote on war: “As a woman I can’t go to war, and I refuse to send anyone else.”

• In reflecting late in life, when asked whether she would change anything: she said she would live her life the same—but “this time I’d be nastier.”

These lines reveal how she anchored her moral decisions both in gendered identity and in a deeper conviction about peace and representation.

Lessons from Jeannette Rankin

1. Principle over popularity.
   Rankin repeatedly chose to stand by her convictions—even when they were deeply unpopular. Her two dissenting war votes illustrate courage anchored in principle.

2. Representation matters—but it carries burden.
   As the first and for a time the only woman in Congress, Rankin bore disproportionate scrutiny. Her experience shows that breaking barriers also comes with unique pressures.

3. Activism beyond office.
   Losing or leaving political office didn’t silence Rankin. She continued organizing, speaking, and pushing for reform throughout her life.

4. Moral dissent has costs—but echoes.
   Her votes and public posture cost her politically, but cemented her legacy as a moral exemplar. Sometimes doing the unpopular thing builds a lasting legacy.

5. Legacy can empower future generations.
   Through scholarships, commemorative works, and the symbolic power of her life, Rankin continues to inspire women in politics and peace work.

Conclusion

Jeannette Rankin was not just a “first woman in Congress” — she was a political pioneer whose life blended suffrage advocacy, uncompromising pacifism, and moral integrity. Her dual terms coincided with two of the most tumultuous moments in 20th-century history, and in both, she cast solitary votes for peace.

Her story underscores the difficult trade-offs of leadership, especially for those who choose to dissent. Yet her legacy endures—in institutions she helped influence, in the scholarships given in her name, in the statues and art honoring her, and in the example she set for those who follow.