Jeanette RankinJeanette RankinJeanette RankinJeanette Rankin

“You take people as far as they will go, not as far as you would like them to go.”

“You take people as far as they will go, not as far as you would like them to go.”

Early LifeEarly LifeEarly LifeEarly Life

Jeanette Rankin was one of seven children (she had five sisters and a brother). Rankin’s father and mother was John and Olive Rankin. Her father was a successful rancher and businessman from Ontario, Canada and her mother was a schoolteacher. Rankin was born in Missoula, Montana.

Jeanette Rankin was one of seven children (she had five sisters and a brother). Rankin’s father and mother was John and Olive Rankin. Her father was a successful rancher and businessman from Ontario, Canada and her mother was a schoolteacher. Rankin was born in Missoula, Montana.

1902-19031902-19031902-19031902-1903

Jeannette Rankin was encouraged by her parents to attend college. She earned a B.S. degree in biology from the University of Montana. Rankin then followed in her mother’s footsteps and became a teacher. But was short lived, she stopped after a year of teaching in a rural school, and then left a second teaching position because she failed the state certification exam. She then made a goal to leave Montana at the first opportunity.

Jeannette Rankin was encouraged by her parents to attend college. She earned a B.S. degree in biology from the University of Montana. Rankin then followed in her mother’s footsteps and became a teacher. But was short lived, she stopped after a year of teaching in a rural school, and then left a second teaching position because she failed the state certification exam. She then made a goal to leave Montana at the first opportunity.

1904190419041904

John Rankin dies of Rocky Mountain tick fever. Household responsibilities including raising her five younger sisters were turned over to Jeanette. She also became an apprentice to a milliner and studied furniture making by correspondence course.

John Rankin dies of Rocky Mountain tick fever. Household responsibilities including raising her five younger sisters were turned over to Jeanette. She also became an apprentice to a milliner and studied furniture making by correspondence course.

1908- 19091908- 19091908- 19091908- 1909

Jeanette Rankin moved to New York and completed a master’s degree program in social work at the New York School of Philanthropy. It is there that she develops her ideology. Rankin adopts a new social theory, one that says a better society could be achieved through systematic investigation and fair economic policies. She believed that parenting and all service to society could be and should be standardized. Rankin also started to speak out about what women could contribute to society as well.

Jeanette Rankin moved to New York and completed a master’s degree program in social work at the New York School of Philanthropy. It is there that she develops her ideology. Rankin adopts a new social theory, one that says a better society could be achieved through systematic investigation and fair economic policies. She believed that parenting and all service to society could be and should be standardized. Rankin also started to speak out about what women could contribute to society as well.

1909 - 19101909 - 19101909 - 19101909 - 1910

Jeanette Rankin works as a social worker in Missoula. She became frustrated with social work and volunteered with the Washington campaign for women suffrage. Rankin desired to become a more effective campaigner, so she studied economics, sociology, and public speaking at the University of Washington.

Jeanette Rankin works as a social worker in Missoula. She became frustrated with social work and volunteered with the Washington campaign for women suffrage. Rankin desired to become a more effective campaigner, so she studied economics, sociology, and public speaking at the University of Washington.

1910 - 19161910 - 19161910 - 19161910 - 1916

Works for women's suffrage. Learns how to organize at the grass roots.

Directs Montana suffrage campaign. Montana grants women the right to vote.

Becomes a member of Heterodoxy. A group interested in birth control, socialism, communism, and prohibition.

As field secretary for the National American Woman Suffrage Association, she organizes and lobbies in eleven other states, becoming one of the ‘stars” of the national suffrage movement.

Works for women's suffrage. Learns how to organize at the grass roots.

Directs Montana suffrage campaign. Montana grants women the right to vote.

Becomes a member of Heterodoxy. A group interested in birth control, socialism, communism, and prohibition.

As field secretary for the National American Woman Suffrage Association, she organizes and lobbies in eleven other states, becoming one of the ‘stars” of the national suffrage movement.

1916 - 19171916 - 19171916 - 19171916 - 1917

Runs successfully for the U.S. house of Representatives. She received 6,354 more votes than the third-place candidate. Rankin was the first woman to be elected to congress and any national legislative body.

Votes against U.S. entering WWI. Rankin believed that it was vitally important as the first woman to take a stand. She received immense pressure from woman to vote for the war in fear that a vote against it would hurt the suffrage movement.

Successful in getting working conditions improved, including instituting an eight hour day.

Runs successfully for the U.S. house of Representatives. She received 6,354 more votes than the third-place candidate. Rankin was the first woman to be elected to congress and any national legislative body.

Votes against U.S. entering WWI. Rankin believed that it was vitally important as the first woman to take a stand. She received immense pressure from woman to vote for the war in fear that a vote against it would hurt the suffrage movement.

Successful in getting working conditions improved, including instituting an eight hour day.

Jeannette Rankin makes her first speech as a member of

Congress

1918191819181918

Runs unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate.

Rankin did not have the support of the national suffrage leaders.

Runs unsuccessfully for the U.S. Senate.

Rankin did not have the support of the national suffrage leaders.

Delegation of officers of the National American Woman Suffrage Association

1919191919191919

Leaves Congress and travels as a Women’s Peace Party (WPP) delegate to the Women’s International conference for Permanent Peace.

Influenced by Jane Addams, a pacifist, strongly believing that war is ineffective in solving social problems.

Leaves Congress and travels as a Women’s Peace Party (WPP) delegate to the Women’s International conference for Permanent Peace.

Influenced by Jane Addams, a pacifist, strongly believing that war is ineffective in solving social problems.

Jane Addams

1920 - 19251920 - 19251920 - 19251920 - 1925

WPP became Women’s International League (WIL), Rankin serves on the executive board as a paid lobbyist. Their agenda included hunger relief and releasing war and political prisoners.

Leaves WIL because she was not allowed to do grass roots organizing.

19th Amendment is ratified, all U.S. women gain right to vote.

A founding member of the ACLU.

Moves to rural Georgia. Organized Georgia Peace Society.

WPP became Women’s International League (WIL), Rankin serves on the executive board as a paid lobbyist. Their agenda included hunger relief and releasing war and political prisoners.

Leaves WIL because she was not allowed to do grass roots organizing.

19th Amendment is ratified, all U.S. women gain right to vote.

A founding member of the ACLU.

Moves to rural Georgia. Organized Georgia Peace Society.

1926 - 19391926 - 19391926 - 19391926 - 1939

Continues to fight for radical policies like high taxes on war profits and pushed for an amendment to outlaw war.

Frustrated by the bureaucracy of peace organizations, Rankin returns to Montana with the intent to fight for peace as a member of Congress.

Continues to fight for radical policies like high taxes on war profits and pushed for an amendment to outlaw war.

Frustrated by the bureaucracy of peace organizations, Rankin returns to Montana with the intent to fight for peace as a member of Congress.

1940194019401940

Jeanette Rankin is elected as a Republican to the U.S. House of Representatives.

Overcame perception of being a political has-been with the help of her wealthy brother and his political connections.

Jeanette Rankin is elected as a Republican to the U.S. House of Representatives.

Overcame perception of being a political has-been with the help of her wealthy brother and his political connections.

1941 - 19431941 - 19431941 - 19431941 - 1943

Cast the single vote against the resolution to declare war on Japan.

Responses to Rankin’s vote spanned from gratitude for taking a stand, to claiming she was setting women back.

Became associated with the America First Committee, a isolationist organization. This group was known for it fascism and anti-Semitism.

Does not run for re-election because of an agreement she made and she could not get her brother to back her.

Cast the single vote against the resolution to declare war on Japan.

Responses to Rankin’s vote spanned from gratitude for taking a stand, to claiming she was setting women back.

Became associated with the America First Committee, a isolationist organization. This group was known for it fascism and anti-Semitism.

Does not run for re-election because of an agreement she made and she could not get her brother to back her.

1944 - 19671944 - 19671944 - 19671944 - 1967

Rankin, supported by her brother, travels internationally. When her brother passes away, he leaves her with a sizable bequest. Visits India to study Gandhi's peaceful protest.

Jeanette attempts to create a communal home for elderly women which failed to happen.

Rankin speaks out against the Vietnam War.

Rankin, supported by her brother, travels internationally. When her brother passes away, he leaves her with a sizable bequest. Visits India to study Gandhi's peaceful protest.

Jeanette attempts to create a communal home for elderly women which failed to happen.

Rankin speaks out against the Vietnam War.

Mahatma Gandhi

1968 - 19721968 - 19721968 - 19721968 - 1972

Leads the Jeanette Rankin Brigade war protest in Washington, D.C.

Speaks out against the Electoral College, advocating for preferential elections.

National Organization of Women (NOW) honors Rankin as “the world’s outstanding living feminist.”

Leads the Jeanette Rankin Brigade war protest in Washington, D.C.

Speaks out against the Electoral College, advocating for preferential elections.

National Organization of Women (NOW) honors Rankin as “the world’s outstanding living feminist.”

1973197319731973

Purchases a retirement condominium in Carmel, California.

Spent her last days watching the Watergate hearings on television.

Dies May 18 at age 92. Her estate is valued at $162,000 ($720,000 today).

Purchases a retirement condominium in Carmel, California.

Spent her last days watching the Watergate hearings on television.

Dies May 18 at age 92. Her estate is valued at $162,000 ($720,000 today).

LegacyLegacyLegacyLegacy

The Jeannette Rankin Foundation

Jeannette Rankin Women's Scholarship Fund raises funds and awards scholarships annually to low-income women thirty five years of age and older who are in an undergraduate or vocational training program and have a vision of how their education will benefit themselves, their families and their communities.

The Jeannette Rankin Foundation

Jeannette Rankin Women's Scholarship Fund raises funds and awards scholarships annually to low-income women thirty five years of age and older who are in an undergraduate or vocational training program and have a vision of how their education will benefit themselves, their families and their communities.

Jeanette Jeanette RankinRankin

Jeanette Jeanette RankinRankin

June 11, 1880 - May 18, 1973

June 11, 1880 - May 18, 1973