Up next, we take you inside the u. S. Capital south where historical math and we knew ski is artifacts and photographs to trace the history of women in congress. This is the first of the two par program. The story of women in Program Begins with Jeannette Rankin who was elected to the house and 1916 from montana. Shes elected to the house for wears before women have the right to vote nationally. In a way, shes really a bridge from the Suffrage Movement to women attaining full prep political rights. She was active in a National Woman suffrage organization. She helped get women the right to vote not only montana but a couple of states west of the mississippi. She runs in 1916, shes elected to one of montanas two large districts. Part of a platform that shes a pacifist. She sworn into the house on april 2nd, 1917 and the house has come into special session. An extraordinary session because the president that light, Woodrow Wilson delivers a message to Congress Asking for a declaration of war against germany. Its the u. S. Entry into world war i. Rankin, when that vote is held, as one of a group of about 50 members votes against u. S. Intervention in world war i. She served determine the house, she was on the woman suffrage committee, she was on the Public Lands Committee which was an important assignment for a woman from montana with so much of the lands being held by the federal government so that was an important position. She serves only one term in the house and she tries tries to run for senate in montana. She doesnt get the republican nomination which he runs as an independent. Its an uphill battle, she gets about a fifth of the votes and then she goes back to private life. She gets involved in womens rights issues, shes a driving force behind maternity and infancy act which the house eventually passes in 1921. Shes also involved in International Peace organizations. Fast forward to 1940, she runs for congress again and she runs on a platform to keep the u. S. Out of the war in europe. She is faced on december 8th, 1941 with a tremendous vote. This is the day after pearl harbor. Fdrs kind of the house chamber, addresses a joint session of congress. Yesterday, december 7th, 1941 a date which will live in infamy. The senate goes back to its chamber and very quickly unanimously passes a war resolution and the house begins debating. The house members know the Jeannette Rankin is a pacifist and she is going to vote her conscience. We have some oral histories of people were in the chamber who recall members going up to reckon and asking her to visit present and not vote no. But she voter conscious she votes are conscious and shes the lone nay vote. That effectively ended her political career. She goes back in the private life but she is a force in the Anti War Movement really for another couple of decades. But a remarkable career. In 2004, we commissioned a new portrait of Jeannette Rankin. She was a person who is so important in the history in expansion of rights of representation of congress. When we commission, it we wanted to show what it was like to come into congress is the first woman when women dont even have the right to vote nationally. Because it was the 20th century, it was 1916 1917 when she was elected and enter congress, theres a lot of newspaper coverage of it. Because shes a woman, because its a novelty, theres a lot of coverage of what she is wearing. So we know what she was wearing and the portrait itself shows are in that navy blue dress. We know she was wearing a big hat. We know what exactly what the Washington Post said that morning. A portrait has her in those clothes holding the Washington Post. One of the things thats most interesting is that shes wearing the hat shes placed in that portrait just inside the chamber doors. If we were to enter into that space with her, she just turn to our right and enter the chamber at which point she would take off her hat. Hats were not worn in the Chamber Chamber even though there was much discussion is because she was a woman should she wear hat which is formal attire. But is she not a woman about a number of conversations she not were . So turns out shes a woman of congress more than her gender so she takes it off. All those things we want to put in a portrait as well as a real sense of the fact that she was in the house but much more a creature of her other interests, pacifism, suffrage, all of the issues that were important to her. It was a somewhat lonely spot to be and to be the only woman. And to be taking a stand of conscious support are very much at odds with other. People do not rank and was really something of an out wire for this first generation of women in congress. She comes from an act of the suffragists background. If you look at the first two decades of women who are elected and is roughly about 20 women who were elected to congress from rankin into the 1930s, a good number of these people dont have political backgrounds. They havent held elective office. Instead, a large number of them are windows. Windows who succeeded their late husbands in congress. Later political scientists would describe this as the windows mandate. The route for a lot of were early woman into congress. And this persistent in the 19 sixties even into the late 1970s. A lot of women follow their husbands, or maybe that a prominent political father. They followed him into congress. There was really a real kind of familial connection but that was not rankins experience. It was for this woman here who we are looking at in this picture this picture of edith Norris Rogers. Rodgers was a widow, she was from massachusetts and represented a district from northern massachusetts. She succeeded her husband john rogers who was a high Ranking Member of the Foreign Affairs committee. The ranking republican. She actually had a lot of experience helping him with administering the committee and administering his personal office. And so she knew what is legislative agenda was. She kind of knew the rhythm is in the contours of life here on capitol hill. One of the things that happens when a Senior Member passes away like that, the house has to have a special election. Nobody can be appointed to the house. Depending on state laws, that election has to happen in a fairly short amount of time. So what would happen is that local Party Leaders would often turn to the widow and say would you run for the partial term because you have name recognition. Rogers is going to be on the ballot. The expectation was that the wife would serve out this term and then she would retire and the Party Leaders would find a suitable male candidate to succeed or. Well, rogers had different ideas. She actually ends up staying in the house for 35 years. She is still the longest serving woman in the house. And she was for a very long time the longest serving woman in congress. She was recently surpassed by Barbara Murkowski of maryland of this bill senate and have service. Not only had longevity but she was very influential in veterans affairs. Prior to her experience in the house, she also had volunteered for the red cross, should become the and advocate for service after returning from world war i. When republicans in the 1940s briefly regain the majority in congress, she becomes one of the very first women to chair a major congressional committee. She chairs the Congressional Affairs committee. In the 82nd and the 83rd congress. What a flipflop between republican and democrats. Shes a republican. Her experience in this one she is having a radio debate with mary norton of new jersey. This is a 1926. These two become in many respects the jeans of women in congress for many decades. Mary norton as a democrat she came up through politics in jersey city, new jersey. Her mentor was frank i am the law hague who was a machine politician. He promoted her career and she comes in the house 1925 the same year as edith Norris Rogers. The interesting thing about her is that she, like rogers and other women from this early generation really perceive a strategy of gaining power in the house by assimilating. They didnt push womens issues per se. They really try to minimize gender differences. Norton was extremely successful moving up the Committee Leadership ladder. She chaired four congressional committees by the time she retired from the house in the early 19 fifties. One of them was the Labor Committee during the new deal which was a major committee. Her signal piece of legislation was the fair labor standards act of 1938 which set a 40 hour work week, outlawed shied labor, sediment minimum wage. She later said that was that her crowning moment of her house experience. And proud of getting that bill through the house more than anything ive ever done. She was a no nonsense legislator. Very early on in her career, maybe even even the year that this photo was snapped, she was in the house floor and a bill is being debated a male member turner and said, i yield to the gentlelady from new jersey. She cut him off and she said im no lady, on a member of congress and im going to proceed on that basis. And she did. Her career was a marvelous example of moving up through the ranks, through seniority. One of my favorite things about edith Norris Rogers is how she used her public persona she begins right from the getgo. This is early 1926 when she debates mary norton. Its a radio debate but clearly they know theyre going to be photographed and its going to be a big deal. So mary norton is wearing her fantastic for santa claus coat and edith Norris Rogers is wearing windows with. She sort of wearing this black veil because shes still officially morning her husband. Its politically very savvy on her part, she was always very good at that. This is a leaflet from her first general election. In here she says over and over again things like, always on the job, reelected as rogers, inside says some wonderful stuff. Knows the ropes, gives prompt decision service. She talks a lot about what shes done for veterans and shes not above saying that she still a widow. Shes very wise in the ways of doing this and a little later after shes been reelected a few times, she often is photographed doing things that will be visually interesting and also very much related to the issues that are important to our. Here she and other members of congress are testing out a really weird lawnmower looking tank. Its right outside the capital. She often would do that. She was called the most air minded female of congress. She would also often fly back and forth in open airplanes. She said she found a very convenient and she enjoyed it. Their photographs of her with aviator cap and goggles headed off into the sky. She did some wonderful, wonderful things. She also was very much in a simulation is in the way that first generation of women and congress were. Heres a thought of some of the early woman of congress at this start of the 71st congress. Theyre very businesslike in their attire. Wearing furs and they have some flowers. This represents not all of the women in congress but lots of them. You can see nonetheless they are being photographed and being treated by the process as an entity. How thats gonna get the played out would change over the next couple of decades as people try to figure out what are we talk about when we talk about women in congress . This is an interesting photo because it points out can go out and see how women were elected to congress. The front row farleft is pearl old field who had succeeded her husband. He was a Senior Member who passed away. And edith north rodgers, and ruth pratte who was elected in her own right, not with any kind of familial connection. She recommended is silk stockings extract in new york city. Then on the far side here is ruth Hanna Mccormack of illinois. Her father was marcus hannah, who was the republican kingmaker in the early part of the 20th century. Constantly butted heads with willing William Jennings brian because William Jennings brian his daughter Ruth Brian Owen is on this side of the picture. We actually have a press account when these two roofs were sworn in in 1929 that they came down the center aisle together arm in arm and wilder members of the press because here are two daughters of avowed political animus. If we go back into the picture, just to finish out, this is mary norton of new jersey and then this woman here is another one of the interesting characters from this time period. Florence khan of california who represented a large portion of San Francisco. Shes another widow who followed her husband to congress. Her husband julius was the chairman of the military Affairs Committee and like edith Norris Rogers she was another woman who was very involved in her husbands political career. So when he passed away, she was asked to run for the special election and she decided she was going to stay on. She stayed on for more than a decade. Shes the first jewish woman either elected to congress. So also the first woman to be appointed to the priest as prestigious airport appropriations committee. Shes responsible for staring a lot of funds into the bay area to develop things like the bay bridge connecting San Francisco and oakland. Also the alam media air station. She sat in the military Affairs Committee panels. We have a portrait of her in the collection. We do. We have a wonderful portrait ever. She standing in her district. Near where she lived in parkland. And that view is of the golden gate bridge. Theres a little bitty in the painting but enormous in real life ship coming through there that was part of the naval station that was there. Theres a lot in their. One of the things its most interesting about her i havent mention anything about her finger. Its all about her figure excuse me. Your figure is dark, its accurate. That is exactly how she dressed how she presented herself. She had kind of this grandmotherly matronly look but she was so good with the press. She had one line quips, there was no one who is better. A reporter once asked her how you had so much legislative success getting on these committees getting legislation passed . Without missing a beat she said sex appeal. When she first came into the house, leadership didnt want to put around the committees that her husband was on. She did not get the military Affairs Committee assignment right away, instead she was put on the indian Affairs Committee. Now she represented San Francisco, she went on told a press. She told the process the only indian she has it or in front of cigar shops. Very shortly they came around and put onto to media simon said they wanted. One of the artifacts we have related to her is this one. Its a letter from Jay Edgar Hoover to congresswoman call on and importance of this not what hes writing. Its written dear mother cotton. Its an odd phrasing for Jay Edgar Hoover she was doing very much as the mother of the fbi so thats often how he referred to her j. Edgar hoover fascinating piece of lobbying playing up that affiliation i j. Edgar hoover. By the time we get to the late 1930s, early 1940s were beginning to see a Different Group from that Pioneer Group of women coming to congress. World war ii kind of reshapes the role of women in society generally. Women hold a lot of jobs that men previously held as men go off to fight in the service. Women who come into congress during that era begin to advocate more of a role for women outside the home. Mary norton was one of them. She was constantly urging women to be involved in politics, to be involved outside the home even when the war ended. She fear that that my contract again and women will be forced back into had been domesticated role. One of the prominent people who serves in the 1940s is helen douglas. We have a picture of her here for that time period. Douglas was well known to constituents. She represented a district that incompetence part of los angeles, california. But she was known nationally. She was a star of the stage. She was married to melbourne douglas, the actor. She became involved in california politics and was a progressive and began to speak a lot on behalf of Democratic Candidates. She won election in the house for a couple of terms in the 1940s. She wasnt really a legislator per se, she wasnt introducing a lot of bills. She wasnt what we would call a legislative entrepreneur. But she was a spokesman for progressive issues. So she would often come out of the floor and talk about improving housing, African American civil rights. So she was known as a great speech maker. So heres a Campaign Poster which advertises a speaking engagement to douglas made in 1948. It happens in oakland which is far from her district so you get the sense that she was on the speaking circuit a lot speaking for Democratic Candidates and democratic issues. Serves a couple of terms in the house and in the early 19 fifties she decides to run for the u. S. Senate. She goes through the primary, the democratic primary, and one of the candidates she ran address tartar as being a sympathizer, a red sympathizer which was a very potent attack in the 19 fifties, the era of mccarthy. But she wins that nomination and in the general election runs against Richard Nixon who uses a lot of the same tactics that have been awe against her in the primary. He accuses her of being pink right down to her underwear. She returned fire because in one campaign speech, she labeled nixon as tricky dick which is the name that stuck with him for his rest of his political career. That Campaign Tactic kind of tying her to the red scare communism sympathies was potent because nixon won in a landslide. She leads politics after that. This is a 1941 magazine cornet which has not survived into the 21st century. Thats a magazine aimed at women. There is a woman posing in a wedding dress, or something called for life. Rollicking expose of bachelor days and nights. But inside theres a women on theres an article on women in congress. This is sort of a great example of how the press didnt really know where to have caught women in congress. These women ares and all cases all business. Lots of the women that we know from service all these folks are here, and they are very businesslike. But often it just described as fabulously wealthy, or five foot three, or tiny brunette. Things like that that are really sort of placing them in a tricky position for them to figure out. In this transitional generation, this is 1941, its going to continue to be a little bit complicated to figure out. Once the war ends, its gonna get a little more complicated. And its kind of an interesting contrast here. Shes taking care of business, but over here we have met Margaret Chase smith. She has a wonderful fascinating career. This is a visitor, pass a gallery passed signed by march a smith 1941. Gallery passes were often collected as souvenirs to trips to the capital this is prop somebody from maine visiting. Who wouldve been signed by one of the few women in congress at this time. As you mention this is a transitional period Margaret Chase smith kind of embodies that. Women in congress in the 19 forties the 19 fifties, as a group theyre really kind of serving and apprenticeship. They are slowly working away into positions of influence, and authority. Theyre serving longer careers, by the end of this period some of them are moving into leadership additions or at least further up the leadership wrong. Market chase smith, she comes in the house under widows mandate, she succeeds her husband has been clyde. He passed away 1914 years special election itself. She serves in the house for about nine years and she has a very influential career. She manages to get on the naval Affairs Committee which was a plum assignment. Prior to the reorganization of the armed forces in the late 1940s, the house had a naval Affairs Committee, a military Affairs Committee. Naval affairs if youre from maine with a big shipyards up and bat was one of the assignments that you would really look out for. It gave her really a position of influence allowed her to speak on the topic of women and military service. In 1948, shes a prime mover behind a bill that helps integrate the armed forces and give women a permanent role in the uniformed forces. She leaves the house the following year to serve in the u. S. Senate. She runs for the, senate wins election. Shes probably best known in the public mind as one of the very fews brave senators who opposed joe mccarthy and his tactics very early on. She gave a speech called a declaration of conscience in june, 1950 where she opposed his tactics. Very eloquently she did so. She goes on to serve a very long career until the early 1970s. But shes one of the women who is kind of pushing the story of women in congress. If youre interested in this, topic and learn more by going our website which is history doghouse. Gov and women in Congress Publication along with objects and artifacts that we dont have here on the table today. Its available on the site. This was the first of a two part program. You can view this and all other american artifacts programs on our website cspan. Org slash history. Youre watching American History tv. Every weekend on cspan three explore our nations past. Cspan 3. Created by americas Cable Television companies as a Public Service and brought to you today by your television provider. Weeknights this month were featuring American History tv programs as a preview of whats available every weekend on cspan three. On thursday, a look at civil war objects. Historian harold holster and Valerie Bailey chief historian at the New York Historical society held a series of online talks this summer and a artifacts featured in a joint publication a civil war in 50 objects. In the first of four of these programs, we show tonight. They discuss objects related to soldiers uniforms and accoutrements. Watch thursday beginning into eastern and enjoy American History tv this week and every weekend on cspan three. Each week American History tv is american artifacts visits museums harnessed oracle places. Next we take you to the house