Leonor Kretzer Sullivan
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Leonor Kretzer Sullivan (August 21, 1902 – September 1, 1988) was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Missouri. She was a
Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (United States) (D) **Democratic ...
and the first woman in Congress from Missouri.


Biography

Born Leonor Kretzer in St. Louis, Missouri, three of her grandparents were
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ger ...
immigrants. Sullivan attended Washington University in St. Louis and was a teacher and director at St. Louis Comptometer school. She was married to
John B. Sullivan John Berchmans Sullivan (born Sedalia, Missouri October 10, 1897 – died Bethesda, Maryland January 29, 1951) was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Missouri. He was a Democrat. He was married to Leonor Kretzer Sulli ...
, who served four terms in Congress, and she served as his administrative aide. Following her husband's death in 1951, she served as an aide to Congressman
Leonard Irving Theodore Leonard Irving (March 24, 1898 – March 8, 1962) was a U.S. Representative from Missouri. Born in St. Paul, Ramsey County, Minnesota, Irving moved with his parents to a farm in North Dakota. He attended the public schools of North Dak ...
until she left to run for Congress herself in 1952. She was re-elected eleven times. In Congress, she served for many years as Secretary of the House Democratic Caucus. Sullivan helped create the food stamp program, which was opposed by Agriculture Secretary Ezra Taft Benson and became law in the 1960s during the Kennedy and Johnson administrations. Sullivan did not sign the 1956
Southern Manifesto The Declaration of Constitutional Principles (known informally as the Southern Manifesto) was a document written in February and March 1956, during the 84th United States Congress, in opposition to racial integration of public places. The manife ...
, and voted in favor of the Civil Rights Acts of 1957,
1960 It is also known as the "Year of Africa" because of major events—particularly the independence of seventeen African nations—that focused global attention on the continent and intensified feelings of Pan-Africanism. Events January * Ja ...
,
1964 Events January * January 1 – The Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland is dissolved. * January 5 - In the first meeting between leaders of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox churches since the fifteenth century, Pope Paul VI and Patriarch ...
, and
1968 The year was highlighted by protests and other unrests that occurred worldwide. Events January–February * January 5 – "Prague Spring": Alexander Dubček is chosen as leader of the Communist Party of Czechoslovakia. * Januar ...
, as well as the 24th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and the
Voting Rights Act of 1965 The Voting Rights Act of 1965 is a landmark piece of federal legislation in the United States that prohibits racial discrimination in voting. It was signed into law by President Lyndon B. Johnson during the height of the civil rights movement ...
. Sullivan was one of very few members of Congress, and the only woman member of Congress, to vote against the
Equal Rights Amendment The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) is a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution designed to guarantee equal legal rights for all American citizens regardless of sex. Proponents assert it would end legal distinctions between men and ...
for women in the early 1970s. She did not seek re-election in 1976, and was succeeded by
Dick Gephardt Richard Andrew Gephardt (; born January 31, 1941) is an American attorney, lobbyist, and politician who served as a United States House of Representatives, United States Representative from Missouri from 1977 to 2005. A member of the Democratic ...
. In 1979, the
Supersisters ''Supersisters'' was a set of 72 trading cards produced and distributed in the United States in 1979 by Supersisters, Inc. They featured famous women from politics, media and entertainment, culture, sports, and other areas of achievement. The ca ...
trading card set was produced and distributed; one of the cards featured Sullivan's name and picture. The former Wharf Street in front of the Gateway Arch in Downtown St. Louis was renamed Leonor K. Sullivan Boulevard in her honor.


Quotes

"A woman with a woman's viewpoint is of more value when she forgets she's a woman and begins to act like a man."


See also

* Women in the United States House of Representatives


References


External links

* * , - , - , - , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Sullivan, Leonor 1902 births 1988 deaths 20th-century American politicians 20th-century American women politicians American people of German descent Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Missouri Female members of the United States House of Representatives Politicians from St. Louis Washington University in St. Louis alumni Women in Missouri politics