Lynn Nancy Rivers (born December 19, 1956) is an American

politician A politician is a person active in party politics, or a person holding or seeking an elected office in government. Politicians propose, support, reject and create laws that govern the land and by an extension of its people. Broadly speaking, a ...

and lawyer from

Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...

. She served four terms in the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the Lower house, lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States Senate, Senate being ...

from 1995 to 2003.

Early life and education

Rivers was born in

Au Gres, Michigan Au Gres ( ) is a city in Arenac County in the U.S. state of Michigan. The population was 945 at the 2020 census. History French explorers named the location Point Au Gres, which stuck on map as late as 1828. Au Gres means "gritty stone" in the a ...

, and graduated from Au Gres-Sims High School,

Arenac County Arenac County ( ) is a County (United States), county located in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 United States Census, 2020 Census, the population was 15,002. The county seat is Standish, Michigan, Standish. History Arenac County was ...

, in 1975. She was married the day after graduation, and had 2 children by age 21. She received a B.A. in biological anthropology from the

University of Michigan , mottoeng = "Arts, Knowledge, Truth" , former_names = Catholepistemiad, or University of Michigania (1817–1821) , budget = $10.3 billion (2021) , endowment = $17 billion (2021)As o ...

in 1987 and a J.D. from

Wayne State University Wayne State University (WSU) is a public research university in Detroit, Michigan. It is Michigan's third-largest university. Founded in 1868, Wayne State consists of 13 schools and colleges offering approximately 350 programs to nearly 25,000 ...

in 1992.

Career

She served as a trustee of the

Ann Arbor Anne, alternatively spelled Ann, is a form of the Latin female given name Anna (name), Anna. This in turn is a representation of the Hebrew Hannah (given name), Hannah, which means 'favour' or 'grace'. Related names include Annie (given name), ...

board of education A board of education, school committee or school board is the board of directors or board of trustees of a school, local school district or an equivalent institution. The elected council determines the educational policy in a small regional are ...

from 1984 to 1992. She was a member of the Michigan State House of Representatives between 1993 and 1994. Rivers was elected as 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 ...

from Michigan's 13th District to the

for the 104th and to the three succeeding Congresses, serving from January 3, 1995, to January 3, 2003. After Michigan lost a district in the United States 2000 Census reapportionment, much of her district was merged into a redrawn 15th District together with long-time incumbent John Dingell. Rivers challenged Dingell in the Democratic primary for the new 15th. However, running in a district that was over 65 percent new to her, she lost to Dingell by 18 points. Immediately after leaving Congress, she taught Political Science at the

and at

Washtenaw Community College Washtenaw Community College (WCC) is a public community college in Ann Arbor Charter Township, Michigan.bipolar disorder Bipolar disorder, previously known as manic depression, is a mental disorder characterized by periods of depression and periods of abnormally elevated mood that last from days to weeks each. If the elevated mood is severe or associated with ...

. She was about 21 when she was diagnosed. While in Congress she spoke about her condition on the House floor, making her the first openly bipolar member of Congress. In 1998, the National Mental Health Association (NMHA) named her "Legislator of the Year."

References

External links

Rep. Lynn Rivers
at GovTrack * {{DEFAULTSORT:Rivers, Lynn 1956 births Living people American women lawyers Politicians from Ann Arbor, Michigan University of Michigan alumni University of Michigan faculty Wayne State University Law School alumni People with bipolar disorder Female members of the United States House of Representatives Women in Michigan politics Democratic Party members of the Michigan House of Representatives Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Michigan Women state legislators in Michigan School board members in Michigan 20th-century American politicians 20th-century American women politicians 21st-century American politicians 21st-century American women politicians People from Arenac County, Michigan

Early life and education

Career

See also

References

External links