The first major biography of Jeannette Rankin, a groundbreaking suffragist, activist, and the first American woman to hold federal office.
"Few members of Congress have ever stood more alone while being true to a higher honor and loyalty."
-President John F. Kennedy on Jeannette Rankin
Born on a Montana ranch in 1880, Jeannette Rankin knew how to drive a tractor, ride a horse, make a fire, and read the sky for weather. But most of all, she knew how to talk to people, how to convince them of her vision for America. It was this rare skill that led her, in 1916, to become the first woman ever elected to the House of Representatives.
As her first act, Rankin introduced the legislation that would become the 19th Amendment. Throughout her two terms in 1916 and 1940, she continued to introduce and pass legislation benefitting unions, protecting workers, and increasing aid for children in poverty. In 1941, she stood tall as the sole anti-war voice in Congress during WWII, advocating for pacifism in the face of tragedy and stating that you can no more win a war than you can win an earthquake.
A suffragist, feminist, peace activist, workers' rights advocate, progressive, and Republican, Rankin remained ever true to her beliefs-no matter the price she had to pay personally. Yet, despite the momentous steps she made for women in politics, overcoming the boys club of capitalists and career politicians who never wanted to see a woman in Congress, Jeannette Rankin's story has been largely forgotten. In Winning the Earthquake, Lorissa Rinehart deftly uncovers the compelling history behind this singular American hero, bringing her story back to life. Cultural critic and historian LORISSA RINEHART writes about art, war, politics, and the places where these discourses intersect. Her writing has recently appeared in Hyperallergic, Perfect Strangers, and Narratively, among other publications. She holds an MA from NYU in Experimental Humanities and a BA in Literature from UC Santa Cruz.
Praise for Lorissa Rinehart and First to the Front:
"An extraordinary story....Reads like a Hollywood movie." -The Wall Street Journal
"Jam-packed with colorful details and incisive character sketches, this is a vivid reappraisal of a pioneering journalist." -Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Unforgettable....A valuable, long-overdue tribute to an American woman whose work and commitment to human rights is more relevant than ever." -BookPage (starred review)
"Compelling and detailed...a thrilling adventure story." -Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
"Remarkable." -The Christian Science Monitor
"Thanks to Lorissa Rinehart's detailed and heartfelt biography, we now know about the fascinating life of the photojournalist known as Dickey Chapelle....Readers will be pulled into this book and won't want to be let go."
-Tom Clavin, New York Times bestselling author of Lightning Down
