View XML QR Code

Jeanette Rankin collection, 1886-2009

Overview of the Collection

Title
Jeanette Rankin collection
Dates
1886-2009 (inclusive)
Quantity
1.0 linear feet
Collection Number
Mss 785
Summary
Jeannette Rankin was the first woman elected to Congress and served twice as Montana's United States House Representative from 1917 to 1919 and from 1941 to 1943. The Jeannette Rankin collection consists of pamphlets and form letters related to her campaigns and positions on legislative issues and some stationery. It also includes Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) files on Rankin and the Jeannette Rankin Brigade, as well as other research material gathered by James J. Lopach and Jean A. Luckowski for their book Jeannette Rankin: A Political Woman.
Repository
University of Montana, Mansfield Library, Archives and Special Collections
Archives and Special Collections
Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library
University of Montana
32 Campus Dr. #9936
59812-9936
Missoula, MT
Telephone: 406-243-2053
library.archives@umontana.edu
Access Restrictions

Researchers must use collection in accordance with the policies of Archives and Special Collections, the Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, and The University of Montana-Missoula.

Languages
English
Return to Top

Biographical Note

Jeannette Rankin was born on June 11, 1880 to John Rankin and Olive Pickering Rankin near Missoula, Montana. Jeannette Rankin graduated from the University of Montana in 1902. She was involved in women's suffrage movements in Washington State and Montana in 1910 and eventually ran for Montana's seat in the House of Representatives in 1916. Rankin won the election and became the first woman elected to the United States Congress. After her first term, Rankin ran for the Senate but lost in the Republican primary. Decades later, Rankin was again elected to the United States Congress as Montana's representative in 1940. A pacifist, Rankin voted against both Woodrow Wilson's war resolution in 1917 and Franklin Roosevelt's war resolution in 1941. Rankin's was the only vote against Roosevelt's resolution.

Return to Top

Content Description

The Jeannette Rankin collection is an 'artificial collection' of various documents and items by and about Rankin pulled together into one collection by archives staff. Series I includes a 1917 campaign letter from Jeannette Rankin addressed to "Dear Friend," a 1938 anti-war campaign button, two 1940 election campaign buttons, and a 1980 invitation to the dedication of a Jeannette Rankin statue. Series II consists of pamphlets and form letters related to Rankin's congressional campaigns and key issues she faced as a member of the House from 1917 to 1942. Specifically, there are mailings and pamphlets reflecting her views on United States involvement in World War I and World War II, as well as a bill relating to federal control of mines.

Series III, FBI Research Files, were acquired by Professor James J. Lopach during his research for the book, Jeannette Rankin : A Political Woman that he cowrote with Professor Jean A. Luckowski. The series includes two copies of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) file on Jeannette Rankin and the Jeannette Rankin Brigade from 1941 to 1968 that have slightly different content and slightly different redactions by the FBI. It also includes Lopach's correspondence with the FBI regarding the file and the Freedom of Information-Privacy Acts, these materials are dated from 2000 to 2009.

Series IV, General Research Files, are photocopies of original materials, guides, interviews, and articles acquired by Professor Lopach during the research for the book he cowrote with Professor Luckowski, these materials date from 1886 to 2009.

Return to Top

Use of the Collection

Restrictions on Use

Researchers are responsible for using in accordance with 17 U.S.C. and any other applicable statutes. Copyright not transferred to the University of Montana.

Preferred Citation

[Name of document or photograph number], Jeannette Rankin Collection, Archives and Special Collections, Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library, The University of Montana-Missoula.

Return to Top

Administrative Information

Arrangement

This collection is divided into four series:

Series I, Miscellaneous, 3 folders, 1917-1980

Series II, Campaign and Position Literature and Stationery, 1 folder, 1917-1942

Series III, FBI Research Files, 3 folders 1941-2009

Series IV, General Research Files, 0.8 linear feet, 1886-1999

Custodial History

The chain of custody for Series I and II is unknown. The papers in Series III and Series IV were acquired for research by Professor James J. Lopach.

Acquisition Information

The letter from Series I was donated by Helen Croyman on October 7, 1989. James J. Lopach donated materials in Series III in 2010 and materials in Series IV in 2012. The donor/s and date/s of donation for all other materials are unknown.

Processing Note

The first three series were processed into Mss 785, a single collection, in 2011. Previously, Series I was reprocessed by Teresa Hamann in 2002 as Mss 139. Series II was processed by Steven Bingo in 2011. One to two duplicates were retained for each document. Extra duplicates were removed from the collection and deaccessioned. Series III was processed by Teresa Hamann in 2011 and Series IV in 2012. The materials in Series IV were removed from 3-ring binders and placed in folders during processing.

Related Materials

Several collections of materials produced by Jeannette Rankin exist within the United States. The most notable is at the Schlesinger Library at Radcliffe College. The collection is titled the Jeannette Rankin Papers, 1879-1976 and has collection number of MC 246. The Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library holds copies of these papers and those of other women politicians in a microfilm collection titled "Women's Studies Manuscript Collections from the Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe College. Series 2, Women in National Politics."

Other collections exist at the Montana Historical Society and at the University of Georgia. The collection at the Montana Historical Society is titled the Jeannette Rankin Papers, 1916-1919 and has collection number MC 147. The collection at the University of Georgia is titled the Jeannette Rankin Collection, 1914-2001 and has collection number Ms 3085.

The Maureen and Mike Mansfield Library also retains the Rankin Family Papers, 1888-1946, collection number Mss 280.

Return to Top

Detailed Description of the Collection

Finding aid prepared by Steven Bingo and Teresa Hamann (2011 & 2012)
2011

CC Attribution
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

About Creative Commons Licenses in Archives West