Leonor Sullivan

Leonor Sullivan
Leonor K. Sullivan
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Missouri's 3rd district
In office January 3, 1953 – January 3, 1977
Preceded by	Phil J. Welch
Succeeded by	Richard A. Gephardt
Personal details
Born	Leonor Kretzer (1902-08-21)August 21, 1902 St. Louis, Mo.
Died	St. Louis, Mo.
Resting place	Calvary Cemetery and Mausoleum
Political party	Democrat
Spouse(s)	John B. Sullivan 1941-1951 Russell L. Archibald 1980-1988
Parents	Frederick William Kretzer Nora Jostrand
Alma mater	Washington University - St. Louis
Occupation	Educational director Teacher
Committees	House - Banking and Currency House - Banking, Currency, and Housing House - Merchant Marine and Fisheries Joint Committee on Defense Production
Portfolio	Fair Credit Reporting Act Food Stamp Act of 1964 Oil Pollution Act of 1973
Religion	Christianity

Leonor Kretzer Sullivan (August 21, 1902 in St. Louis, Missouri – September 1, 1988 in St. Louis) was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Missouri. She was a Democrat and the first woman in Congress from Missouri.

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, 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 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 was one of very few members of Congress, and the only woman member of Congress, to vote against the Equal Rights Amendment for women in the early 1970s.

She did not seek re-election in 1976, and was succeeded by Dick Gephardt.

In 1979, the Supersisters 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."

External links

• Leonor Sullivan at the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress. Retrieved December 29, 2013

United States House of Representatives
Preceded by Phil J. Welch	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Missouri's 3rd congressional district 1953-1977	Succeeded by Dick Gephardt
Party political offices
Preceded by Edna F. Kelly	Secretary of Democratic Caucus of the United States House of Representatives 1959–1975, except 1964	Succeeded by Patsy Mink
Political offices
Preceded by Edward Garmatz Maryland	Chairman of House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee 1973–1977	Succeeded by John M. Murphy New York