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The challenges of women who took the risk to run for office in “Trailblazing Women In Ohio Politics” – March 28 at 9 pm
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Thursday, March 28 at 9 pm
Trailblazing Women in Ohio Politics digs deep into the personal experiences and challenges of women who took the risk to run for office when women’s candidacies were exceedingly rare.
The purpose of this project is to bring their lived experiences to life for a broad public audience to inform, inspire and, perhaps, prompt others to run.
In their own words, our Democratic and Republican trailblazers share stories of struggle and triumph. They blazed a trail for the women officeholders of today and tomorrow.
Women featured include:
Nickie J. Antonio: First member of the LGBTQ+ community in the Ohio House and Ohio Senate; elected to leadership positions in both chambers.
Jo Ann Davidson: First woman on the Reynoldsburg City Council and first woman Speaker of the Ohio House of Representatives.
Nancy P. Hollister: First woman Mayor of Marietta, first woman Lieutenant Governor of Ohio, and only woman to serve as Governor of Ohio.
Marcy Kaptur: Longest-serving woman in the United States Congress.
Joan W. Lawrence: First woman to represent Morrow and Delaware Counties in the Ohio House of Representatives.
Rhine L. McLin: First African American woman in the Ohio Senate and first woman Mayor of Dayton.
Betty D. Montgomery: First woman County Prosecutor in all 88 Ohio counties, first woman Attorney General of Ohio, and first woman Auditor of State.
Donna Owens: First woman Mayor of Toledo.
Helen Rankin: First African American woman in the Ohio legislature.
Melody J. Stewart: First African American woman elected to the Ohio Supreme Court.
Mary Ellen Withrow: First woman on the Elgin Local School Board of Education; rose to become Treasurer of the United States.
Trailblazing Women in Ohio Politics is a collaboration between WBGU-PBS and Dr. Melissa K. Miller, Professor of Political Science at Bowling Green State University.