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January 1925: Nellie Tayloe Ross Becomes the First Female Governor in the US

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Nellie Tayloe Ross, much like Miriam “Ma” Ferguson in Texas, found entry into the then male-dominated world of politics through her husband.  In Nellie’s case, her husband, William B. Ross, the sitting governor of Wyoming had recently died of appendicitis.  For Ma Ferguson, her husband had been removed from office through impeachment.

George Grantham Bain Collection (Library of Congress), Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Nellie was asked by the Democratic party in Wyoming to run shortly after her husband’s passing and accepted, according to relatives, in part because she needed the job.  She was easily elected even though Wyoming at the time was a predominantly Republican state and she was subsequently inaugurated on January 5, 1925, just days before Ma Ferguson was sworn in.

Within her first few days of leadership, she shocked the New York Times when on January 16, 1925, she wore her hat and gloves while addressing the Wyoming legislature and “defied precedent.”

Her time as governor was short-lived.  She finished her husband’s term, and did her best to further the populist agenda he had introduced, which included, according to the  Wyoming State Historical Society, issues like spending cuts, state loans for farmers and ranchers, prohibition, school budgets, stronger bank regulation, funding for universities, safety for coal miners and for women in industrial jobs among several other pursuits. Nellie lost re-election in 1926, but that was not the end of her political career.  

A campaign card, from Gov. Ross’s 1926 re-election campaign. American Heritage Center.

In 1928-29, she moved to Washington to work full time as a Director at the Democratic National Committee, and helped to drive women to vote for presidential candidate, Franklin D. Roosevelt. In 1933, Roosevelt appointed Nellie to a position as the Director of the Bureau of the Mint, which is a government agency responsible for printing and distributing currency.  She served in this role for the next 20 years having been appointed to three, five-year terms by Roosevelt and one, five-year term by his successor, Harry Truman.  She retired in 1953 and spoke and wrote widely until her death at 101 years old!

Some critics felt like Nellie did not do enough to help other women get ahead in politics, but whether she was as woke as she could have been, Nellie still seized opportunity when it fell in her lap and helped to break a key glass ceiling in the United States.

Want to know more about Nellie?  Here are some sites to visit:

When FDR and Churchill Created the United Nations

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People have varying opinions about the United Nations (UN), which is a 75-year-old intergovernmental peacekeeping organization. But whatever your opinion, there is no doubt that the UN has played a major role in shaping world history since its inception on New Year’s Day, January 1942.

Source: Wikipedia The Poster, created by United States Office of War Information and made by the United States Government Printing Office.

Before the United Nations, there was the League of Nations, which was initiated at the close of World War I during the Paris Peace Conference. The Covenant under which the League of Nations was organized only involved the five major superpowers at the time, namely, France, Italy, Japan, the UK and the US, a fact that is pointed to as a reason the organization failed.  Also, there is the not so small issue that regardless of covenants or organizational structure, the League of Nations failed to prevent World War II.

The United Nations, whose name was coined by US President Franklin D. Roosevelt, was formed during the course of World War II, not after, and consisted of a group of countries intent on putting down the Axis powers and reinstating world peace.

Roosevelt and British Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, led the charge to form the United Nations and were initially joined by the head of the USSR and China in signing the initial brief declaration document on January 1, 1942. The next day, 22 other countries joined the party including Australia, Belgium, Canada, Costa Rica, Cuba, Czechoslovakia, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Greece, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, India, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Norway, Panama, Poland, Union of South Africa and Yugoslavia.  

Later this group was joined by Mexico, Philippines, Ethiopia, Iraq, Brazil, Bolivia, Iran, Colombia, Liberia, France, Ecuador, Peru, Chile, Paraguay, Venezuela, Uruguay, Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Lebanon. (Source: The UN)

The initial declaration talked about the “common struggle against savage and brutal forces seeking to subjugate the world.”  These were powerful words during a frightening time.

Source: National Archives and Records Administration, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Three years later in June of 1945, the details of how the United Nations would work and exist were hammered out at the San Francisco Conference by the initial signers of the declaration (a/k/a the group listed above). 

By the time the San Francisco Conference was held, Roosevelt had died and Harry S. Truman was now President. Truman spoke to the delegates ahead of the conference with eloquent wisdom that really captures the focus on the UN at that time. He said: “If we do not want to die together in war, we must learn to live together in peace.” (Source: UN Foundation)

Another famous quote about the United Nations that is often wrongly attributed to Churchill read, “The UN was not created to take humanity to heaven, but to save it from hell.” If you are thinking about buying a kitchen magnet on Amazon with Churchill as the author, don’t.  That comment was actually made later during the 1950s by the second secretary-general of the United Nations, Dag Hammarskjöld.

What Churchill did famously say, which many people attribute to the UN was, “It is better to jaw-jaw than to war-war.”

If you have the opportunity to buy THAT refrigerator magnet, do it, but just know that Churchill didn’t actually say it about the United Nations.  He said it in June 1954, while speaking to Congress about the threat of the spread of communism, as reported by the New York Times.

Source: Yousuf Karsh, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

But the UN has used that line, often, even in their job recruitment materials.  And they should, it’s classic Churchill, and perfect.

Through the years, the UN has expanded to include agency organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO) and further extended its initial charter beyond peacekeeping to other issues such as human rights.

World leaders have remained largely supportive of the UN, but there have also been a few critics.  US President Donald J. Trump voiced his opinion in a 2017 speech arguing that the United States “bears an unfair cost burden, but to be fair if it could actually accomplish all of its stated goals — especially the goal of peace — this investment would easily be well worth it.” (Source: GlobalCitizen.org)

Despite these comments, the United States, even during the Trump presidency, has remained the largest supporter of the UN and has not followed through with any significant funding cuts.  Trump has, however, been incredibly critical of the WHO’s handling of the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic.

The Raising of America’s First Flag and the Cool Sarcasm of George Washington

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The first day of January, not surprisingly, is full of firsts in history.  In today’s world, we begin the new year by getting gym memberships and starting work on our list of New Year’s Resolutions.  On January 1, 1776, George Washington’s resolution was to start a new army to finally beat back the overbearing British government.

Source: Plymouth Rock Foundation

On this cold day, George Washington had the Grand Union flag, which was a symbol for the new country they were trying to create, raised at Prospect Hill in what is now Somerville, Massachusetts.  

Washington had come to Boston in the summer of 1775 to take command of the revolutionary army during what was called “The Siege of Boston” where colonists were fighting to gain control of the region. Washington was headquartered in nearby Cambridge, Mass., but Prospect Hill –being a hill– offered the opportunity to fly a flag that would be seen for miles.  

The painting above of the flag raising was created by Clyde O. DeLand who painted it many years after the event– he wasn’t even born until 1872– but it shows members of Washington’s army shouting praise for the flag.

The inclusion of the British flag– otherwise known as Union Jack– in the canton or corner of the flag confused a lot of people including the British soldiers at the time, who considered the flag a sign of surrender.  

King George III– now is the time to muster all of those hilarious images of Jonathan Groff playing an oblivious King George in Hamilton— had in a recent speech offered to spare any colonists that would surrender.

Our guy, George Washington, refers to King George’s surrender offer in a super cool and sarcastic letter to Joseph Reed a few days later on January 4, 1776.  He says, “DEAR SIR: We are, at length, favoured with a sight of His Majesty’s most gracious speech, breathing sentiments of tenderness and compassion for his deluded American subjects.”

Source: Gilbert Stuart, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

George Washington is clearly annoyed and we love him for leaving us that little nugget of sarcasm.  

Later in the letter, he describes the confusion “…for, on that day, the day which gave being to the new Army, but before the proclamation came to hand, we had hoisted the Union flag, in compliment to the United Colonies. But, behold, it was received in Boston as a token of the deep impression the speech had made upon us, and as a signal of submission… By this time, I presume, they begin to think it strange that we have not made a formal surrender of our lines.”

This was not a good time for George Washington.  A revolution does not have a draft or a trained and well funded army to rely on.  The willingness of colonists to fight under such harsh conditions ebbed and waned, and Washington was charged with trying to rally the troops under very dire circumstances. 

Further in the letter, he gives insights into his situation, “Thus, for more than two months past, I have scarcely emerged from one difficulty, before I have been plunged into another. How it will end, God, in His great goodness will direct. I am thankful for his protection to this time. We are told, that we shall soon get the Army completed, but I have been told so many things, which have never come to pass, that I distrust every thing.” 

Washington’s words help us to understand the tense and stressful situation the colonists were in at the time of the flag’s unveiling.

The Grand Union flag was the first to introduce the “stripes” part of the stars and stripes.  It was a flag that was easily created by taking the existing British flag and sewing six white stripes over the top to create the symbol for the 13 colonies.  

Historians differ on the meaning of the flag or why they would include the British flag in the canton.  Was it an act or defiance or just an easy edit?  No one really knows, but it took hold and eventually, the “stars” replaced Union Jack in the canton and the rest is, as they say, history!

Each year, the City of Somerville, Mass. recreates the raising of the flag on Prospect Hill where a tower has been erected.  You can watch the 2019 raising of the flag on Twitter here.

Happy New Year!  And best wishes for a better 2021 and an end to this pandemic.  In the words of Washington, “How it will end, God, in His great goodness will direct.”