Ruth Thompson

This article is about the politician Ruth Thompson. On the writer, see Ruth Plumly Thompson .

Ruth Thompson

Ruth Thompson (born September 15, 1887 in Whitehall , Muskegon County , Michigan , †  April 5, 1970 in Allegan County , Michigan) was an American politician . Between 1951 and 1957 she represented the state of Michigan in the US House of Representatives .

Career

Ruth Thompson attended the public schools in her home country and then until 1905 the Muskegon Business College in Muskegon . After studying law and being admitted to the bar, she began working in her new profession. Between 1925 and 1937 she worked for the probate court in Muskegon County, where she was also a judge.

Politically, Thompson became a member of the Republican Party . Between 1939 and 1941, she was the first woman to serve in the Michigan House of Representatives . In 1941 and 1942 she worked in the federal capital Washington, DC on the Social Security Committee and in 1942 for some time for the Federal Department of Labor . From 1942 to 1946 she worked during the Second World War for the Adjutant General's Office in Washington, which was part of the headquarters of the US Army . Ruth Thompson was also a member and later chairman of the Michigan State Women's Prison Commission.

In the 1950 congressional elections she was elected to the US House of Representatives in Washington in the ninth constituency of Michigan, where she succeeded Albert J. Engel on January 3, 1951 . After two re-elections, she was able to complete three legislative terms in Congress by January 3, 1957 . Ruth Thompson was the first woman to represent the State of Michigan in the US House of Representatives and the first woman to serve on its judicial committee . During her tenure as Congresswoman, the 22nd Amendment to the Constitution was passed in 1951 .

In 1956, Thompson was no longer nominated for re-election by her party. Then she withdrew from politics. She died on April 5, 1970 in an Allegan County sanatorium and was buried in her native Whitehall.

Web links

• Ruth Thompson in the Biographical Directory of the United States Congress (English)

• Ruth Thompson in the database of Find a Grave (English)