The League of Women Voters of Chicago, the Jeannette Rankin Foundation, and the Union League Club of Chicago welcome acclaimed historian and author Lorissa Rinehart for a luncheon book talk that revisits one of the most consequential moral confrontations in American political history.
Rinehart will discuss her celebrated new book, Winning the Earthquake: How Jeannette Rankin Defied All Odds to Become the First Woman in Congress, the first authoritative biography of Jeannette Rankin—a suffragist, legislator, and reformer who entered Congress before women nationwide could vote and reshaped the meaning of political courage.
Rankin’s story is not one of easy triumph. It is the story of a woman who challenged entrenched power, advanced constitutional suffrage, defended workers and families, and voted her conscience when isolation became the cost of integrity. Rinehart brings this history to life with narrative force and scholarly clarity, revealing how Rankin’s resolve altered the trajectory of American democracy and expanded the boundaries of who could govern.
Praised by Publishers Weekly, The Wall Street Journal, Library Journal, and leading historians, Winning the Earthquake has been recognized as a gripping and illuminating account of leadership under pressure—an exploration of what it means to stand firm when consensus collapses.
This luncheon program invites members and guests to reflect on conviction, representation, and the enduring demands of self-government. Join us for a compelling conversation that connects past courage to present responsibility—and reminds us why history still matters.
Cost: $46.11 (includes tax and gratuity) | Attire: Smart Casual
Space is limited. Advance registration is required.
About the Author
Lorissa Rinehart is a historian, author, and public speaker whose work restores women to the center of American political and cultural life. Her writing examines the intersections of politics, war, art, and peace, pairing rigorous scholarship with narrative force. She is the author of First to the Front: The Untold Story of Dickey Chapelle, acclaimed for its depth and clarity, and Winning the Earthquake: How Jeannette Rankin Defied All Odds to Become America’s First Congresswoman, the first authoritative biography of Rankin, praised as illuminating and gripping. Through her newsletter and podcast, The Female Body Politic, she interprets contemporary events through 250 years of women’s civic engagement. A co-founder of the Santa Barbara Literary Festival, she holds an MA from NYU and a BA from UC Santa Cruz.