Winning the Earthquake: How Jeannette Rankin Defied All Odds to Become the First Woman in Congress

The Ash Center invites you to a book talk with Lorissa Rinehart, author of Winning the Earthquake: How Jeannette Rankin Defied All Odds to Become the First Woman in Congress. The discussion will be moderated by Alex Keyssar, Matthew W. Stirling Jr. Professor of History and Social Policy. 

Lunch will be served beginning at 11:45am.

About the Book 

Born on a Montana ranch in 1880, Jeannette Rankin learned early how to work hard, connect with people, and inspire collective purpose—skills that helped her become the first woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. In her first term, she introduced the legislation that would eventually become the Nineteenth Amendment. 

Across her two nonconsecutive terms (1917 and 1941), Rankin championed women’s rights, workers’ protections, democratic reforms, and peace through disarmament. One of Congress’s most committed pacifists, she famously voted against U.S. entry into both World War I and World War II, believing “you can no more win a war than you can win an earthquake.” 

Although she broke barriers and reshaped American politics, Rankin has often been overlooked. Winning the Earthquake restores her to the historical record, illuminating the life of a suffragist, peace activist, and reformer whose convictions never wavered. 

About the Author 

Lorissa Rinehart is an author, cultural producer, and public speaker whose work explores the intersections of women’s history, politics, and war. Her debut book, First to the Front: The Untold Story of Dickey Chapelle, Trailblazing Female War Correspondent (St. Martin’s Press), received praise from major outlets including The Wall Street Journal, The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel, and Publishers Weekly. Her second book, Winning the Earthquake, was published by St. Martin’s Press in November 2025. She also writes a weekly newsletter and hosts the podcast “The Female Body Politic,” offering historically grounded analysis of current events. 

A dynamic TEDx speaker, Lorissa has presented at the National Press Club, Friends of the National World War II Memorial, the Women’s National Press Club, and the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation. Her expertise has been featured on podcasts and radio programs including Tell Me Everything, Cold War Conversations, Writers Talking, and HerStory on the Rocks.