Biography of Rankin Released
The first major biography of Jeannette Rankin, written by historian Lorissa Rinehart, was released on Election Day, Tuesday, Nov. 4, 2025.
“Winning the Earthquake,” published by St. Martin’s Press, reintroduces Rankin, the Missoula native and national icon who defied all odds to be elected the first woman to serve in the U.S. Congress, said a news release about the new book.
In a video about the book, author Rinehart said in her research, she discovered Rankin would be “just as groundbreaking today as she was in her own time.”
The news release described Rinehart as a women’s historian, author and speaker whose debut book, “First To The Front,” won the acclaim of critics and readers. She is also the voice behind “The Female Body Politic” podcast.
“Born on a ranch in Montana, Jeanette grew up in a time when survival meant everyone working together, men and women,” Rinhart said. “This sense of equality and grassroots democracy shaped her politics.”
A nationwide book tour with Rinehart and the Jeannette Rankin Foundation kicks off at 5 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 6, in Missoula at the Missoula Public Library Cooper Room.
The book signing and conversation will discuss Rankin’s legacy and how her fearless leadership shaped the women’s rights and peace movements of the 20th century, the news release said. Fact & Fiction will be selling copies of “Winning the Earthquake” at the event and its downtown location.
“As one of the most radical and principled politicians in American history, Rankin’s story is as urgent today as it was in her time,” Rinehart said. “She challenged the status quo, fought for marginalized voices and never backed down.”
Reviewers are describing the book as “a vivid, compelling portrait of a remarkable woman” and “a powerful reminder that Jeannette Rankin paved the way for so many of us,” according to a compilation of early reviews provided with the news release.
“An illuminating biography … ,” said Publishers Weekly. “It’s a gripping window into progressive political history and one woman’s defiance of sexist gatekeepers.”
Born on a ranch in 1880 in Missoula’s Grant Creek Valley, Rankin defied expectations, becoming the first woman to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives in 1917 — three years before women nationwide had the right to vote, the news release said. She introduced the legislation that led to the 19th Amendment and, in an extraordinary act of conviction, cast the sole vote against U.S. entry into World War II. A lifelong advocate for civil rights and peace, Rankin refused to compromise, despite the personal and political costs.
Karen Sterk, CEO of the Rankin Foundation, said some voters today can credit Rankin for their rights at the ballot box.
“Lorissa Rinehart brings Jeannette Rankin’s trailblazing story back into the national spotlight, where it deserves to be,” Sterk said in a statement. “All Americans have the right to vote today because of her groundbreaking work.
“As the organization dedicated to forwarding Jeannette’s legacy, her impact lives on today through everyone who knows her story and continues to lift women and families.”
Founded with a bequest from Rankin’s estate in 1976 and her directive to lift “mature, unemployed women workers,” the Rankin Foundation carries Rankin’s mission forward by awarding unrestricted education grants and wraparound support services to nontraditional women students across the country, the news release said. Currently, 41 Montana Rankin Scholars attending the state’s seven tribal colleges and the Montana University System are achieving a vocational certificate, associate degree or first bachelor’s degree at the average age of 34.
Visit rankinfoundation.org for more information about the foundation and the “Winning the Earthquake” book tour.
