THE VFA PIONEER HISTORIES PROJECT
Edith Green
January 17, 1910 – April 21, 1987
“The way I deal with antiwoman bias is quite simple. I expect no quarter and I give no quarter. I expect not to be treated as a woman, but as a member of Congress.”
Politician and educator focusing on women’s issues, education and social reform. Second woman elected to U.S. House of Representatives; elected as the representative for Oregon’s 3rd congressional district. Served ten terms, 1955-1974. Championed Equal Pay Act of 1963. Instrumental in passing major education legislation including Library Services Act; National Defense Education Act, 1958; Higher Education Facilities Act, 1963; and Higher Education Act of 1965 and 1967. Nicknamed “Mother of Title IX” and “Mrs. Education.” Helped to develop legislation and instrumental in the passage of the Equal Opportunity in Education Act, Title IX, 1972. Appointed by President Ronald Reagan to the President’s Commission on White House Fellowships, 1981.
Photo. Edith Green, left of President John F. Kennedy signing of Equal Pay Act, 1963.
More About Edith:
- Obituary, New York Times
- The Congresswoman Who Authored Title IX and Her Personal Fight Against Sexism, Ms. Magazine
- Edith Green, the Mother of Title IX, Woman’s National Democratic Club
- Tales from the OHS Oral History Collections: Edith Green
- Green, Edith S.: Oral History Interview – JFK #1, 6/22/1974 | JFK Library
- Oral history interview with Edith Green [Transcript] – OHS Digital Collections
- Oral history transcript, Edith Green, interview 1 (I), 8/23/1985, by Janet Kerr-Tener
- Cited in Barbara Love’s Book, Feminists Who Changed America, 1963 – 1975, page 186
- Archives