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Leonor Sullivan

Leonor Sullivan
LeonorSullivan.jpg
Secretary of the House Democratic Caucus
In office
January 3, 1965 – January 3, 1975
Leader John McCormack
Carl Albert
Preceded by Edna Kelly
Succeeded by Patsy Mink
In office
January 3, 1959 – January 7, 1964
Leader Sam Rayburn
John McCormack
Preceded by Edna Kelly
Succeeded by Edna Kelly
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Missouri's 3rd district
In office
January 3, 1953 – January 3, 1977
Preceded by Phil Welch
Succeeded by Dick Gephardt
Personal details
Born Leonor Kretzer
(1902-08-21)August 21, 1902
St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Died September 1, 1988(1988-09-01) (aged 86)
St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.
Political party Democratic
Spouse(s) John Sullivan (1941–1951)
Russell Archibald (1980–1988)
Alma mater Washington University
Religion Roman Catholicism

Leonor Kretzer Sullivan (August 21, 1902 – September 1, 1988) was a member of the United States House of Representatives from Missouri. She was a Democrat and the first woman in Congress from Missouri.

Sullivan attended Washington University in St. Louis and was a teacher and director at St. Louis Comptometer school. She was married to John B. Sullivan, who served four terms in Congress, and she served as his administrative aide. Following her husband's death in 1951, she served as an aide to Congressman Leonard Irving until she left to run for Congress herself in 1952. She was re-elected eleven times. In Congress, she served for many years as Secretary of the House Democratic Caucus.

Sullivan helped create the food stamp program, which was opposed by Agriculture Secretary Ezra Taft Benson and became law in the 1960s during the Kennedy and Johnson administrations.

Sullivan was one of very few members of Congress, and the only woman member of Congress, to vote against the Equal Rights Amendment for women in the early 1970s.

She did not seek re-election in 1976, and was succeeded by Dick Gephardt.

In 1979, the Supersisters trading card set was produced and distributed; one of the cards featured Sullivan's name and picture.

The former Wharf Street in front of the Gateway Arch in Downtown St. Louis was renamed Leonor K. Sullivan Boulevard in her honor.

"A woman with a woman's viewpoint is of more value when she forgets she's a woman and begins to act like a man."


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