Doris Haddock Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Doris Haddock

Personal details
Born	Ethel Doris Rollins (1910-01-24)January 24, 1910 Laconia, New Hampshire, U.S.
Died	March 9, 2010(2010-03-09) (aged 100) Dublin, New Hampshire, U.S.
Political party	Democratic
Education	Emerson College (BA)

Doris "Granny D" Haddock (born Ethel Doris Rollins; January 24, 1910 – March 9, 2010) was an American political activist from New Hampshire. She became famous when, between the ages of 88 and 90, she walked over 3,200 miles (5,150 km) across the continental United States. She started on January 1, 1999, and finished on February 29, 2000. Her goal was to speak out for campaign finance reform. This means making rules fairer for how money is used in political elections. In 2004, she tried to become a U.S. Senator for the Democratic Party in New Hampshire, but she did not win.

Granny D's amazing walk across the country followed a southern path. It took her more than a year to complete. She started in southern California on January 1, 1999, and ended in Washington, D.C. on February 29, 2000.

Doris Haddock later asked to officially change her middle name to "Granny D." This was the name everyone knew her by. On August 19, 2004, a judge officially approved her request.

The Life of Granny D
- Early Life and Family
Granny D's Activism
Later Years and Legacy
Awards and Recognition
See also

The Life of Granny D

Early Life and Family

Ethel Doris Rollins was born in Laconia, New Hampshire. She went to Emerson College in Boston, Massachusetts, for three years. She had to leave college because she got married, and at that time, students were not allowed to be married. However, the college later gave her an honorary degree in 2000.

After getting married, she started her family. She had a daughter named Betty and a son named James Jr. Doris worked during the Great Depression, a time when many people struggled to find jobs. She worked for twenty years as an executive secretary at a shoe factory. In 1972, Doris and her husband retired to Dublin, New Hampshire. Her husband later became ill and passed away after ten years. Around the same time, her best friend also died. During her long walk across the country, Granny D often wore a hat that had belonged to her best friend. She had many grandchildren and great-grandchildren who brought her joy.

Granny D celebrated her 100th birthday on January 24, 2010. She passed away six weeks later, on March 9, 2010, at her son's home in Dublin, New Hampshire. She had been dealing with a breathing illness. She was a lifelong member of the United Methodist Church.

Granny D's Activism

Standing Up for What's Right

Granny D began her political activism in 1960. She and her husband successfully worked to stop planned hydrogen bomb tests in Alaska. These tests would have threatened an Inuit fishing village. After retiring in 1972, she continued to be active in her community in Dublin, New Hampshire.

Her Amazing Walk for Fair Elections

Doris "Granny D" Haddock speaking at a podium outside the U.S. Capitol after her walk from Los Angeles to Washington, D.C.

Granny D became very interested in making election funding fairer. This is called campaign finance reform. When efforts to change these rules failed in 1995, she started a petition movement. On January 1, 1999, at 88 years old, Granny D began her walk across the United States. She started at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. Her goal was to make people aware of the need for campaign finance reform and gain support for it.

Granny D walked about ten miles each day for 14 months. She walked through many states, including California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, and more, all the way to Washington, D.C. She gave many speeches along her journey. Her walk gained a lot of attention from the news. When Granny D arrived in Washington, D.C., she was 90 years old. She had walked over 3,200 miles and was met by a crowd of 2,200 people. Many members of Congress even walked the last few miles with her. A film called "Granny D Goes to Washington" was made about her journey.

Peaceful Protest at the Capitol

On April 21, 2000, 90-year-old Granny D and 31 other Americans were arrested. They were reading the Declaration of Independence inside the Capitol Building. They were charged with protesting in the building. Even though it was a peaceful gathering, they were arrested by the Capitol Police.

Granny D accepted the charge and then spoke to the court. She explained that their protest was to highlight the need for campaign finance reform. She said:

Your Honor, the old woman who stands before you was arrested for reading the Declaration of Independence in America's Capitol Building. I did not raise my voice to do so and I blocked no hall.

...

I was reading from the Declaration of Independence to make the point that we must declare our independence from the corrupting bonds of big money in our election campaigns.

...

In my 90 years, this is the first time I have been arrested. I risk my good name --for I do indeed care what my neighbors think about me. But, Your Honor, some of us do not have much power, except to put our bodies in the way of an injustice--to picket, to walk, or to just stand in the way. It will not change the world overnight, but it is all we can do.

...

Your Honor, to the business at hand: the old woman who stands before you was arrested for reading the Declaration of Independence in America's Capitol Building. I did not raise my voice to do so and I blocked no hall. But if it is a crime to read the Declaration of Independence in our great hall, then I am guilty.

The judge decided that Granny D and her companions had already served enough time. They only had to pay a small fee.

Later Years and Legacy

Granny D wrote several books with Dennis Burke. These books shared her experiences, including her famous walk. She also received honorary degrees from colleges. In 2005, she gave the main speech at a graduation ceremony at Hampshire College.

In 2004, at 94 years old, Granny D ran for a U.S. Senate seat in New Hampshire. She was one of the oldest major-party candidates to ever run for the U.S. Senate. She believed in "clean elections," so she only accepted small donations from regular people for her campaign. She received about 34 percent of the votes but lost to the current Republican Senator, Judd Gregg.

In 2007, HBO released a documentary called Run Granny Run. This film was about Granny D's 2004 Senate campaign. In 2009, she started a group called the Coalition for Open Democracy. Granny D remained active in politics until the end of her life. She celebrated her 98th, 99th, and 100th birthdays by working for campaign finance reform at the New Hampshire State House.

Awards and Recognition

Granny D received many honors for her activism. She was given the Key to the city in several places across the country, including:

In 2000, Granny D received a special Martin Luther King Award from a group in Manchester, New Hampshire. She was also the main speaker for their Martin Luther King Day Community Celebration that year.

Doris Haddock facts for kids

Contents