Hattie Wyatt Caraway facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Hattie Wyatt Caraway
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Caraway in 1940
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| United States Senator from Arkansas |
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| In office December 9, 1931 – January 3, 1945 |
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| Preceded by | Thaddeus Caraway |
| Succeeded by | William Fulbright |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Hattie Ophelia Wyatt
February 1, 1878 Bakerville, Tennessee, U.S. |
| Died | December 21, 1950 (aged 72) Falls Church, Virginia, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse |
Thaddeus Caraway
(m. 1902; died 1931) |
| Children | 3, including Paul |
| Education | Ebenezer College Dickson Normal College (BA) |
Hattie Ophelia Wyatt Caraway (born February 1, 1878 – died December 21, 1950) was an American politician. She made history as the first woman ever elected to serve a full term as a United States Senator. Caraway represented the state of Arkansas. She was also the first woman to lead a meeting in the Senate. She won her re-election in 1932 with help from Senator Huey Long from Louisiana.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Hattie Wyatt was born in 1878 near Bakerville, Tennessee. Her father was a farmer and shopkeeper. When she was four, her family moved to Hustburg, Tennessee. Even though her family wasn't rich, Hattie wanted to go to college. A kind aunt helped her achieve this dream.
She went to a one-room schoolhouse and Ebenezer Church. Later, she attended Dickson Normal College. In 1896, she earned her Bachelor of Arts degree. After college, she worked as a teacher.
Family Life
In 1902, Hattie married Thaddeus Caraway, whom she had met in college. They had three sons: Paul, Forrest, and Robert. Paul and Forrest later became generals in the United States Army. The family settled in Jonesboro, Arkansas. Thaddeus started a law practice. Hattie took care of their children, managed the home, and helped with their cotton farm.
Her husband, Thaddeus, was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1912. He served there until 1921, when he became a U.S. Senator. Hattie was interested in his political work. However, she mostly stayed out of the social and political scene in Washington, D.C. She once said that after women gained the right to vote, she simply added voting to her other household duties.
Becoming a U.S. Senator
Thaddeus Caraway died while in office in 1931. It was common then for governors to appoint widows to temporarily fill their husbands' Senate seats. So, Arkansas Governor Harvey Parnell appointed Hattie Caraway to the empty seat. She was sworn into office on December 9, 1931.
Winning Elections
Special Election in 1932
With support from the Democratic Party of Arkansas, Hattie Caraway easily won a special election in January 1932. This election was to finish the remaining months of her husband's term. This made her the first woman ever elected to the Senate.
Full Term Election in 1932
In May 1932, Caraway surprised many politicians in Arkansas. She announced she would run for a full six-year term. Many other candidates had thought she would step aside. She told reporters that the time had passed for women to be temporary placeholders.
When Vice President Charles Curtis invited her to lead a Senate session, she used the chance to announce her re-election campaign. She was the first female senator to lead a Senate session. She was also the first to chair a Senate committee, the Committee on Enrolled Bills.
She didn't have much political support on her own. So, Caraway accepted help from Senator Huey Long of Louisiana. She had supported his ideas to limit rich people's incomes and help the poor. Long also wanted to help the widow. He also wanted to increase his influence in Arkansas, the home state of his political rival, Senator Joseph Taylor Robinson.
Long brought his exciting campaign style to Arkansas. He campaigned with Caraway for a week before the Democratic primary election. His help led her to get almost twice as many votes as her closest opponent. Caraway then won the general election in November 1932. This was the same election where Franklin D. Roosevelt became U.S. President.
Re-election in 1938
In 1938, Caraway faced a tough fight for re-election. Representative John Little McClellan challenged her. He argued that a man could better serve the state. His campaign slogan was "Arkansas Needs Another Man in the Senate!"
However, Caraway had support from government workers, women's groups, and unions. She won a close victory in the primary election. Then she won the general election with a large majority. By doing this, she became the first woman not only elected to the Senate but also the first to be re-elected.
Election in 1944
In her bid for re-election in 1944, Caraway finished fourth in the Democratic primary. She lost to a younger, well-known U.S. Representative, J. William Fulbright. He was the former president of the University of Arkansas.
Her Time in the Senate
Caraway worked on several Senate committees. These included Agriculture and Forestry, Commerce, and Enrolled Bills and Library. She led the Enrolled Bills and Library committee. She was very interested in helping farmers, controlling floods, and supporting veterans. These were important issues for people in Arkansas.
She voted for almost every New Deal law. The New Deal was a series of programs and reforms by President Roosevelt to help the country recover from the Great Depression. In 1938, she joined other Southern senators in a long debate (called a filibuster) against a bill.
Hattie Caraway prepared carefully for her Senate work. But she rarely spoke or gave speeches on the Senate floor. She became known as an honest and sincere senator. Some reporters called her "Silent Hattie." She explained her quietness by saying she didn't want to take time away from the men, who "love it so."
During her time, three other women served briefly in the Senate. But they did not serve at the same time as Caraway. So, there were never more than two women in the Senate at once.
She supported President Roosevelt's foreign policy. She argued for his Lend-Lease bill, which helped other countries fight in World War II. She supported it as a mother with two sons in the United States Army. While she encouraged women to help with the war, Caraway believed a woman's main job was caring for her home and family.
However, she was aware of the challenges women faced. In 1931, she was given the same Senate desk that another widow had used. She privately commented, "I guess they wanted as few of them contaminated as possible." In 1943, Caraway became the first woman legislator to support the Equal Rights Amendment. This amendment aimed to ensure equal rights for all American citizens regardless of sex. In early 1944, she also supported the Servicemen's Readjustment Act of 1944, known as the G.I. Bill. This bill helped soldiers returning from war.
On her last day in the Senate, her male colleagues gave her a rare standing ovation. After leaving the Senate, President Roosevelt appointed her to the Employees' Compensation Commission. In 1946, President Harry S. Truman gave her a job on the Employees' Compensation Appeals Board. She served there until she had a stroke in January 1950. She passed away on December 21, 1950, in Falls Church, Virginia. She was buried in Oaklawn Cemetery in Jonesboro, Arkansas.
Legacy and Impact
Hattie Caraway was against alcohol (a prohibitionist). She generally supported the New Deal programs. Caraway challenged the idea that she was just a temporary replacement for her husband. This set an important example for women in politics.
Even though she wasn't always in the spotlight, Caraway worked hard and capably in the Senate. Her colleagues respected her. She encouraged others who wanted women to have bigger roles in public life. She showed that political skills were not just for men.
On February 21, 2001, the United States Postal Service honored her with a 76-cent postage stamp. Her gravesite in Jonesboro, Arkansas, was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2007.
See also
In Spanish: Hattie Caraway para niños
