Helen Delich Bentley facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Helen Delich Bentley
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Maryland's 2nd district |
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| In office January 3, 1985 – January 3, 1995 |
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| Preceded by | Clarence Long |
| Succeeded by | Robert Ehrlich |
| Chairwoman of the Federal Maritime Commission | |
| In office 1969–1975 |
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| Nominated by | Richard Nixon |
| Preceded by | John Harllee |
| Succeeded by | Karl Bakke |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Helen Delich
November 28, 1923 Ruth, Nevada, U.S. |
| Died | August 6, 2016 (aged 92) Timonium, Maryland, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
William Roy Bentley
(m. 1959; died 2003) |
| Alma mater | University of Missouri |
Helen Delich Bentley (born November 28, 1923 – died August 6, 2016) was an American politician. She was a Republican member of the United States House of Representatives for Maryland. She served in Congress from 1985 to 1995. Before becoming a politician, she was a well-known reporter. She wrote mostly about ships and ports.
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Helen's Early Life
Helen Bentley was born in Ruth, Nevada. This was a town where people mined for copper. Her parents came from Serbia. Her father worked as a miner.
When Helen was eight years old, her father died. He had a lung disease called silicosis, which was common for miners. To help her family, Helen worked part-time in a dress shop. Her mother also rented rooms in their home to earn money.
While in high school, Helen started working for a local newspaper. It was published by a Republican politician. This was her first experience with journalism and politics. She later won scholarships to study journalism. She graduated from the University of Missouri in 1944 with honors. During college, she also worked for a Democratic politician's campaign.
Helen's Career
Journalism Career
After college, Helen worked for small newspapers. But she wanted to report on important news for a bigger newspaper. In 1945, The Baltimore Sun newspaper offered her a job. She first reported on labor issues. Later, she started covering news about ships and ports. She became a respected reporter in the maritime world. She talked to many people, from dock workers to politicians.
Starting in 1950, Helen hosted a TV show in Baltimore. It was called The Port That Built a City. The show was about ships and transportation. She produced the show until 1965. It even had live reports from ships in Baltimore harbor. This was very new for television at the time.
During the Vietnam War, Helen learned about problems at the port in Saigon. It was hard to get supplies to American troops. She traveled there to report on these issues. President Johnson heard about her report. Because of her work, improvements were made to other ports. This helped to ease the problems in Saigon.
Political Career
In 1969, Helen was offered a position on the Federal Maritime Commission. This commission deals with shipping and trade. She asked to be the chairwoman instead, and she got the job. She led the commission from 1969 to 1975. This made her the highest-ranking woman in President Nixon's government. While in this role, Helen supported American shipbuilding.
Helen decided to run for Congress. She ran against Clarence Long in Maryland's 2nd District in 1980 and 1982. She finally won on her third try in 1984. She served in the United States House of Representatives from January 3, 1985, to January 3, 1995.
As a member of Congress, Helen strongly supported American manufacturing. She also wanted to protect the U.S. Merchant Marine fleet. She helped pass a law to dredge the Chesapeake Bay. This allowed larger cargo ships to use the port of Baltimore. In the 1990s, she showed support for Serbians during the war in Yugoslavia. She did not want the U.S. military to get involved in that conflict.
Helen did not run for re-election to Congress in 1994. Instead, she tried to become Governor of Maryland. Even though the Democratic governor supported her, she lost the Republican primary election.
In 2002, Helen tried to get her old Congress seat back. But the district had changed. It now included parts of Baltimore City, an area she had not represented before. She lost the election to Dutch Ruppersberger.
After leaving Congress, Helen started her own company in 1995. It was called Helen Bentley & Associates, Inc. She advised businesses on international trade and government. She also worked as a consultant for the Maryland Port Administration. She served on the board for the Baltimore Museum of Industry.
Recognition and Legacy
In 2004, Helen Bentley was honored. She was inducted into the International Maritime Hall of Fame. In 2006, the port of Baltimore was renamed after her. It is now called the Helen Delich Bentley Port of Baltimore. This was part of the port's 300th anniversary celebration.
Helen was also a member of the Maryland Women's Hall of Fame. She received several awards from the state of Maryland.
Personal Life
Helen Bentley was married to William Roy Bentley. He passed away in 2003. They did not have any children. Helen died at her home in Timonium, Maryland, at the age of 92. She passed away from brain cancer.
See also
- Women in the United States House of Representatives
