Jeanne Givens facts for kids

Jeanne Givens (born around 1951 or 1952) is an American politician. She served in the Idaho House of Representatives as a member of the Democratic Party.

Jeanne Givens is a member of the Coeur d'Alene tribe. She made history as the first Native American woman elected to the Idaho House of Representatives. Later, she was also the first Native American woman to run for a seat in the United States Congress.

Givens was born in Plummer, Idaho. She grew up in San Jose, California and on the Coeur d'Alene reservation in Plummer. In the 1980s, Governor John Evans appointed her to several important positions. She first ran for the Idaho House of Representatives in 1982 but didn't win. However, she won her election in 1984. In 1988 and 1990, she ran for a seat in the United States House of Representatives but was not elected.

Early Life and Family

Jeanne Iyall was born in Plummer, Idaho, around 1951 or 1952. Her parents were Celina Garry and Jack Iyall. In 1955, her family moved to San Jose, California, as part of a federal program. Later, her mother moved back to the Coeur d'Alene Reservation in Plummer.

Jeanne is part of the Coeur d'Alene tribe. Her family has a strong history of leadership. Her grandfather, Ignace Garry, was the last chief of the tribe. Her uncle, Joseph Garry, was the only full-blooded Native American to serve in the Idaho legislature.

Jeanne attended Whitworth University and studied sociology. She later married Ray Givens. Before becoming a politician, Givens worked as a probation officer. She also taught speech and communication at North Idaho College.

Political Career

Important Appointments

In 1982, Governor John Evans chose Givens to be part of the Statewide Health Planning Council. She also served on the Idaho Association for the Humanities.

In 1985 and 1989, Givens was appointed to a committee. This committee helped plan the big celebration for Idaho's 100th birthday as a state.

Serving in the Idaho House of Representatives

Winning Elections

In 1982, Jeanne Givens ran for the Idaho House of Representatives. She was a Democratic candidate, but she lost to the Republican candidate, Robert Scates.

On April 1, 1984, Givens announced she would run for the Idaho House again. She ran without anyone opposing her in the Democratic primary election. In the main election, she won against Ralph Kizer. This victory was very important. Jeanne Givens became the first Native American woman ever elected to the Idaho House of Representatives.

In 1986, she ran for reelection to the House of Representatives. She won again without any opposition.

Her Time in Office

During her time in the Idaho House of Representatives, Givens worked on several important committees. These included the Indian Affairs, Business, Education, and Health and Welfare committees. In 1987, she also joined the State Affairs committee.

In 1989, the Idaho State Journal newspaper named Givens as one of Idaho's ten most influential people of that decade.

Running for U.S. Congress

1988 Campaign

In 1988, Givens ran against Representative Larry Craig for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.

On April 13, 1988, Givens announced she would run for the United States House of Representatives. She wanted to represent Idaho's 1st congressional district. She said she would follow the example of Gracie Pfost. Pfost was the first woman to represent Idaho in the U.S. House.

Givens won the Democratic nomination. However, she was defeated in the general election by the Republican candidate, Larry Craig. Even though she didn't win, Givens made history. She was the first Native American woman to run for a seat in the United States Congress.

1990 Campaign

In 1989, Givens started thinking about running for Congress again. On January 31, 1990, she announced her second campaign. She believed she had a better chance this time because Larry Craig was running for the U.S. Senate instead. However, in the Democratic primary, she placed second behind Larry LaRocco.

Later Life and Public Service

In 1989, Givens represented Governor Cecil Andrus at a meeting of Western Governors. They discussed issues important to Native American communities.

In 1992, Givens supported Senator Tom Harkin for president. She was part of his campaign committee in Idaho.

Later in 1992, Givens ran for a seat on the North Idaho College Board of Trustees. She won this election. In 1997, President Bill Clinton appointed her to the Board of Directors of the Institute of American Indian Arts. This is an important school in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

In 2014, Paulette Jordan, another Coeur d'Alene tribal member, was elected to the Idaho House of Representatives. Jordan shared that Jeanne Givens was a mentor to her.

Her Views on Key Issues

Education

In 1986, some ideas were proposed to cut education funding. These ideas included removing kindergarten or charging for school bus rides. Givens strongly disagreed with these ideas, calling them "thoughtless" and "outrageous."

She also spoke out against a law that would require creationism to be taught alongside evolution in schools. She believed that different beliefs should be respected.

Native American Rights

In 1987, Givens opposed making the Battle of Bear River a national monument. She felt it was not fitting because federal soldiers had attacked and killed many Native Americans there.

In 1992, a newspaper decided not to publish sports team names that were offensive to certain groups, like the Washington Redskins. Givens praised this decision. She said that such team names were "racially derogatory" and created negative stereotypes.

Other Views

In 1985, Givens voted against a "right-to-work" law. This law would have limited the power of unions. She also opposed a law in 1986 that would restrict how teachers could negotiate their contracts. She called it "punitive and restrictive."