Liz J. Patterson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Liz J. Patterson
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| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from South Carolina's 4th district |
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| In office January 3, 1987 – January 3, 1993 |
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| Preceded by | Carroll A. Campbell Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Bob Inglis |
| Member of the South Carolina Senate | |
| In office January 8, 1980 – January 3, 1987 |
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| Preceded by | James B. Stephen |
| Succeeded by | John R. Russell |
| Constituency | 4th district (1980–1985) 12th district (1985–1987) |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Elizabeth Johnston
November 18, 1939 Columbia, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Died | November 10, 2018 (aged 78) Spartanburg, South Carolina, U.S. |
| Political party | Democratic |
Elizabeth Johnston Patterson (born November 18, 1939 – died November 10, 2018) was an American politician from South Carolina. She was a member of the Democratic Party. Elizabeth Patterson served three terms in the United States House of Representatives from 1987 to 1993.
Early Life and Education
Elizabeth Johnston, often called "Liz," grew up in a family deeply involved in politics. Her father, Olin D. Johnston, was the Governor of South Carolina from 1935 to 1939. He served again from 1943 to 1945. Later, he became a U.S. Senator from 1945 until his death in 1965.
Liz spent her childhood near Washington, D.C., in Kensington, Maryland. For college, she returned to South Carolina. She graduated from Columbia College and did more studies at the University of South Carolina.
Political Career and Public Service
Early in her career, Liz Patterson worked in Washington, D.C.. She was part of the Peace Corps and the Office of Economic Opportunity. These programs were active during President Lyndon B. Johnson's time in office. Patterson also led the Head Start Program in South Carolina. This program helps young children from low-income families. She also worked as an assistant to Congressman James R. Mann.
She later moved back to Spartanburg County. There, she was elected to the County Council, serving from 1975 to 1976. In 1978, she was elected to the South Carolina Senate. She served in the State Senate from 1979 to 1986. She was only the second woman to serve in the South Carolina Senate.
In 1986, Patterson was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives. She represented South Carolina's 4th congressional district. She took over the seat from Carroll A. Campbell Jr.. He had left Congress to become the governor of South Carolina. Patterson won her election against Bill Workman, the mayor of Greenville.
Liz Patterson was the first woman elected to Congress from South Carolina on her own. Before her, three other women had served. They were elected in special elections after their husbands died in office. In Congress, she worked on important issues. She served on committees for Banking and Veterans Affairs. She also joined the Select Committee on Hunger.
Patterson won reelection in 1988 and 1990. In 1992, she was narrowly defeated by Bob Inglis. After she left office in 1993, no woman from South Carolina served in Congress again until 2021. That's when Nancy Mace took office.
After her time in Congress, Patterson continued to be active. She ran for Lieutenant Governor of South Carolina in 1994 but was not successful. She taught political science at Spartanburg Methodist College. She also served on its board of trustees. She was the chairwoman of the Spartanburg County Democratic Party.
Elizabeth Patterson passed away on November 10, 2018. She was almost 79 years old.
See also
- Women in the United States House of Representatives
