Eugenia S. Chapman

Eugenia Sheldon Chapman (January 10, 1923 – September 30, 1994) was an American educator and politician who served as a Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives from 1965 to 1983. During her final term, she became the first woman to hold a leadership position in the Illinois House of Representatives.

Early life and career Eugenia Sheldon was born in Fairhope, Alabama, on January 10, 1923. Her father died 5 months before she was born. The family moved to Chicago in 1930, where her mother became a live in maid while Eugenia was lived with various relatives.

She earned a Bachelor of Education from Chicago Teachers College in 1944, while working as a maid for one of her high school teachers for room and board. She graduated valedictorian.

She then taught in Cicero, Illinois and at Chicago Public Schools. During the 1940s, she was also active as a counselor and director of children's summer camps.

She taught schools in Chicago and Skokie, Illinois. In 1952, Chapman moved to Arlington Heights, Illinois. She was a president and charter member of the Arlington Heights chapter of the League of Women Voters. She served on the Township High School District 214 Board of Education from 1961 to 1964. During her legislative career, she was awarded the best legislator award from Independent Voters of Illinois-Independent Precinct Organization multiple times. In 1983, Neil Hartigan named Chapman the Chief of the Division of Senior Citizen Advocacy and Coordinator for Community Education in Office of Illinois Attorney General. She served there until her retirement in 1989.

The ERA and Richard J. Daley She was a chief sponsor of the ERA . She led the measure to be passed in the Illinois House although it failed in the senate due to not meeting the three fifths requirement. She often worked together with Giddy Dyer, a Republican from Hinsdale. In 1972, Illinois faced a pivotal moment in the fight for the Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), closely linked to the efforts of Representative Eugenia Chapman, a key proponent and chief sponsor of the ERA. During this period, Illinois did not pass the ERA, an outcome influenced by significant political events at the Democratic National Convention.

That year, the convention was marked by the nomination of George McGovern, who ran on a progressive platform. Amidst the political maneuvering, a group of Illinois progressives successfully challenged the authority of Mayor Richard J. Daley, leading to his and his affiliates' removal from the state's delegation. Eugenia Chapman played a central role in this political upheaval, contributing to the unseating of Daley. The ramifications of these events were significant for Chapman's legislative career. It is speculated that Daley harbored a strong resentment towards Chapman, impacting her subsequent legislative initiatives. This personal and political conflict likely played a role in the continuous obstruction of the ERA's passage in Illinois as long as Daley remained influential.

The first vote on the ERA in the Illinois Senate took place in late May 1972, by which time 18 other states had already ratified the amendment. Despite Chapman's efforts, the political climate, shaped by her confrontation with Daley, posed a significant barrier to the ERA's progress in Illinois. By the following year, the number of ratifying states had increased to 30, underscoring a growing national support for the amendment, even as Chapman's advocacy faced challenges at the state level.

Death and legacy Chapman died at the Northwest Community Continuing Care Center in Arlington Heights, Illinois. After her death, her family created the Eugenia S. Champan Memorial Scholarship Fund under the Harper College Education Foundation. Two years after her death, Harper College announced the renaming of Women's Center of Harper College after Chapman. In the television miniseries, Mrs. America, Chapman's leading role in the ERA is mentioned and in the episode "Gloria", Chapman is played by actress Alison Brooks.