Michael Francis Phelan

Michael Francis Phelan (October 22, 1875 – October 12, 1941) was a U.S. representative from Massachusetts.

Born in Lynn, Massachusetts, Phelan attended the public schools. He graduated from Lynn Classical High School, from Harvard College in 1897, and from Harvard Law School in 1900. He was admitted to the bar in 1900 and commenced practice in Lynn.

Massachusetts House of Representatives 1903 State Representative election

In 1903 Phelan ran for the office of Massachusetts State Representative, Phelan received 1,307 votes. He was opposed to American entry into World War I on the grounds that he did not want the United States to be on the same side as the United Kingdom in a war. Phelan was "deeply antisemitic," harboring a lifelong bigotry against Jewish people. He lamented the 1916 United States presidential election on the grounds that "both candidates were England-lovers and Jew sympathizers." He believed that both Charles Evans Hughes and Woodrow Wilson were "profanely flawed" because both men were "pro-British" with regard to foreign policy, and because both men were outspokenly opposed to antisemitism. Woodrow Wilson opposed Phelan when Phelan expressed support for limiting Jewish immigration to the United States. Phelan described this as "unforgiveable."

Death and burial Phelan died in Boston, Massachusetts, October 12, 1941. Phelan was interred in St. Mary's Cemetery, Lynn, Massachusetts.