Minnie D. Craig

Minnie Craig (née Davenport, November 4, 1883 – July 2, 1966) was an American legislator, notable as the first female speaker of a state House of Representatives in the United States.

Born in Phillips, Maine on November 4, 1883 to Marshall and Aura (Prescott) Davenport, Minnie Davenport was a bright student. After graduating from the Farmington State Normal School she attended the New England Conservatory of Music and became a school teacher. She married Edward Craig in July, 1908, and they moved from Maine to Esmond, North Dakota where Edward was president of a bank. Both Craig and her husband became involved in the Nonpartisan League, and in 1923, just three years after women won the right to vote, she was elected to the North Dakota House of Representatives. She became known by the affectionate nickname, "Min", but also had a reputation as a serious and meticulous legislator. A 1927 report noted, 1

Mrs. M. Craig watches every move that is made and is ready to blast any presumptuous member with that cold, withering glance that the members know so well and dread so much. In addition to forging her own political career, Craig encouraged other women to become politically active:

There's a field – a grand one for women – in politics, but women must ... play politics as women and not as weak imitations of their 'lords and masters.' Men are all to inclined to 'stuff' a lady full of nonsense, treat her with not to much respect for her intellect and be far happier when she's nicely tucked away in some corner where she can do them no harm – and herself no good. But it doesn't have to be that way. ... She has certain natural talents which men don't have. Women are naturally given to detail ... If they weren't, they couldn't make pies or sew dresses. Men don't like details. Because of woman's training ... she's more thorough than man and right there she has a splendid opportunity for politics. The United Nations declared 1975 "International Women's Year" and North Dakota chose the occasion to honor Craig for her pioneering work.