Three First Ladies Make a Difference

Three First Ladies Make a Difference. . , At the turn of the 20th century, the wives of three Illinois governors used their positions in way that worked to change others' lives for the better. Most of the state's first ladies filled traditional roles of wife, mother and homemaker, while quietly supporting their husbands careers. With the exception of hosting public receptions, there was generally little direct involvement in public affairs. , Taking a public stand against mob action , Cora English Tanner, the wife of Gov. John R. Tanner, stepped away from established tradition in 1899, issuing a public statement denouncing the lynching of an African American in the South. She condemned the mob action, writing: "There is no fit time to ignore the law. Protection is the religion of our Nation, and the law protects, defends, and prescribes for all emergencies. We cannot live in this world without justice, nor in the world to come without mercy. , , Support for Woman Suffrage , Bina Maloney Deneen oversaw the Illinois Governor's Mansion from 1905 to 1913. Before her marriage, Deneen attended the Mount Carroll Seminary in northern Illinois where she taught classes on office practices. While living in Chicago, she married aspiring politician Charles S. Deneen, and played an active, though behind-the-scenes role in his campaigns. She also took part in the women's club movement, with its promotion of art, literature and music. , , Deneen entered the mansion a self-described "home woman," but soon began to play an active role in social movements. Her interest in the Methodist church led her to take a leading public role in the founding of Springfield's Young Woman's Christian Association. As the cause of voting rights for Illinois women came to the fore, Deneen hosted delegates attending meetings of the Illinois Equal Suffrage Association and women's groups visiting Springfield to lobby lawmakers. The suffrage movement won success in 1913 with the enactment of a limited woman suffrage law, just months after Gov. Deneen's term ended. , Providing a forum for social justice , Helen Wadsworth Yates came to the Illinois Governor's Mansion in 1901, after the election of her husband, Gov. Richard Yates II. Within days she made the mansion more accessible, directing that "the rooms on the first floor should be shown to any persons desiring to look over the mansion. The upper part of the house, naturally, must be reserved for the family." Yates also publicized the work of social reformers such as Jane Addams and Joliet prison chaplain S.W. Thornton by inviting them to make presentations at public receptions attended by lawmakers and other leaders. , upper picture part of the house, naturally, must be reserved for the family." Yates also publicized the work of social reformers such as Jane Addams and Joliet prison chaplain S.W. Thornton by inviting them to make presentations at public receptions attended by lawmakers and other leaders. ,