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McMillan, Helen E. (1909–1984)

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Black and white photograph of Helen E. (Davis) McMillan of Austin, ca. 1972.

Helen E. (Davis) McMillan of Austin, ca. 1972.

As a legislator, Helen E. McMillan served Mower County for twelve years. She was also involved in the Red Cross, the Women’s League of Voters, the Human Rights Commission, and the United Council for Church Women.

On July 6, 1909, Helen Elvira Davis was born in Ortonville, Minnesota. Growing up, she attended Marshall High School in Minneapolis and at eighteen left home to join the Albertina Rasch professional ballet troupe in Chicago. She was part of the troupe for three years before returning to Minnesota in 1930. After attending the University of Minnesota for two and a half years, she moved into a secretarial program.

During her time working as a secretary Davis met Kenneth McMillan, an attorney, whom she married on July 10, 1938. During World War II, her husband left for Fort Snelling and ended up fighting first in France, then in Germany, and, finally, in England; he left the military as a sergeant. In 1945, after his return, the couple moved to Austin, Minnesota, where Kenneth was employed as a municipal judge.

In Austin, Helen was involved in several different groups, including the Red Cross, hospital workers, and the Presbyterian Church. She was the secretary of the Governor’s Human Rights Commission, the vice president of United Council of Church Women, and the president of the Austin League of Women Voters for fifteen years. From 1953 until 1955, she served as the president of the Minnesota League of Women Voters.

At the suggestion of the Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL), and after seeing how much she loved being president of the League, Kenneth McMillan convinced his wife to run for the Minnesota House of Representatives. Mower County had just been divided into two different sections, and one of them—district 31B–was largely comprised of Democratic–Farmer–Labor Party (DFL) voters. In 1962, McMillan was the first woman to be elected as a representative of Mower County. She was subsequently re-elected five times, and served for a total of twelve years. For some of that time, McMillan was the only woman in the Minnesota House of Representatives.

McMillan continued to represent the DFL throughout her career. She served on multiple committees in the 1960s and 1970s, including the Health and Welfare Committee, the Employee Compensation Committee, the Recreation and Water Resources Committee, the Reapportionment Committee, the Legislative Retirement Study Committee, and he Crime Prevention and Corrections Committee, which she chaired in 1973.

McMillan was passionate about education for the mentally ill and was well known for her work in women’s rights. In 1969, she co-sponsored an abortion bill that would have left abortion decisions in the hands of doctors and their patients. Though the bill never made it to the floor, it was later mandated by the U.S. Supreme Court in Roe vs. Wade. McMillan also co-authored Minnesota’s ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment in 1973 and was especially passionate about getting women into the legislature. She later stated that the five new women legislators in office when she retired were her greatest legacy.

In 1970, Kenneth McMillan died while Helen was in office. They had no children. She continued serving for four more years before retiring in 1974 and was only the second woman to head a legislative committee in Minnesota history. To honor her, Mower County named March 18, 1975, Helen E. McMillan Recognition Day and held a dinner for her. At that dinner, Governor Wendell Anderson awarded her with a plaque commending her for her work in the legislature.

Later in her life, McMillan moved into St. Mark’s Lutheran Home in Austin, where she lived until she passed away in 1984. At her funeral, Pat Piper, the current representative of district 31B, gave a tribute and read a letter from Senator Tom Nelson that praised Helen’s compassion, tenacity, and strength of character as qualities others should emulate. On February 28 1984, on National Women’s Day and Women’s History Week, representatives Phyllis Kahn and Pat Piper rose in the House during a session to pay tribute to McMillan.

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© Minnesota Historical Society
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Ackerberg, Peter. “Austin Woman to Head House Committee." Minneapolis Star, December 9, 1972.

"Five Members to Retire." Session Scenes, Minnesota House of Representatives, April 18, 1974.

"Former Legislator McMillan, 74, Dies." Minneapolis Star Tribune, January 30, 1984.

"Legislature's Lady Feels Half 'Gentleman'." Minneapolis Star, February 21, 1969.

P2512
Helen McMillan papers, undated and 1949–1984
Manuscript Collection, Minnesota Historical Society, St. Paul
Description: Papers of Helen E. McMillan, including cards from her celebration dinner, newspaper articles, her election certificates, and a scrapbook for the League of Women Voters.

Minnesota Legislative Reference Library. Legislators Past and Present: Helen E. McMillan.
https://www.leg.state.mn.us/legdb/fulldetail?id=10418

Stuhler, Barbara and Gretchen Kreuter, eds. Women of Minnesota: Selected Biographical Essays. St. Paul: Minnesota Historical Society Press, 1998.

"The Passing of a Pioneer." Austin Daily Herald, January 31, 1984.

Related Images

Black and white photograph of Helen E. (Davis) McMillan of Austin, ca. 1972.
Black and white photograph of Helen E. (Davis) McMillan of Austin, ca. 1972.
Black and white photograph of Helen E. (Davis) McMillan of Austin, ca.1972.
Black and white photograph of Helen E. (Davis) McMillan of Austin, ca.1972.
Black and white photograph of Helen E. (Davis) McMillan of Austin receiving a plaque from Martin Sabo at her recognition banquet in Austin, March 18, 1975.
Black and white photograph of Helen E. (Davis) McMillan of Austin receiving a plaque from Martin Sabo at her recognition banquet in Austin, March 18, 1975.
Color image of Helen E. (Davis) McMillan of Austin, ca. 1972.
Color image of Helen E. (Davis) McMillan of Austin, ca. 1972.
Color image of the plaque that Representative Helen E. McMillan received at her recognition banquet, held on March 18, 1975.
Color image of the plaque that Representative Helen E. McMillan received at her recognition banquet, held on March 18, 1975.

Turning Point

In 1962, Helen E. McMillan is elected as the first woman representative of Mower County.

Chronology

1909

Helen E. Davis is born in Ortonville on July 6.

1927

At eighteen, Helen joins the Albertina Rasche ballet troupe in Chicago.

1930

Helen returns to Minnesota and begins taking classes at the University of Minnesota.

1938

Helen marries Kenneth McMillan.

1945

The McMillans move to Austin.

1953–1955

Helen serves as the president of the Minnesota League of Women Voters.

1962

McMillan is elected as the first woman representative for Mower County. She is subsequently re-elected five times.

1969

McMillan co-sponsors an abortion bill.

1973

McMillan co-authors Minnesota’s ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment and serves as the chair of the Crime Prevention and Corrections Committee.

1974

McMillan retires from office.

1975

Mower County names March 18 Helen E. McMillan Recognition Day and holds a banquet in her honor.

1984

Helen McMillan dies on January 29 in Austin.