Portrait of Margaret Chase Smith
Margaret Chase Smith (1897-1995) of Skowhegan was the first woman to be elected to both the U.S. House of Representatives (1940) and the U.S. Senate (1948). During the Republican National Convention in 1964, Margaret Chase Smith became the first woman nominated as a presidential candidate by a major political party.
Maine State Museum 74.20.1 Joe Phelan photo
On June 1, 1950, Senator Margaret Chase Smith delivered her “Declaration of Conscience” speech on the floor of the U.S. Senate. She spoke out against the tactics used by Sen. Joseph McCarthy to publicly accuse hundreds of Americans, without evidence, of being members of the Communist Party. Amid national fears about the spread of communism, McCarthy’s attacks resonated with many Americans and continued for another four years. But Smith’s speech was an important first step in calling attention to McCarthy’s hate-filled, unfair tactics and brought respect and distinction to Maine’s junior senator.