Harriett woods biography books

American politician and activist (1927–2007)

Ruth Harriett Woods (June 2, 1927 – February 8, 2007) was an American politician and activist, two-time Democratic nominee for the United States Senate from Missouri, and the 42nd lieutenant governor of Missouri.

She was the first woman elected to statewide office when she was elected Missouri's first, and so far only, woman lieutenant governor.

Life and career

Born Ruth Harriett Friedman in Cleveland, Ohio, she received her Bachelor of Arts in philosophy from the University of Michigan, where she was the first woman to serve as Senior Editor of the Michigan Daily during peacetime.

She married Jim Woods on January 2, 1953, and had three sons. Beginning in the early 1960s, Woods began working as a writer, moderator, producer, and talk show host on local television stations. Her programs covered serious topics such as child abuse, women's issues, civil rights, and the Vietnam War.

Her political career b