As a 1950s housewife and League of Women Voters volunteer who spearheaded the city of Lincoln's switch to a "strong mayor" form of government, Helen Boosalis (1919-2009) never anticipated that she herself would one day be that strong mayor and chief executive of Nebraska's capital city. Helen Boosalis's story, told by her daughter, Beth Boosalis Davis, is that of a true pioneer of women in politics. The daughter of Greek immigrants, Boosalis achieved national prominence as the first woman president of the U.S. Conference of Mayors and as an outspoken advocate for economically distressed cities facing President Reagan's "new federalism." Winning the Democratic nomination for governor of Nebraska in 1986, Helen Boosalis ran against Kay Orr in the first gubernatorial contest between two women in U.S. history. The interwoven tales of conflict and challenge, from the mayor's office to the campaign trail, combine personal insight into one woman's trailblazing political history with a compelling memoir of a half century of public service and private devotion shared by two remarkable women, mother and daughter. Listen to an interview with Helen Boosalis and Beth Boosalis Davis on AARP's Radio Prime Time show.

Women in American Politics is a new reference detailing the milestones and trends in women's political participation in the United States. This two-volume work provides much needed perspective and background on the events and situations that have surrounded women's political activities. It offers insightful analysis on women's political achievements in the United States, including such topics as the campaign to secure nation-wide suffrage; pioneer women state officeholders; women first elected to U.S. Congress, governorships, mayoralties, and other offices; and women first appointed as Cabinet officials, judges, and ambassadors. It also includes profiles of the women who have run for vice president and president. Women in American Politics is organized in a framework both logical and useful to readers and researchers. Original material offers students, scholars, teachers, and other professionals a guide to understanding the complex struggle in women's progress toward achieving political parity with men in the United States. Each chapter is structured in three parts: - part one features graphic information-tables, lists, charts, or maps-detailing the historical record with data not compiled anywhere else, on women officeholders. - part two offers insightful narrative analysis describing how women achieved what they did, examines the complex and sometimes contradictory trends behind the facts of women's political milestones, and explores how social and economic contexts affected the progress of their accomplishments. - part three presents biographical entries describing in more personal terms women's struggle for political equality. Sidebars in each chapter illuminate the drama of political life and consider the evolving female electorate, exploring how women voters have impacted particular issues, specific elections, or other key turning points, and the tradition of appointing widows to open seats. The final chapter uniquely looks at women's political history and differences in achievement from a state and regional perspective. Entries on each state (as well as on District of Columbia and Puerto Rico) highlight milestones and provide insight into the unique aspects of each state.

List of publications of the conference in each volume.