"In her book, Jane Pratt, Marion Deerhake introduces us to a pioneering woman who served North Carolina admirably in a number of ways--including 22 years in service as secretary to four North Carolina congressmen and ultimately serving herself as the state's first congresswoman. The next North Carolina woman to serve in Washington would come nearly a half century later. Jane Pratt was a trailblazer, and her important story might have been forgotten had Deerhake not chronicled her life and its impact on the history of our state and indeed our nation. The book is a wonderful historical account of a woman who deserves to be remembered."--Pamela L. Davies, President Emerita and Professor of Strategy, Queens University of Charlotte
"Long before North Carolina voters started electing women to Congress in the 1990s, Jane Pratt blazed a trail later followed by Rep. Eva Clayton, Sen. Elizabeth Dole, and the other Tar Heel women elected to serve in Washington. Pratt once was one of the most influential women in North Carolina, but her story largely has been lost to time. Marion Deerhake has done a good deed for North Carolina by documenting and elevating Pratt's exemplary service to the state."--John Drescher, contributing editor for The Assembly and former executive editor of The News & Observer
"When Eliza Jane Pratt became North Carolina's first congresswoman in 1946, the Democratic Party patronizingly congratulated her as 'well-bred, well educated, well behaved and intelligent.' Pratt, a career congressional staffer, served only eight months in office, but she would be the only Tar Heel woman in Congress until Eva Clayton's election in 1992. Marion Deerhake has expertly shined a light on a largely forgotten figure--a career woman who succeeded in the testosterone-infused political world of the early 20th century.''--Rob Christensen, former political writer for The News and Observer of Raleigh and author of The Paradox of Tar Heel Politics
"In her book, Jane Pratt, Marion Deerhake introduces us to a pioneering woman who served North Carolina admirably in a number of ways-including 22 years in service as secretary to four North Carolina congressmen and ultimately serving herself as the state's first congresswoman. The next North Carolina woman to serve in Washington would come nearly a half century later. Jane Pratt was a trailblazer, and her important story might have been forgotten had Deerhake not chronicled her life and its impact on the history of our state and indeed our nation. The book is a wonderful historical account of a woman who deserves to be remembered."-Pamela L. Davies, President Emerita and Professor of Strategy, Queens University of Charlotte
"Long before North Carolina voters started electing women to Congress in the 1990s, Jane Pratt blazed a trail later followed by Rep. Eva Clayton, Sen. Elizabeth Dole, and the other Tar Heel women elected to serve in Washington. Pratt once was one of the most influential women in North Carolina, but her story largely has been lost to time. Marion Deerhake has done a good deed for North Carolina by documenting and elevating Pratt's exemplary service to the state."-John Drescher, contributing editor for The Assembly and former executive editor of The News & Observer
"When Eliza Jane Pratt became North Carolina's first congresswoman in 1946, the Democratic Party patronizingly congratulated her as 'well-bred, well educated, well behaved and intelligent.' Pratt, a career congressional staffer, served only eight months in office, but she would be the only Tar Heel woman in Congress until Eva Clayton's election in 1992. Marion Deerhake has expertly shined a light on a largely forgotten figure-a career woman who succeeded in the testosterone-infused political world of the early 20th century.''-Rob Christensen, former political writer for The News and Observer of Raleigh and author of The Paradox of Tar Heel Politics