In 2019, the University of Rochester received the Congressional papers of the Honorable Louise McIntosh Slaughter (1929–2018) from her family establishing the Louise M. Slaughter Congressional Collection.
But who was Louise M. Slaughter?
- A Kentucky native, who moved to New York with her husband, Bob, in 1957.
- A 16-term United States Congresswoman, serving Rochester and Monroe County until her death in 2018.
- Sponsor or cosponsor of more than 7,000 pieces of legislation during her 30-year congressional career.
- The first woman to serve as Chair of the House Rules Committee from 2007 to 2011.
- The only microbiologist to serve in Congress.
This only skims the surface of who Slaughter was and what her collection tells us about her and her impressive career. We're excited to give you glimpses into both on a weekly basis. You can find it here and on social media, which you can find searching for #YourWeeklyLouise. Follow the link to learn more about the Congresswoman and what is in the collection that now lives within Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation.
Newscenter article: University to receive Louise Slaughter Congressional collection
