Sherrill Redmon is an American historian and the former wife of Mitch McConnell. He is a longtime U.S. senator from Kentucky. Many people know her name because of their marriage. However, she also built a career in women’s history. She worked for many years at Smith College in Massachusetts. There, she helped save old letters, photos, and personal stories.
These records show how women lived and worked in the past. Sherrill Redmon also worked on history projects linked to Gloria Steinem, a famous women’s rights leader. She married Mitch McConnell in 1968. They had three daughters before their divorce in 1980. After that, she continued her career in education and history. Her life includes family, college studies, and years of work to save stories that people might forget.
Who Is Sherrill Redmon?
Sherrill Redmon is a retired historian and former college archives director. She became known as Mitch McConnell’s first wife. Yet she also made a name for herself through her work. She studied history and earned a Ph.D. in 1974. Later, she worked with old records at colleges in Kentucky and Massachusetts. Her biggest career role came in 1993.
That year, she became director of the Sophia Smith Collection at Smith College. The collection keeps records about women’s lives and work. Redmon led the collection for nearly 19 years. She helped save the stories of women who worked for civil rights, better jobs, and fair treatment. Her work gave students more ways to study American history.
Sherrill Redmon’s Early Life and Education
Sherrill Redmon spent part of her early adult life in Kentucky. She attended the University of Louisville before continuing her college studies. Later, she earned a Ph.D. from the University of Kentucky in 1974. A Ph.D. is a high college degree. It takes years of study and research to earn one. Students must read books, study facts, and complete a major research project.
Redmon’s education helped prepare her for her later work in history. She learned skills that helped her study old records and understand past events. These skills became useful when she started working in college archives. Little public information is available about her parents and childhood. However, her education and career are well documented.
How Did Sherrill Redmon Meet Mitch McConnell?
Sherrill Redmon and Mitch McConnell began their relationship during the 1960s. Both had ties to college life in Kentucky. McConnell studied at the University of Louisville and earned his degree in 1964. He then attended the University of Kentucky, where he studied law. He completed his law degree in 1967.
The exact details of the couple’s first meeting are not clear in reliable public records. However, they married in 1968. At that time, McConnell was starting his career in law and government. He had not yet become a U.S. senator. Redmon was also working toward her own goals through education. Their marriage began many years before McConnell became a major political leader.
Sherrill Redmon and Mitch McConnell’s Marriage
Sherrill Redmon and Mitch McConnell were married for about 12 years. They married in 1968 and divorced in 1980. During that time, they became parents to three daughters. McConnell worked in law and started building his political career in Kentucky. In 1977, he became the judge-executive of Jefferson County.
This was an important local government job. Redmon had completed her Ph.D. in 1974 and had begun her work with historical records. Their family life took place before McConnell became a national political figure. He first won a U.S. Senate election in 1984. This happened four years after the couple divorced. Their marriage was part of his early career, not his later years as a Senate leader.
Why Did Sherrill Redmon and Mitch McConnell Divorce?
Sherrill Redmon and Mitch McConnell ended their marriage in 1980. They had spent about 12 years together and shared three daughters. The exact reason for their divorce has not been made clear in trusted public records. Some reports have discussed their different views on politics and women’s rights. However, these views do not prove why their marriage ended.
After the divorce, both continued with their own careers. McConnell stayed in politics and later became a U.S. senator. Redmon continued her work with history and education. McConnell married Elaine Chao in 1993. She later served in major U.S. government jobs. Redmon spent much of her later career at Smith College. She kept most details of her private life away from the news.
Sherrill Redmon’s Three Daughters
Sherrill Redmon and Mitch McConnell have three daughters. Their names are Eleanor, Claire, and Porter McConnell. Eleanor is also known as Elly. All three grew up during the early years of their father’s political career. Their mother was also building her own career in education and history. Eleanor and Claire have kept much of their personal lives private.
Porter has received more public attention through her work on money and public policy issues. She has worked with Take On Wall Street, a group that supports changes to financial rules. The daughters have followed their own paths as adults. Their parents’ public careers do not mean every part of their family life is public. There is limited confirmed information about their private family relationships.
Sherrill Redmon’s Career Before Smith College
Before joining Smith College, Sherrill Redmon gained work experience in Kentucky. She worked with historical records at the University of Louisville. During the late 1970s, she was part of the university’s archives work. An archive is a place that keeps important old records safe. These records can include letters, pictures, books, and reports.
Workers must sort these items and help people find them. They also protect old papers from damage. Redmon gained skills that helped her in later jobs. Her work taught her why records are important. A single letter can tell a story that a history book may miss. By saving these items, archives help people learn more about past events and the lives of ordinary people.
Her Work at the Sophia Smith Collection
In 1993, Sherrill Redmon became director of the Sophia Smith Collection at Smith College. The college is in Northampton, Massachusetts. The collection began in 1942 and focuses on women’s history. It keeps old letters, photos, journals, and records from women’s groups. These items show how women worked, raised families, and helped change society. Redmon helped lead this collection for nearly 19 years.
During that time, staff members worked to save stories from women of many backgrounds. Some were famous leaders. Others worked in schools, hospitals, local groups, and small towns. Redmon helped guide projects that made these records easier to find and study. Her work gave students and teachers more information about women in American history.
What Did Sherrill Redmon Do as Director?
Sherrill Redmon helped manage the work of the Sophia Smith Collection. Her job included guiding staff and helping plan projects. The collection needed people to find records and keep them safe. Staff members also had to sort papers and write clear guides about them. These guides helped students find the records they needed.
Redmon helped build links with women and groups that wanted to share their stories. Some gave letters and personal papers to the college. Others agreed to recorded interviews. These records helped show what life was like during important times in American history. Redmon’s role was not just about storing old papers. She helped make sure people could learn from them.
Sherrill Redmon and Gloria Steinem
Sherrill Redmon’s work at Smith College connected her with Gloria Steinem. Steinem is a famous American writer and women’s rights leader. She helped start Ms. magazine in 1972. The magazine covered issues such as women’s jobs, health, and fair treatment. Steinem also took part in events linked to the Sophia Smith Collection.
Her personal papers became part of the college’s history records. Redmon helped lead the collection during years when it worked on projects about women’s rights. One major effort was the Voices of Feminism Oral History Project. It helped save interviews with women who had worked for change. The connection between Redmon, Steinem, and Smith College became an important part of the collection’s public work.
The Voices of Feminism Oral History Project
The Voices of Feminism Oral History Project helped save women’s life stories. An oral history is a recorded talk about a person’s life. A person may speak about family, work, school, or an important event. These talks help people learn from those who lived through history. The Smith College project included women who worked for civil rights, fair pay, better health care, and equal treatment.
It also gave attention to women whose stories had received little notice. The project grew during Redmon’s years as director. A major grant from the Ford Foundation helped support this work in the early 2000s. The team saved interviews and papers for future study. These records help readers understand how women worked to change their lives and communities.
Sherrill Redmon’s Work With Loretta Ross
Sherrill Redmon also helped save the story of Loretta Ross. Ross is an American writer, teacher, and women’s rights leader. She has worked on issues linked to health and human rights. Redmon and her coworker Joyce Follet helped bring Ross into contact with Smith College. Ross was unsure about giving her papers to the college.
She wanted to know if she could still use them. Redmon and Follet explained how the records would be kept safe. They also told her how she could get access to them. Ross later agreed to give much of her material to the college. She took part in a long interview about her life. The written interview reached 364 pages. It became an important record of her work and experiences.
How Her Work Helped Women’s History
Sherrill Redmon’s work helped save stories that people might have lost. Many history books focus on presidents, wars, and famous leaders. Yet teachers, workers, nurses, and local leaders also shape history. Their letters and photos can show what daily life was like. Redmon helped lead projects that saved these kinds of records.
The Sophia Smith Collection also holds papers from groups that worked for women’s rights. One example is the YWCA of the USA. Its records include information about women, jobs, education, and civil rights. Saving these papers helps students learn about the work of women in different places. It also gives people a fuller picture of American life.
Important Events During Her Career
Sherrill Redmon took part in events about women’s history while working at Smith College. In 2007, the college held a program called The Power of Women’s Voices. The event marked 65 years of the Sophia Smith Collection. It included talks about women’s rights and the value of old records. Redmon introduced parts of the event and helped lead talks about new collections.
Gloria Steinem was also among the speakers. The event gave students and visitors a chance to learn about women’s history. It showed how letters, photos, and interviews could help explain major changes in American life. Redmon’s work at these events helped connect the college’s records with a wider public audience.
Sherrill Redmon’s Retirement in 2012
Sherrill Redmon retired from Smith College in August 2012. She had worked as director of the Sophia Smith Collection since 1993. She also held a role helping guide special collections at the college. Her years of work helped support projects about women’s rights and history. On February 3, 2013, Smith College held an event to honor her.
The event also marked 70 years of the Sophia Smith Collection. Gloria Steinem took part, along with writer Alison Bechdel and women’s rights leaders. The program looked at the value of saving old records and personal stories. It also gave attention to the work done during Redmon’s years as director. Her retirement ended a long career at the college.
Sherrill Redmon’s Life After Retirement
After retiring, Sherrill Redmon spent less time in the public eye. However, she took part in a recorded interview on November 6, 2017. The interview took place during a women’s history event in Houston, Texas. The University of Houston keeps the recording in its special collections. Redmon spoke about parts of her personal history, marriage, and work.
The interview was linked to a project about the 1977 National Women’s Conference. That event brought women together to discuss their rights and goals. Redmon’s interview became another record for people studying women’s history. Since then, she has kept much of her daily life private. There is little confirmed recent information about her home or personal activities.
Why Is Sherrill Redmon Still Known Today?
Sherrill Redmon is still known for two main parts of her life. The first is her marriage to Mitch McConnell. The second is her work in women’s history. She was married to McConnell during his early years in law and politics. They raised three daughters before ending their marriage in 1980. Redmon later led a major history collection at Smith College.
She helped save records from women who worked for change in America. Her work included projects linked to Gloria Steinem and Loretta Ross. These records give students a way to learn about the past through real letters and interviews. Redmon’s career remains an important part of her life story.
Final Thoughts
Sherrill Redmon is more than the former wife of Mitch McConnell. She built a long career in education and women’s history. She earned a Ph.D., raised three daughters, and worked with historical records for many years. Her most important role was leading the Sophia Smith Collection at Smith College. She held that job from 1993 to 2012.
During those years, she helped save stories about women who worked for equal rights and better lives. Her work also connected her with Gloria Steinem and other women’s rights leaders. Although she now stays away from much of the public spotlight, her work remains useful. The records she helped protect still teach people about women’s lives and American history.
