A Woman of Firsts

"Margaret Heckler has always been a champion for women. She's a woman everyone should know about. We both shared a commitment to the Equal Rights Amendment. In 1980, at the Republican National Convention, Margaret Heckler called a private meeting with Ronald Reagan, then a presidential nominee, to discuss including the ERA in the platform. However, when it became clear that Reagan was opposed, Heckler urged him instead to put the first woman on the Supreme Court. I’m glad he did!" —Sandra Day O'Connor

"Margaret Heckler was a great friend and supporter. I always enjoyed working with her in Congress and in the cabinet. She deserves credit for breaking glass ceilings. She was ahead of her time." —George H. W. Bush, former US president

"This intimate biography of Peggy Heckler is as captivating as she was. It illuminates her feminism, political acumen, personal losses, and Irish charm in an account that recalls how hard it was for women to break through so many doors and ceilings." —Elisabeth Griffith PhD, author of Formidable: American Women and the Fight for Equality: 1920–2020, and Pink Threads on SubStack

"A Woman of Firsts takes readers on an inspiring journey through the life of Margaret Heckler, former Congresswoman and HHS Secretary, who became the first woman American ambassador to Ireland. She was a courageous model of female leadership who served as an inspiration to me when I was elected as the first female president of Ireland. This historical narrative reveals insights into the private world of a popular public servant." —Mary Robinson, former president of Ireland

"Margaret Heckler was a groundbreaking sky-opener, one of only eleven women in Congress in 1967 who fought and persevered in a man’s world. I came in on her shoulders without even realizing it. A must-read!" —Connie Morella, former US congresswoman (R-MD)

"I recognized Margaret Heckler’s courage when she advocated for the WASPs [Women Airforce Service Pilots] and finally obtained the military benefits we were promised for decades but never received. The story of this remarkable woman is worth knowing." —Bernice "Bee" Falk Haydu, one of the first women military pilots in World War II

"Margaret Heckler was a pioneer, ensuring that women could have access to credit in their own name. What she did was historic. And obviously, women in America have benefitted from having credit in their own name since the day that the bill [the Equal Credit Opportunity Act of 1974] was signed." —Senator Edward Markey (D-MA)

"At a time when there were so few women running for Congress, Margaret Heckler became a fighter and a leader on key issues that fundamentally changed the laws reflecting the true roles of women in our society and that still resonate to this day. That is her legacy." —Olympia Snowe, former US congresswoman and senator (R-ME)

"Margaret was the last of an era. She is a sort of bridge to the time when we were a genuine two-party state, when there were a substantial number of Massachusetts Republicans in Congress, which makes her historically significant." —George D. Brown, Emeritus Robert Drinan, S.J., Professor of Law, Boston College Law School

"A great story of someone who came from humble beginnings and what she accomplished among women." —Edwin Meese III, former US attorney general