In 2011, Michigan native and former editor for the Washington Post Sara Fitzgerald’s biography of the first woman in Michigan to chair the Republican Party was published. Its title was Elly Peterson, “Mother” of the Moderates. (Also available online to the MSU community). Ms. Peterson was born on this date in 1914 and died in 2008. In 1984, she was inducted into the Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame. In addition to chairing a major political party, her other accomplishments included being nominated for the U.S. Senate, working as the first woman assistant chair of the Republican National Committee twice, and, with Liz Carpenter, serving as national co-chair of ERAmerica. Throughout her life and career, she was a strong advocate for equal rights for women.
Source : Michigan Women’s Hall of Fame Inductee (look under Politics)