Helen Rankin, the first Black woman in the Ohio House, dies at 89

L. Helen Rankin, the first Black woman to serve in the Ohio House of Representatives, died March 22 at age 89.

Rankin, a Democrat, served 16 years in the Ohio House, representing districts in Cincinnati from 1978 to 1994.

She was appointed to succeed her late husband, James W. Rankin, who died of pneumonia in June 1978 while in office. She completed his term, then won the seat outright in the general election later that year.

She was elected to seven terms representing the 25th Ohio House District, which included Evanston, Walnut Hills, Mount Adams and Hyde Park, then after re-districting, a term for the 30th District, covering Avondale, Bond Hill, Pleasant Ridge and Kennedy Heights.

Who was Helen Rankin

Rankin, born in Georgia on Sept. 12, 1936, moved to Cincinnati to study business administration at the University of Cincinnati. Before taking office, she worked as an intake supervisor at the Cincinnati Community Action Commission.

She was a 41-year-old mother of three when she took over her husband’s House seat. She proceeded to earn her own legacy her own way, quietly behind the scenes.

She fought to preserve Medicaid reimbursement for health clinics and worked to reform Ohio’s Title XX program to provide services for low-income, elderly and disabled persons.

Her signature achievement was introducing a bill that made insurance companies cover the costs of mammograms. She introduced the bill four times before it finally passed and was signed into law by Gov. George Voinovich in 1992.

“It was landmark legislation. She was very persistent and overcame a lot of obstacles on that,” the late Rep. William Mallory told the Cincinnati Post when Rankin retired in 1994.

“Representative Rankin didn’t just break barriers, she built pathways,” said Rep. Terrence Upchurch, D-Cleveland, president of the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus, in a statement on Instagram. “Her legacy is reflected not only in the policies she passed, but in the lives she touched, the communities she strengthened, and the doors she opened for generations to come.”

Helen Rankin services April 10

After she retired, Rankin was co-chair of Shalom Habitat for Humanity Project, helping to build homes in Walnut Hills, and active with her church, New Vision United Methodist Church.

She was preceded in death by her first husband, James W. Rankin; her second husband, William B. Merritt; and her brothers, Thermon Key and Andrew Key. She is survived by her children, Sharon Moon, James W. Rankin Jr. and Connie Ross; seven grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.

A visitation will be held April 10 at 10 a.m., followed by a funeral service at noon, at New Vision United Methodist Church, 4400 Reading Road, Paddock Hills. She will be interred at Walnut Hills Cemetery.