Marjorie Dannenfelser
Encyclopedia
Marjorie Jones Dannenfelser is President
and Chairman of the Board
of the Susan B. Anthony List
, an American political organization that seeks to advance pro-life
women in politics. She was brought into the organization as its executive director in 1993, shortly after its founding.
as a college student, she was the "pro-choice chair" of the Duke University
College Republicans
. While spending a summer interning with the Heritage Foundation
, she roomed with several other interns. She became pro-life after a "bitter schism" in the house over an "inappropriate" video divided the libertarians and social conservatives
in the house; Dannenfelser said "it made me choose sides", and she left the house with the social conservatives.
Prior to joining the Susan B. Anthony List, Dannenfelser was the staff director of the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus and worked for U.S. House Representative
Alan Mollohan
(D-WV), whom the SBA List later worked to defeat in the 2010 Democratic
primary. Mollohan was defeated in the primary by the pro-life Mike Oliverio.
She began running the SBA List in 1993 out of her home in Arlington, Virginia, after SBA List founder Rachel MacNair
brought her on board as the first experienced political activist to join the group. Dannenfelser was soon joined by Jane Abraham
and the two led SBA List from 1993 to 2006 when Dannenfelser assumed both the chairman and president positions. The organization, headquartered in Washington, D.C.
, lobbies lawmakers and spends millions of dollars per year supporting candidates.
. She grew up as an Episcopalian
and attended Duke University. She later converted to Roman Catholicism. She says her conversion was partly motivated by the Catholic Church's emphasis on the Virgin Mary and the "feminine genius" she represents.
She lives in Arlington, Virginia with her husband, Martin Dannenfelser, a former Family Research Council
vice president, and their five children.
President
A president is a leader of an organization, company, trade union, university, or country.Etymologically, a president is one who presides, who sits in leadership...
and Chairman of the Board
Chairman of the Board
The Chairman of the Board is a seat of office in an organization, especially of corporations.Chairman of the Board may also refer to:*Chairman of the Board , a 1998 film*Chairmen of the Board , a 1970s American soul music group...
of the Susan B. Anthony List
Susan B. Anthony List
The Susan B. Anthony List, or simply SBA List, is a 501 non-profit, non-partisan organization that seeks to eliminate abortion in the U.S. by supporting pro-life politicians, primarily women, through its SBA List Candidate Fund political action committee...
, an American political organization that seeks to advance pro-life
Pro-life
Opposition to the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-life, or anti-abortion, movement, a social and political movement opposing elective abortion on moral grounds and supporting its legal prohibition or restriction...
women in politics. She was brought into the organization as its executive director in 1993, shortly after its founding.
Activism
Ardently pro-choicePro-choice
Support for the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-choice movement, a sociopolitical movement supporting the ethical view that a woman should have the legal right to elective abortion, meaning the right to terminate her pregnancy....
as a college student, she was the "pro-choice chair" of the Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
College Republicans
College Republicans
The College Republican National Committee is a national organization for college and university students who support the Republican Party of the United States...
. While spending a summer interning with the Heritage Foundation
Heritage Foundation
The Heritage Foundation is a conservative American think tank based in Washington, D.C. Heritage's stated mission is to "formulate and promote conservative public policies based on the principles of free enterprise, limited government, individual freedom, traditional American values, and a strong...
, she roomed with several other interns. She became pro-life after a "bitter schism" in the house over an "inappropriate" video divided the libertarians and social conservatives
Social conservatism
Social Conservatism is primarily a political, and usually morally influenced, ideology that focuses on the preservation of what are seen as traditional values. Social conservatism is a form of authoritarianism often associated with the position that the federal government should have a greater role...
in the house; Dannenfelser said "it made me choose sides", and she left the house with the social conservatives.
Prior to joining the Susan B. Anthony List, Dannenfelser was the staff director of the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus and worked for U.S. House Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
Alan Mollohan
Alan Mollohan
Alan Bowlby Mollohan is the former U.S. Representative for , serving from 1983 until 2011. He is a member of the Democratic Party....
(D-WV), whom the SBA List later worked to defeat in the 2010 Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
primary. Mollohan was defeated in the primary by the pro-life Mike Oliverio.
She began running the SBA List in 1993 out of her home in Arlington, Virginia, after SBA List founder Rachel MacNair
Rachel MacNair
Rachel M. MacNair is an American sociologist and psychologist who holds a consistent life ethic, and works against killing. A Quaker, she is an activist against abortion and war. She has written against the culture of violence and the eating of meat...
brought her on board as the first experienced political activist to join the group. Dannenfelser was soon joined by Jane Abraham
Jane Abraham
Jane Abraham is an American political activist. She has been serving as Vice Chairman of the Michigan Republican Party since 2006. She is married to Spencer Abraham, former United States Senator from Michigan and former United States Secretary of Energy under President George W. Bush.Abraham...
and the two led SBA List from 1993 to 2006 when Dannenfelser assumed both the chairman and president positions. The organization, headquartered in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
, lobbies lawmakers and spends millions of dollars per year supporting candidates.
Personal life
Marjorie Jones was born and raised in Greenville, North CarolinaGreenville, North Carolina
Greenville is the county seat of Pitt County and principal city of the Greenville, North Carolina metropolitan area. Greenville is the health, entertainment, and educational hub of North Carolina's Tidewater and Coastal Plain and in 2008 was listed as the Tenth Largest City in North Carolina...
. She grew up as an Episcopalian
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
and attended Duke University. She later converted to Roman Catholicism. She says her conversion was partly motivated by the Catholic Church's emphasis on the Virgin Mary and the "feminine genius" she represents.
She lives in Arlington, Virginia with her husband, Martin Dannenfelser, a former Family Research Council
Family Research Council
The Family Research Council is a conservative or right-wing Christian group and lobbying organization formed in the United States in 1981 by James Dobson. It was fully incorporated in 1983...
vice president, and their five children.