Lila Manfield Sapinsley was born in Chicago, Illinois on September 9, 1922. She married John M. Sapinsley on December 23, 1942, while John was serving in the United States Navy during World War II. When John was sent overseas Lila resumed her education at Wellesley College and graduated in 1944. After John was discharged from the Navy in October of 1945 they moved to Providence, Rhode Island, where they still reside. Mr. and Mrs. Sapinsley have four daughters, Jill Mooney, Carol Rubenstein, Joan Lewis and Patricia Levey.
Mrs. Sapinsley's political career in Rhode Island began with her work for "Democrats for Chafee", an organization that supported Governor John Chafee's reelection campaign in 1964. Governor Chafee appointed her to the Board of Trustees of State Colleges that year, and in 1967 she became the first woman to be elected its chairman.
There were no women serving in the Rhode Island Senate in 1972 when Mrs. Sapinsley was elected to represent the 2nd District on the east side of Providence. She ran as both a Republican and as an Independent. In 1974 she was elected Minority Leader, the first woman to hold that position in either branch of the Rhode Island Legislature. She remained Minority Leader until she left the Senate in 1984 to campaign unsuccessfully for Lieutenant Governor.
Mrs. Sapinsley was appointed to be the Director of the Department of Community Affairs by Governor Edward DiPrete in 1986. The director of that department was also the head of the Rhode Island Housing and Mortgage Finance Corporation (RIHMFC). At the time of her appointment the agency was being investigated by the Rhode Island Attorney General's Office for, among other things, illegally granting low-interest mortgages to favored customers and political insiders. During her year as Chairwoman Mrs. Sapinsley restored public confidence and proper management to the agency. She then moved on to a six-year term on the Public Utilities Commission. While she was working there Mrs. Sapinsley also became one of four regular panelists on the Rhode Island PBS program "A Lively Experiment". She retired from the program in 2004 after sixteen years.
During her political career and after, Mrs. Sapinsley served on many private sector boards, including the American Civil Liberties Union, John Hope Settlement House, Planned Parenthood of Rhode Island, Temple Beth El and the Visiting Nurses Association. She has been recognized by many organizations as "Woman of the Year". She was awarded honorary degrees by the University of Rhode Island in 1971, Rhode Island College in 1973, and Brown University in 1993. In 2007 she published
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Lila M. Sapinsley papers, Ms. 2008.021, Brown University Library.
Lila M. Sapinsley is a civic leader and former state senator from Rhode Island. Her papers contain numerous awards given in recognition of her public service, copies of and notes for speeches, subject files on various topics related to her political career, nineteen scrapbooks, and her memoir.
The awards in this collection consist of both plaques and certificates. Many are for "Woman of the Year". Also included are certificates from the State Board of Elections and three undated photographs taken of Mrs. Sapinsley with President Ronald Reagan, Barbara Bush and Elizabeth Dole respectively.
The series regarding redistricting contains a variety of material related to the unsuccessful attempt by State Senator Rocco Quattrocci to combine senate districts two and three on the east side of Providence in 1982. It includes newspaper articles, press releases, correspondence, legal documents and a minicassette.
Most of the speeches in these papers are handwritten and not dated. Other material such as correspondence, fliers, pamphlets and programs is included in this series.
The subject files contain material related to Mrs. Sapinsley's service in the Rhode Island Senate, her campaign for Lieutenant Governor, her work with the Board of Trustees of State Colleges, the Rhode Island Housing and Mortgage Finance Corporation, the Public Utilities Commission, and the Committee to Study Medical Education at Brown University.
The scrapbooks are arranged chronologically. They include newspaper clippings, correspondence, pamphlets, photographs and invitations to various events. Mrs. Sapinsley's original title for each scrabbook has been retained.
The final series, writings, consists of Mrs. Sapinsley's memoir, which was published in 2007. It is entitled
The collection is arranged into the following series:
The Lila M. Sapinsley papers were donated to the John Hay Library on October 18, 2007 by Lila M. Sapinsley.
No further materials are anticipated for this collection.
Brown University Library catalog record for this collection:
Related collections at other institutions include:
This series consists of certificates and plaques awarded to Mrs. Sapinsley in recognition of her many civic and charitable activities as well as for her service in the Rhode Island Senate. The three photographs, which are not dated, are of Mrs. Sapinsley with President Ronald Reagan, former First Lady Barbara Bush, and Elizabeth Dole.
Other certificates and photographs may be found in Series 5. Scrapbooks.
This wooden plaque was presented to Mrs. Sapinsley by the Providence Business and Professional Women's Club.
This folder contains certificates which were presented to Mrs. Sapinsley in recognition of her many civic activities. It includes a biographical sketch of her when she was the Rhode Island Senate minority leader and a certificate of Special Congressional Recognition from Congressman James Langevin.
This wooden plaque was presented to Mrs. Sapinsley by the Urban Education Center of Rhode Island College.
This folder includes certificates from the State Board of Elections, the National Republican Legislators Association and the National Council of Jewish Women. Several are from various Rhode Island government offices congratulating Mrs. Sapinsley for being named Women of the year in 1992 by the Rhode Island Commission on Women
The three photographs in the folder are of Mrs. Sapinsley with President Ronald Reagan, former First Lady Barbara Bush, and Elizabeth Dole.
The material in this series concerns the redistricting controversy in Rhode Island which began in 1982. Senate Majority Leader Rocco Quattrocci proposed combining State Senate districts two and three on the east side of Providence instead of combining several predominately Democratic districts elsewhere which had lost population. Senator Sapinsley, among others, challenged this plan in court and eventually prevailed.
Other material regarding redistricting may be found in Series 3. Speeches and Series 5. Scrapbooks.
The correspondence in this folder is chiefly to and from Senator Sapinsley.
This folder includes a list of the Rhode Island Senate districts and their population as well as an unattributed speech regarding reapportionment.
This folder includes affidavits, subpoenas and a copy of a Rhode Island district court opinion regarding redistricting.
This folder contains Governor Garrahy's proclamation convening a special session of the legislature.
This paper was written by Leah H. Gurovits for a political science class at Brown University.
This folder contains an analysis of the redistricting plan for the Rhode Island Senate and maps of the proposed new districts.
This folder contains a copy of the opinion in John A. Holmes, Jr., et al v. Susan L. Farmer, et al.
This is a schedule of dates for redistricting the Rhode Island Senate.
This folder contains handwritten notes and a minicassette.
The speeches in this series are on a variety of topics. Most of them are handwritten and not dated. Other material such as correspondence, fliers, pamphlets and programs is included.
Other speeches may be found in Series 4. Subject files.
This folder includes two pamphlets as well as notes for speeches.
This folder includes typed copies of speeches, a commencement address, and remarks made before the Rhode Island House Finance Committee.
This folder contains printed material as well as handwritten notes.
This folder contains printed material such as fliers, pamphlets and programs as well as a letter to Senator Sapinsley from President Gerald R. Ford.
The speeches in this folder are undated and handwritten. The only dated material is a program for the 53rd annual meeting of the Miriam Hospital Corporation on May 14, 1979.
This folder contains copies of speeches given by Senator Sapinsley on the floor of the Rhode Island Senate.
This folder also includes some correspondence. Most of the material is handwritten.
This series contains a variety of material on various topics related to Mrs. Sapinsley's political career as well as to her work with the Board of Trustees of State Colleges, the Rhode Island Housing and Mortgage Finance Corporation (RIHMFC), the Public Utilities Commission, and the Committee to Study Medical Education at Brown University.
Other material on these topics may be found in Series 3. Speeches and Series 5. Scrapbooks.
This folder contains the annual reports of the Board of Trustees for State Colleges for 1967-1968 and 1968-1969.
This folder contains bumper stickers and buttons used in Mrs. Sapinsley's campaigns for the Rhode Island Senate and for Lt. Governor.
This folder includes copies of laws, reprints of articles, Republican legislative platforms and a copy of a speech given to the Committee to Study the General Assembly.
This folder contains news releases from various Rhode Island House and Senate Offices. They are primariy from Senator Sapinsley's office and that of House Minority Leader Frederick Lippitt.
This folder contains correspondence related to Mrs. Sapinsley's work on the Committee to Study Medical Education at Brown University.
The three reports in this folder concern the Boys Training School; aging and eldercare; and skills and wages.
This folder includes plans for campaign advertisements and a booklet describing the office of Lt. Governor.
These speeches were given during Mrs. Sapinsley's campaign for Lt. Governor of Rhode Island.
This folder contains correspondence to and from Mrs. Sapinsley regarding various issues related to her work in the Rhode Island Senate.
This folder includes newspaper articles and copies of speeches related to Mrs. Sapinsley's work as Chairwoman of the Rhode Island Housing and Mortgage Finance Corporation.
This series contains nineteen scrapbooks compiled by Mrs. Sapinsley between 1960 and 1998. The scrapbooks that were in loose-leaf binders were disassembled and put into folders. Many of the scrapbooks contained loose material which was put into a separate folder and labeled "enclosures".
The contents of these scrapbooks consist chiefly of newspaper clippings. However, they also include other material such as certificates, commencement programs, copies of articles, correspondence, pamphlets, photographs, political campaign material, press releases and invitations to various events, including presidential inaugurations.
The scrapbooks are arranged chronologically. Mrs. Sapinsley's original title for each scrapbook has been retained. Box 4 is a legal-size Hollinger document case.
This is a gray scrapbook that has the remains of a map taped to the cover.
This scrapbook contains newspaper clippings and a small booklet regarding Governor Johh Chafee's campaign for reelection in 1964.
This is a large yellow scrapbook.
This is a red scrapbook with the title embossed on the cover.
This is a large orange scrapbook. A framed newspaper article about Senator Sapinsley in inserted inside the front cover.
This is a large yellow spiral-bound scrapbook.
This is a blue scrapbook.
The material in this scrapbook concerns the first redistricting plan proposed by Senate Majority Leader Rocco A. Quattrocchi.
The material in this scrapbook concerns Senator Quatrocchi's second redistricting plan for the Rhode Island Senate. "74 lines" refers to the district lines that existed in 1974.
This scrapbook is dark brown with a gold border.
This series consists of Mrs. Sapinsley's memoir entitled