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{{short description|American politician}}
{{short description|American politician}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=August 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2020}}
{{Use Indian English|date=August 2020}}
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| image=
| image=
| caption =
| caption =
| birth_date =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1939|12|12}}
| birth_place = [[Madras]], [[India]]
| birth_place = [[Madras]], [[British Raj|British India]]
| birth_name = Nirmala Swamidoss
| birth_name = Nirmala Swamidoss
| residence =
| residence =
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| death_place =
| death_place =
| office2 =
| office2 =
| term_start2 = 1994
| term_start2 =
| term_end2 = 1996
| term_end2 =
| predecessor2 =
| predecessor2 =
| constituency2 =
| constituency2 =
| office = [[Wyoming House of Representatives]]
| state_house = Wyoming
| district = 59th
| term_start =
| term_start = January 1995
| term_end =
| term_end = January 1997
| predecessor =
| predecessor = [[Dick Sadler]]
| successor =
| successor = [[Nancy Berry]]
| constituency =
| constituency =
| party = [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
| party = [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]]
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| relations =
| relations =
| spouse = Patrick McConigley
| spouse = Patrick McConigley
| children = Lila and Nina
| children = 2
| footnotes =
| footnotes =
| alma_mater = [[Queen Mary's College, Chennai|Queen Mary's College]], [[Madras Law College]], [[Columbia University]]
| alma_mater = [[Queen Mary's College, Chennai|Queen Mary's College]]<br>[[Madras Law College]]<br>[[Columbia University]]
}}
}}
'''Nimi McConigley''' (née '''Swamidoss''') is an [[Indian American]] politician who served in the [[Wyoming State Legislature]] from 1994 until 1996, serving the 59th House district.<ref>https://www.wyoleg.gov/Legislators///504</ref> McConigley, who was born in [[Madras]], was the first Indian born person and the first [[Indian Americans|Indian American]] woman to serve in any State legislature.<ref>[http://www.uwyo.edu/news/showrelease.asp?id=10202 "Former Legislator to Be Honored Guest at UW Diwali Night Oct. 8"] [[University of Wyoming]] - 26 September 2006</ref><ref name="Martin2018">{{cite book|author=Mart Martin|title=The Almanac Of Women And Minorities In American Politics 2002|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GpRXDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT206|accessdate=9 November 2018|date=24 April 2018|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-0-429-97648-3|pages=206–}}</ref>
'''Nimi McConigley''' (née '''Swamidoss'''; born 12 December 1939)<ref>[https://wyoarchives.wyo.gov/pdf/BlueBookFinal.pdf Blue Book]</ref> is an Indian-born American politician and journalist. A [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]], McConigley served in the [[Wyoming House of Representatives]] from 1994 until 1996, where she represented the 59th House district.<ref>[https://www.wyoleg.gov/Legislators///504 House District 59: Representative Nimi McConigley] wyoleg.gov</ref> McConigley, who was born in [[Madras]], was the first Indian-born person and the first [[Indian Americans|Indian American]] woman to serve in any [[state legislature]].<ref>[http://www.uwyo.edu/news/showrelease.asp?id=10202 "Former Legislator to Be Honored Guest at UW Diwali Night Oct. 8"] [[University of Wyoming]] - 26 September 2006</ref><ref name="Martin2018">{{cite book|author=Mart Martin|title=The Almanac Of Women And Minorities In American Politics 2002|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GpRXDwAAQBAJ&pg=PT206|year=2018|publisher=Taylor & Francis|isbn=978-0-429-97648-3|page=206}}</ref>


== Early life and education ==
⚫
Instead of running for re-election, Rep. McConigley chose to run for [[United States Senate]]. In the [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican]] [[primary election|primary]], she finished 4th out of 9 candidates, behind [[Michael Enzi]], [[John Barrasso]], and [[Curt Meier]].<ref>https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=215163</ref> She ran for the State House in 1998, but lost the general election to Nancy Berry.<ref>https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=982863</ref>
'''Nirmala Swamidoss''' was born on 12 December 1939 in [[Chennai|Madras]] (now Chennai), [[British Raj|British India]]. She did her schooling in Doveton Corrie School in [[Vepery]]. She went on to receive a bachelor's degree in Arts from [[Queen Mary's College, Chennai|Queen Mary's College]] and her law degree from the [[Madras Law College]]. During the premiership of [[Indira Gandhi]], Swamidoss worked in national news. She went on to study journalism at [[Columbia University]] in the 1960s.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Rao |first=Naina |date=2020-06-09 |title=How Did Wyoming's Suffrage Movement Affect Women Of Color? |url=https://www.wyomingpublicmedia.org/open-spaces/2020-06-08/how-did-wyomings-suffrage-movement-affect-women-of-color |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=Wyoming Public Media |language=en}}</ref>


== Career ==
She had previously been only one of two Asian American news directors when she took that role at [[CBS]] affiliate [[KGWC]] in [[Casper, Wyoming]]<ref>[http://www.ajr.org/Article.asp?id=1502 The News Director Proves Her Mettle] American Journalistic Review - Jan/Feb 1992</ref> after graduating from the [[Columbia University]] school of journalism.<ref>[http://www.mercergarden.com/angshuman/politics.html Proud, political and American] - Mercer Garden</ref>
After graduating from Columbia University, McConigley went into journalism.<ref>[http://www.mercergarden.com/angshuman/politics.html Proud, political and American] - Mercer Garden</ref> She and her family moved to [[Casper, Wyoming]] in the 1970s.<ref name=":0" /> She became one of only two Asian American news directors when she took that role at [[CBS]] affiliate [[KGWC]].<ref>[http://www.ajr.org/Article.asp?id=1502 The News Director Proves Her Mettle] American Journalistic Review - Jan/Feb 1992</ref>
She did her schooling in Doveton Corrie School in [[Vepery]]. She received a bachelor's degree in Arts from [[Queen Mary's College, Chennai|Queen Mary's College]] and her law degree from the [[Madras Law College]]. She later studied Journalism at the [[Columbia University]]. She married Patrick McConigley and has two daughters, Lila and Nina.<ref name="Pradhan1996">{{cite book|author=Sachindra Nath Pradhan|title=India in the United States: contributions of India & Indians in the United States of America|url=https://archive.org/details/indiainunitedsta0000prad|url-access=registration|accessdate=9 November 2018|year=1996|publisher=SP Press International|isbn=978-0-9617129-1-4|page=[https://archive.org/details/indiainunitedsta0000prad/page/316 316]}}</ref>

=== Political career ===
McConigley served as the campaign manager for state senator [[Charles Scott (Wyoming politician)|Charles Scott]], who was running for [[Governor of Wyoming]] in the [[1994 Wyoming gubernatorial election|1994 election]]. She decided to run for represent the 59th House district in the [[Wyoming House of Representatives]] in 1994, where she was elected. McConigley stated that she received private criticism from colleagues after wearing a [[sari]] to speak at a high school in [[Cheyenne, Wyoming|Cheyenne]].<ref name=":0" /> During her tenure in the legislature, she sponsored legislation to make [[English language|English]] the state's official language.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1996-08-20 |title=A 'SPIRITED PRIMARY' IN WYOMING |url=https://www.deseret.com/1996/8/20/19261109/a-spirited-primary-in-wyoming |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=Deseret News |language=en}}</ref>

⚫
Rather than run for reelection, McConigley chose to run for [[United States Senate]] in the [[1996 United States Senate election in Wyoming|1996 election]]. In a field of nine candidates in the Republican primary, she finished 4th, coming behind [[Michael Enzi]], [[John Barrasso]], and [[Curt Meier]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Our Campaigns - WY US Senate - R Primary Race - Aug 20, 1996 |url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=215163}}</ref> She ran for the State House in 1998, but lost the general election to [[Nancy Berry]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Our Campaigns - WY State House 59 Race - Nov 03, 1998 |url=https://www.ourcampaigns.com/RaceDetail.html?RaceID=982863}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
She married Patrick McConigley and has two daughters, Lila and Nina.<ref name="Pradhan1996">{{cite book|author=Sachindra Nath Pradhan|title=India in the United States: contributions of India & Indians in the United States of America|url=https://archive.org/details/indiainunitedsta0000prad|url-access=registration|accessdate=9 November 2018|year=1996|publisher=SP Press International|isbn=978-0-9617129-1-4|page=[https://archive.org/details/indiainunitedsta0000prad/page/316 316]}}</ref> She met her husband, a geologist, while working at [[All India Radio]] in Madras. In an interview, she recalled choosing to move to Wyoming, initially intended to be temporary before her husband would move to [[Europe]] for work, because she was impressed by [[Jackson Hole]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Roy |first=Sandip |date=2001-04-25 |title=In the Footsteps of Dalip Singh Saund |url=http://indiacurrents.com/in-the-footsteps-of-dalip-singh-saund/ |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=India Currents |language=en-US}}</ref> Her daughter Nina McConigley went on to become a writer, whose short story collection ''Cowboys and East Indians'' won the [[PEN Open Book Award]] in 2015.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Garcia |first=Lorena |date=2015-01-06 |title=Women in Wyoming: Nimi and Nina McConigley |url=http://wyofile.com/women-wyoming-nimi-nina-mcconigley/ |access-date=2024-01-21 |website=WyoFile |language=en-US}}</ref>


==See also==
==See also==
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{{DEFAULTSORT:McConigley, Nimi}}
[[Category:1939 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Indian emigrants to the United States]]
[[Category:Indian emigrants to the United States]]
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[[Category:American Tamil politicians]]
[[Category:American Tamil politicians]]
[[Category:Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism alumni]]
[[Category:Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism alumni]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]
[[Category:Politicians from Chennai]]
[[Category:Politicians from Chennai]]
[[Category:Republican Party members of the Wyoming House of Representatives]]
[[Category:Republican Party members of the Wyoming House of Representatives]]
[[Category:American politicians of Indian descent]]
[[Category:American politicians of Indian descent]]
[[Category:Asian-American people in Wyoming politics]]
[[Category:Asian-American people in Wyoming politics]]
⚫
[[Category:20th-century American politicians]]
[[Category:20th-century American women politicians]]
[[Category:20th-century American women politicians]]
[[Category:21st-century American women]]
[[Category:21st-century American women]]
[[Category:Asian conservatism in the United States]]
[[Category:Asian conservatism in the United States]]
[[Category:Asian American and Pacific Islander state legislators]]

⚫
[[Category:20th-century members of the Wyoming Legislature]]

{{Wyoming-politician-stub}}

Latest revision as of 21:00, 9 December 2024

Nimi McConigley
Member of the Wyoming House of Representatives
from the 59th district
In office
January 1995 – January 1997
Preceded byDick Sadler
Succeeded byNancy Berry
Personal details
Born
Nirmala Swamidoss

(1939-12-12) 12 December 1939 (age 85)
Madras, British India
Political partyRepublican
SpousePatrick McConigley
Children2
Alma materQueen Mary's College
Madras Law College
Columbia University

Nimi McConigley (née Swamidoss; born 12 December 1939)[1] is an Indian-born American politician and journalist. A Republican, McConigley served in the Wyoming House of Representatives from 1994 until 1996, where she represented the 59th House district.[2] McConigley, who was born in Madras, was the first Indian-born person and the first Indian American woman to serve in any state legislature.[3][4]

Early life and education

[edit]

Nirmala Swamidoss was born on 12 December 1939 in Madras (now Chennai), British India. She did her schooling in Doveton Corrie School in Vepery. She went on to receive a bachelor's degree in Arts from Queen Mary's College and her law degree from the Madras Law College. During the premiership of Indira Gandhi, Swamidoss worked in national news. She went on to study journalism at Columbia University in the 1960s.[5]

Career

[edit]

After graduating from Columbia University, McConigley went into journalism.[6] She and her family moved to Casper, Wyoming in the 1970s.[5] She became one of only two Asian American news directors when she took that role at CBS affiliate KGWC.[7]

Political career

[edit]

McConigley served as the campaign manager for state senator Charles Scott, who was running for Governor of Wyoming in the 1994 election. She decided to run for represent the 59th House district in the Wyoming House of Representatives in 1994, where she was elected. McConigley stated that she received private criticism from colleagues after wearing a sari to speak at a high school in Cheyenne.[5] During her tenure in the legislature, she sponsored legislation to make English the state's official language.[8]

Rather than run for reelection, McConigley chose to run for United States Senate in the 1996 election. In a field of nine candidates in the Republican primary, she finished 4th, coming behind Michael Enzi, John Barrasso, and Curt Meier.[9] She ran for the State House in 1998, but lost the general election to Nancy Berry.[10]

Personal life

[edit]

She married Patrick McConigley and has two daughters, Lila and Nina.[11] She met her husband, a geologist, while working at All India Radio in Madras. In an interview, she recalled choosing to move to Wyoming, initially intended to be temporary before her husband would move to Europe for work, because she was impressed by Jackson Hole.[12] Her daughter Nina McConigley went on to become a writer, whose short story collection Cowboys and East Indians won the PEN Open Book Award in 2015.[13]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Blue Book
  2. ^ House District 59: Representative Nimi McConigley wyoleg.gov
  3. ^ "Former Legislator to Be Honored Guest at UW Diwali Night Oct. 8" University of Wyoming - 26 September 2006
  4. ^ Mart Martin (2018). The Almanac Of Women And Minorities In American Politics 2002. Taylor & Francis. p. 206. ISBN 978-0-429-97648-3.
  5. ^ a b c Rao, Naina (9 June 2020). "How Did Wyoming's Suffrage Movement Affect Women Of Color?". Wyoming Public Media. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
  6. ^ Proud, political and American - Mercer Garden
  7. ^ The News Director Proves Her Mettle American Journalistic Review - Jan/Feb 1992
  8. ^ "A 'SPIRITED PRIMARY' IN WYOMING". Deseret News. 20 August 1996. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
  9. ^ "Our Campaigns - WY US Senate - R Primary Race - Aug 20, 1996".
  10. ^ "Our Campaigns - WY State House 59 Race - Nov 03, 1998".
  11. ^ Sachindra Nath Pradhan (1996). India in the United States: contributions of India & Indians in the United States of America. SP Press International. p. 316. ISBN 978-0-9617129-1-4. Retrieved 9 November 2018.
  12. ^ Roy, Sandip (25 April 2001). "In the Footsteps of Dalip Singh Saund". India Currents. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
  13. ^ Garcia, Lorena (6 January 2015). "Women in Wyoming: Nimi and Nina McConigley". WyoFile. Retrieved 21 January 2024.
[edit]
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