Sherrill Redmon: Mitch McConnell’s Ex-Wife And A Powerful Feminist Voice and Scholar

Sherrill Redmon is better known as the first wife of Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, but she is a much more complex person. She is a passionate feminist historian and scholar who spent her life battling for women’s rights, rescuing women’s voices, and amassing one of the most valuable collections of women’s history in the United States. After she exited politics, Redmon found her true calling in the world of academe and activism and made a name of her own independent of her ex-husband’s political fame.

From her origins in Kentucky to her trailblazing leadership at Smith College, Redmon’s life is one of determination, independence, and activism. Her journey is one of transformation from stereotypical expectations to a leader in the feminist movement, working alongside the legendary, including Gloria Steinem. Redmon’s legacy inspires students, scholars, and activists dedicated to gender equity and preservation today.

Quick Bio

Who Is Sherrill Redmon?

Sherrill Lynn Redmon is a feminist historian, scholar, and former director of the Sophia Smith Collection, Smith College. She was born on February 6, 1943, in Louisville, Kentucky. She achieved national recognition after being married to Mitch McConnell. However, it was her research on women’s history and feminist resistance that carved out a separate place for her in academia. Redmon oversaw the Sophia Smith Collection from 1993 to her retirement in 2012, developing it into one of the most rich collections of feminist archival documents in the U.S.

Redmon’s most important professional work was starting the Voices of Feminism Oral History Project with Gloria Steinem, which captured the histories of over 60 leading feminist women. The project included testimonies of women of different racialities, socio-economic statuses, and sexual orientations, creating a rich tapestry of the historical evolution of the feminist movement. Redmon’s work ensured that women’s often overlooked contributions—especially minority women’s—were captured, celebrated, and made accessible to future generations.

Early Life

Sherrill Redmon grew up in a middle-class family in Louisville, Kentucky. Her father, Charles Redmon, and mother, Doris Redmon, provided a secure and mentally challenging environment. Her mother was a piano teacher and her father a businessman, providing creativity and structure in her life. She was part of a family of four children along with Walter, David, and Lee Ann, and her upbringing emphasized education, public service, and cultural sensitization, aspects that would impact her academic and feminist pursuit in life.

After graduating from high school at Seneca High in Louisville, Redmon went on to seek a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Louisville. She went further with graduate school at the University of Kentucky, seeking a Ph.D. in American History that was granted in 1974. Her early academic focus served her well as far as a career involving historical preservation and women’s rights were concerned. Her academic career was the first major move toward becoming a leading champion of feminist archival practice.

Career Beginnings

Redmon’s academic career began with a brief stint as an adjunct professor. Although she enjoyed teaching, she discovered the work to be draining and undercompensated, especially while juggling family demands and her academic goals. She then transitioned into archival practice, serving as a graduate assistant in the University of Louisville Archives and Records Center. This was where she gained practical experience and exposure to the historic records’ complexities and the importance of keeping rich varied voices in American history.

In 1993, Redmon was named director of the Sophia Smith Collection at Smith College, a role she served for almost twenty years. Under her tenure, she remapped the scope of the collection, actively soliciting materials from women of color, LGBTQ communities, and grassroots activists. She knew that history tended to leave these groups out, and she set herself to remedy that shortcoming. Her leadership established the collection as an important resource for researchers, teachers, and activists across the country.

Who Was Sherrill Redmon’s Ex-Husband?

Sherrill Redmon married Mitch McConnell in 1968, years before she was one of the most powerful Americans in politics. They came to know each other at the University of Louisville when they both went there to study. They spent over a decade together before McConnell’s political ascension continued. McConnell and Redmon had three daughters: Elly, Claire, and Porter. Redmon was a supportive wife in politics throughout the duration of their marriage, helping McConnell in his ascension in Kentucky politics, including his election as Jefferson County Judge/Executive.

But as McConnell’s political ambitions grew and leaned increasingly to the right, Redmon found himself attracted to another path—one rooted in feminist and progressive activism. The couple divorced in 1980, a divorce that seemed to have its roots in profoundly differing systems of belief. While McConnell would rise to become the Senate leader of the Republican Party, Redmon pursued a career rooted in academia, activism, and women’s advocacy. Their divorce was a private and philosophical transformation that would establish the tone for the rest of Redmon’s life.

 Sherrill Redmon’s Physical Appearance

Sherrill Redmon has long enjoyed an understated and intellectual appearance, in keeping with her cerebral personality. She is renowned for her naturally gray hair, typically worn in a ponytail, and for her quiet but contemplative sense of style. She does not favor flashy clothing or heavy makeup, but instead appears with an unhurried, dignified air. Her appearance reflects her values—practicality, intelligence, and honesty.

While never in the public or fashion spotlight, her in-person demeanor has been described as warm and maternal by colleagues. Her reflective strength and thoughtful presence have made lasting impressions on those she collaborated with, rendering her not just a scholar but also a leader and mentor figure within feminist academic spaces.

Net Worth

Her net worth is approximately $2 million according to recent estimates. This is based on the extended academic life of Sherrill Redmon, including her time as the head of Smith College, and possibly based on her divorce settlement with Mitch McConnell. She never sought financial fame but may be able to seek advocacy and scholarship without the fear of commercial limitations.

Her financial stability also enabled her to give to feminist causes, fund archival projects, and participate in scholarly projects. Compared to her former husband, who made his fortune in politically connected resources, Redmon’s wealth is derived from intellectual and institutional work that keeps on benefiting scholars and historians throughout the country.

Social Media

Unlike most public personalities today, Sherrill Redmon has steered clear of social media sites. She lacks a public Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook account. Her absence on these sites is most likely intentional, indicating that she values her privacy and dedication to substantial scholarly work over popularity on the internet.

Despite her relative obscurity online, Redmon’s memory continues to live on in the digital archives and interviewed voices of the Voices of Feminism project. Her work continues to be accessed online by scholars and students on institutional websites and feminist databases. Her offline life ironically helped contribute to making her one-of-a-kind recognizable in an era saturated with social media.

Future Vision and Prospects

Even in retirement, Redmon’s impact can be felt by historians and feminist organizers alike today. Redmon’s passion for multicultural preservation work has enabled the post-graduate generation of historians and archivists to continue expanding on the work she began through the Sophia Smith Collection. Redmon’s legacy lives on through the continued creation of inclusive oral histories and expansion of archives at top-tier academic institutions.

In the future, her legacy will expand as social movements place greater emphasis on recording marginalized voices. Subsequent projects could be an extension of her work, and Redmon might still be involved either as an advisor or a mentor to feminist scholars. Her commitment to bringing unheard voices to light guarantees her influence will last for decades to come.