Sherrill Redmon was once married to Senator Mitch McConnell, the longest-serving senator in Kentucky history. They tied the knot in 1968 and were together for 12 years until their divorce in 1980.
Though mostly known for her past relationship with Senator McConnell, Sherrill Redmon is a prominent figure in her own right. She was the former director of the Sophia Smith Collection (SSC), one of the most significant collections of women’s history in the United States.
Sherrill Redmon isn’t active on social media and rarely appears in interviews discussing her life, leaving much of her personal information under wraps. However, her work in women’s rights has led to several articles highlighting her contributions and achievements.
Here’s what we know about Sherrill Redmon.
Early Life
Sherrill Redmon was born on February 6, 1943, in Louisville, Kentucky. Her parents, Doris Redmon and Charles Redmon, were both politicians. She was raised in a middle-class American family alongside her three siblings, David, Walter, and Lee Ann.
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Sherrill attended Seneca High School in New Jersey and later pursued higher education at the University of Louisville. She later earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Michigan and her Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in American History at the University of Kentucky, graduating in 1974.
How Did Sherrill Redmon and Mitch McConnell Meet?
Sherrill Redmon and Mitch McConnell were college sweethearts. They met at the University of Louisville and quickly fell in love, tying the knot in 1968 after dating for a year. They welcomed three children: Elly in 1972, Claire in 1976, and Porter in 1979.
Sherrill and Mitch were together for 12 years until their divorce in 1980. The reason for their separation is unknown, but a 2014 interview with the New York Times suggests that their divorce might have been due to a conflict of political and social values.
While Sherrill actively campaigned for Mitch McConnell in the late ’70s, she claimed he had changed over time and that her beliefs greatly clashed with hers as a feminist.
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Sherrill recalled how, although McConnell refused to use the word “feminist” to describe himself, he still worked late nights with Senator Marlow Cook to promote the Equal Rights Amendment back then. But today, Mitch Connell is notoriously unfavorable to women’s causes if his actions were anything to go by (voting against the Paycheck Fairness Act and Family and Medical Leave Act, among others.)
Life After Divorce
Following her divorce from Mitch McConnell in 1980, Sherrill Redmon moved to Massachusetts and worked on the Voices of Feminism Oral History Project at Smith College as a researcher. Working alongside Sherrill was Gloria Steinem, a well-known American journalist and social-political activist, often referred to as the Mother of Feminism.
In 1983, Sherrill was promoted to a director position at the Sophia Smith Collection of the Women’s History Archives. She held this position until her retirement on August 31, 2012, at 69 years old.
Throughout her career, Sherrill led and initiated dozens of projects and campaigns directed towards the advancement of women, including the Voices of Feminism Oral History Project, which preserves the stories of women activists, and the Take On Wall Street campaign, which challenges the economic power of big banks and aims to create a fairer financial system.
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She was also actively involved in various charitable organizations, including those that help homeless pets find homes.
Sherrill’s children were greatly influenced by their mother’s philanthropic and activist efforts, leading lives in the field of activism and education.
Elly McConnell, Sherrill’s eldest daughter, is an environmentalist, while Claire McConnell works as an educator at the Hawthorne Valley School in New York. Meanwhile, Porter McConnell is a progressive activist and former director of Take On Wall Street, and current director of the Financial Transparency Coalition.
Personal Life
Sherrill Redmon has always been a private person, even while married to Mitch McConnell. That hasn’t changed. Sherrill would occasionally appear in interviews related to her field and beliefs, but little else beyond that.
Unlike her daughters, who are fairly active on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and Instagram, Sherrill doesn’t have an online account beyond LinkedIn. It’s also unknown whether Sherrill remarried after her divorce from Mitch McConnell.
As of January 2025, Sherrill is 81 years old.
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What Is Sherrill Redmon’s Net Worth?
Sherrill Redmon’s net worth is estimated to be around $2 million. Much of her income comes from her career as a feminist scholar and activist, particularly during her tenure as the director of the Sophia Smith Collection of the Women’s History Archives at Smith College.
Wrapping Up
Sherrill Redmon is a feminist scholar, activist, and former wife of Mitch McConnell, the longest-running senator of Kentucky. Their marriage lasted from 1968 until their divorce in 1980, during which they had three daughters: Elly, Porter, and Claire McConnell.
Sherrill is the former director of the Sophia Smith Collection, an esteemed archive of women’s history at Smith College in Massachusetts, where she played a pivotal role in expanding the collection. Despite retiring as director, she continues to be involved in activism, including initiatives like the Take On Wall Street campaign, which her daughter Porter is currently leading.
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