Papers of Dorothy McCullough Lee, 1905-1963 (inclusive), 1928-1963 (bulk)

Dorothy McCullough was born on April 1, 1901, in Oakland, California. She lived in various parts of the United States and in several foreign countries where her father, a naval officer, was stationed. She received the B.A. degree from the University of California (Berkeley) in 1921 and the J.D. degree two years later. In January 1923 Lee was admitted to the California bar and practiced law in San Francisco until July 1924, when she married W. Scott Lee and moved to Portland, Oregon; here she practiced law after being admitted to the bar in October 1924.

Lee was first elected to office in 1928. She served in the Oregon House of Representatives from 1929 to 1931 and in the State Senate from 1932 to 1943. As a legislator she sponsored numerous social welfare bills. In August 1943 she resigned from the Senate to become Commissioner of Public Utilities for the City of Portland. In May 1948, while still serving as Commissioner, she was elected Mayor of Portland; she was Mayor from January 1, 1949 to December 31, 1952, but was defeated in the campaign for a second term.

In January 1953, Lee went to Germany as Consultant on Women's Affairs for the Department of State. On August 7, 1953, President Eisenhower appointed her a member of the United States Board of Parole and on September 4, 1956, a member of the Subversive Activities Control Board; she became Chairman of this Board on January 2, 1957, and resigned in August 1962 to resume the practice of law in Portland and to serve as lecturer in political science at Portland State College and the University of Portland.