Former State Rep. Marion L. Munley First Woman Included in Scranton’s Distinguished Citizens Memorial

Marion L. Munley, a former member of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives and pioneer in women’s equality, became the first woman included in Scranton’s Distinguished Citizens Memorial on October 15.

Munley was chosen by officials from the Lackawanna County Arts and Cultural Department and the Lackawanna Historical Society for her indelible mark on state politics and women’s rights. After her husband, Hon. Robert W. Munley passed in 1947, she won a special election for his seat in the Pennsylvania State House. She was the first woman elected from Lackawanna County & Northeastern Pennsylvania. Munley was re-elected to office eight times.

During her tenure, she was the first woman elected to a leadership position in the Democratic Caucus in the 300-year history of the legislature. She also became Secretary of the House of Representatives, the first and only woman to hold that position.

The Distinguished Citizens Memorial in Courthouse Square also includes late Gov. Robert P Casey, U.S. Rep Joseph M McDade, and former governor and UN Ambassador, William Warren Scranton II.
Munley was an advocate for equality and fairness throughout her career and was a coauthor of House Bill 66 (1959), which prohibited “the discrimination in rate of pay because of sex”. She became the matriarch of a family that would continue in her footsteps in local politics and the legal field. The Munley family is proud to honor their grandmother’s legacy.