Commemorating Women's History Month
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| Also listed in: Democratic Women |
March 1st begins Women's History Month and that is particularly important for Democrats since we have a long, proud history of women's accomplishments to celebrate and honor. Simply going back to 1920, after battling for 72 years, the 19th Amendment to the Constitution was finally ratified and women got the right to vote. From that point on women were, and still are, unstoppable.
In 1925, Nellie Taylor Ross, A Wyoming Democrat, became the nation's first female governor. In 1931, Hattie Wyatt Caraway was appointed to the U.S. Senate from Arizona and in 1933, Frances Perkins was appointed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to be the first female Secretary of Labor.
In 1965, Patsy Takemoto Mink from Hawaii became the first woman of color and the first woman of Asian-Pacific Islander descent to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives. Then in 1968, Shirley Chisholm from N.Y. became the first African American woman to serve in Congress. In 1972, she ran for president in the Democratic primary.
In 1977, President Carter appointed Patricia Roberts Harris, the first African American woman to serve as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, and thereafter Secretary of Health and Human Services. A few years later in 1984, Congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro became the first woman nominated for Vice-President.
In 1985, Madeline Kunin was elected governor of Vermont and became the first woman to serve three consecutive terms as governor. The following year, in 1986, Barbara Mikulski from Maryland became the first Democratic woman elected to the U.S. Senate without previously filling an unexpired Congressional term.
In 1992, Carol Moseley Braun from Illinois became the first African American woman to be elected to the U.S. Senate and Nydia Velasquez from New York became the first Puerto Rican woman to be elected to Congress. The following year, in 1993, Janet Reno became the first woman to serve as U.S. Attorney General.
Madeleine Albright became the first woman to serve as U.S. Secretary of State, making her the highest ranking woman in the government in 1997. Also that year, Aida Alvarez became the first Hispanic woman to hold a cabinet level position when she was appointed Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration by President Bill Clinton.
The next year, in 1998, Tammy Baldwin became Wisconsin's first woman in Congress and the first open lesbian elected to Congress as a non-incumbent. Three years later, Hillary Clinton became the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate from New York and the only First Lady ever elected to public office. Also in 2001, Senator Patty Murray from Washington State became the first woman to serve as Chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and Representative Nita Lowey became the first woman to Chair the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
In 2003, Arizona made history when its citizens elected Janet Napolitano as their Governor, the first time a female governor succeeded another female governor. Two years later in 2005, three Congresswomen became the first women of color to chair congressional committees: they are Representative Stephanie Tubbs Jones from Ohio, chairing the Committee on Ethics; Representative Juanita Millender-McDonald from California, chairing the Committee on House Administration; and Representative Nydia Velasquez from N.Y., chairing the Committee on Small Business.
Thanks to these trailblazing women, (and the many not mentioned here but no less important), the idea of having a female Speaker of the House seemed more than plausible. Indeed, it was doable and it happened. In 2006, when the Democrats took control of Congress, Nancy Pelosi became the first woman Speaker of the House, making her the third highest ranking official in the government and the highest ranking female in U.S. political history.
Finally, we must also pay tribute to the unsung heroines whose contributions to women's history are marked by their labor on many different fronts. They are our mothers, grandmothers, sisters, daughters, cousins and friends. They are everywoman.
In 1925, Nellie Taylor Ross, A Wyoming Democrat, became the nation's first female governor. In 1931, Hattie Wyatt Caraway was appointed to the U.S. Senate from Arizona and in 1933, Frances Perkins was appointed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt to be the first female Secretary of Labor.
In 1965, Patsy Takemoto Mink from Hawaii became the first woman of color and the first woman of Asian-Pacific Islander descent to serve in the U.S. House of Representatives. Then in 1968, Shirley Chisholm from N.Y. became the first African American woman to serve in Congress. In 1972, she ran for president in the Democratic primary.
In 1977, President Carter appointed Patricia Roberts Harris, the first African American woman to serve as Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, and thereafter Secretary of Health and Human Services. A few years later in 1984, Congresswoman Geraldine Ferraro became the first woman nominated for Vice-President.
In 1985, Madeline Kunin was elected governor of Vermont and became the first woman to serve three consecutive terms as governor. The following year, in 1986, Barbara Mikulski from Maryland became the first Democratic woman elected to the U.S. Senate without previously filling an unexpired Congressional term.
In 1992, Carol Moseley Braun from Illinois became the first African American woman to be elected to the U.S. Senate and Nydia Velasquez from New York became the first Puerto Rican woman to be elected to Congress. The following year, in 1993, Janet Reno became the first woman to serve as U.S. Attorney General.
Madeleine Albright became the first woman to serve as U.S. Secretary of State, making her the highest ranking woman in the government in 1997. Also that year, Aida Alvarez became the first Hispanic woman to hold a cabinet level position when she was appointed Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration by President Bill Clinton.
The next year, in 1998, Tammy Baldwin became Wisconsin's first woman in Congress and the first open lesbian elected to Congress as a non-incumbent. Three years later, Hillary Clinton became the first woman elected to the U.S. Senate from New York and the only First Lady ever elected to public office. Also in 2001, Senator Patty Murray from Washington State became the first woman to serve as Chair of the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee and Representative Nita Lowey became the first woman to Chair the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.
In 2003, Arizona made history when its citizens elected Janet Napolitano as their Governor, the first time a female governor succeeded another female governor. Two years later in 2005, three Congresswomen became the first women of color to chair congressional committees: they are Representative Stephanie Tubbs Jones from Ohio, chairing the Committee on Ethics; Representative Juanita Millender-McDonald from California, chairing the Committee on House Administration; and Representative Nydia Velasquez from N.Y., chairing the Committee on Small Business.
Thanks to these trailblazing women, (and the many not mentioned here but no less important), the idea of having a female Speaker of the House seemed more than plausible. Indeed, it was doable and it happened. In 2006, when the Democrats took control of Congress, Nancy Pelosi became the first woman Speaker of the House, making her the third highest ranking official in the government and the highest ranking female in U.S. political history.
Finally, we must also pay tribute to the unsung heroines whose contributions to women's history are marked by their labor on many different fronts. They are our mothers, grandmothers, sisters, daughters, cousins and friends. They are everywoman.