Right This Way, Madame President
The presidential campaign of Hillary Clinton has raised the role of women in politics back into the spotlight. While there hasn't been a woman to hold the highest office in the United States before, women have held the top position in other countries. We're still hearing about "the first woman to" in this area, but there are fewer and fewer opportunities for that phrase. Yeah!
This lens is part of a series celebrating the achievements of women in various fields, including sports, politics, science, business and more.
"There will never be a new world order until women are a part of it."
- Alice Paul
American Politics: All About Frances Perkins
Frances Coralie Perkins (born Fannie Coralie Perkins, (April 10, 18801880 U.S. Census. Some references list her birth year as 1882, for reasons unknown ? May 14, 1965) was the U.S. Secretary of Labor from 1933 to 1945, and the first woman appointed to the U.S. Cabinet. As a loyal supporter of her friend, Franklin D. Roosevelt, she helped pull the labor movement into the New Deal coalition. She and Interior Secretary Harold Ickes were the only original members of the Roosevelt cabinet who remained in offices for his entire presidency.
During her term as Secretary of Labor, Perkins championed many aspects of the New Deal, including the Civilian Conservation Corps, the Public Works Administration and its successor the Federal Works Agency, a...
Politics: American Women
U.S. Presidential Candidates- 1872 - Victoria Claflin Woodhull becomes the first woman presidential candidate in the United States when she is nominated by the National Radical Reformers. In 1871, the flamboyant "free love" advocate, journalist and investment counselor Woodhull declared herself a candidate for president. Her platform included an eight-hour work day, graduated income tax, and new divorce law. Since women could not yet vote, her campaign did not get far.
- 1964 - Margaret Chase Smith of Maine becomes the first woman nominated for president of the United States by a major political party at the Republican National Convention in San Francisco.
- 1984 - Geraldine Ferraro is the first woman to run for vice-president on a major party ticket. Sarah Palin becomes the first on the Republican ticket in 2008.
- 2008 - ?
Appointed Positions
- Serve in U.S. Cabinet - 1933 - Frances Perkins is appointed secretary of labor by President Franklin D. Roosevelt, making her the first woman member of a presidential cabinet.
- Supreme Court - 1981- Sandra Day O'Connor is appointed by President Reagan to the Supreme Court, making her its first woman justice.
- Surgeon General - 1990 - Dr. Antonia Novello is sworn in as U.S. Surgeon General, becoming the first woman (and first Hispanic) to hold that job.
- Head of military branch - 1993 - Sheila Widnall becomes the first secretary of a branch of the U.S. military when she is appointed to head the Air Force.
- Attorney General - 1993 - Janet Reno becomes the first woman U.S. attorney general.
Elected Positions
- Serve in U.S. Congress - 1916 - Jeannette Rankin of Montana is the first woman to be elected to the U.S. House of Representatives.
- Speaker of House - 2007 - Nancy Pelosi becomes the first woman Speaker of the House of Representatives.
- State governor - 1925 - Nellie Tayloe Ross becomes the first woman to serve as governor of a state, in Wyoming. In the fall of 1924 she was elected to succeed her deceased husband, William Bradford Ross. (Miriam Amanda "Ma" Ferguson is inaugurated governor of Texas days later.)
More on Madame President
Politics: Who Should It Be?
Choosing our first woman president
Global Politics: All About Golda Meir
Golda Meir (,Golda Meir Center (Reference on name pronunciation) , born Golda Mabovitch, 3 May 1898 ? 8 December 1978, known as Golda Meyerson from 1917?56) was the fourth prime minister of the State of Israel.
Meir was elected Prime Minister of Israel on 17 March 1969Golda Meir becomes Israeli Prime Minister, History Today], after serving as Minister of Labour and Foreign Minister. Israel's first and the world's third female to hold such an office, she was described as the "Iron Lady" of Israeli politics years before the epithet became associated with British prime minister Margaret Thatcher.Golda Meir, a BBC News profile. Former prime minister David Ben-Gurion used to call Meir "the best man in the government"; she was often portrayed as the "strong-willed, straight-talking, gray-bunned grandmother of the Jewish people".Mother of a nation, but not much of a mother Haaretz, 7 July 2008
Politics: Outside the U.S.
- 1919 - Nancy Astor, American-born wife of Waldorf Astor, became the first woman in British history to be elected to and take a seat in Parliament. She took his seat in the House of Commons when he moved to the House of Lords.
- 1929 - Margaret Bondfield became the first woman to serve in the British Cabinet, taking the position of Minister of Labour.
- 1969 - Golda Meir becomes the first female prime minister of Israel.
- 1979 - Margaret Thatcher becomes the first female prime minister of Britain.
- 1988 - Benazir Bhutto becomes the first woman prime minister of Pakistan and the first woman to serve as leader in the modern Muslim world.
- 1990 - Mary Robinson becomes the first woman elected president of Ireland.
- 2006 - Michelle Bachelet becomes the first woman president of Chile.
- 2006 - Angela Merkel becomes the first woman chancellor of Germany
Women Political Leaders Around the World
"The day will come when men will recognize woman as his peer, not only at the fireside, but in councils of the nation. Then, and not until then, will there be the perfect comradeship, the ideal union between the sexes that shall result in the highest development of the race."
-Susan B. Anthony
Politics: Women in the News
- Women's groups quiet on Sotomayor
- ... like if we get this woman, she'll be sympathetic to women," said Debbie Walsh, director of Rutgers University's Center for American Women and Politics. ...
- 'Golden Dreams,' by Kevin Starr
- Phyllis Filiberti Butler is the author of books on women in politics, California culture and most recently "The Valley of Santa Clara - A Guide to the Heart ...
- Have women achieved equality in American politics?
- Have women achieved equality in American politics? No. Women still face a discriminatory attitude when speaking on the issues: they must prove they are ...
Politics: Videos
Politics: Read More About Women's Role In World Politics
"Women have more to prove than men when it comes to politics."
- Julie Nixon Eisenhower
First Woman To ... The Series
Let's Hear It For the Girls!
Webcodes wrote...
Fabulous tribute to women and politics 5*. An interesting read.
Posted November 04, 2008
SweetSouthernWoman wrote...
I really enjoyed this lens. I have been hopping through all of you first woman pages and I just wanted to compliment you on your excellent work.
Posted October 13, 2008
ClothesJunkie wrote...
Great lens! Five stars definitely. I'm glad to see the accomplishments of women being featured!
Posted March 05, 2008
lisadh wrote...
Love the "First Woman" series! 5* I'm now your fan. Thanks for stopping by my Women Presidents and Prime Ministers lens.
Posted January 14, 2008
by SusanVillasLewis
Basic gal from the Dallas area who has a lot to say!! I'm working on lens related to my odd-ball interests, as well as some tying back to my husband'...
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