Politics
Women's Firsts in Politics & Government
From the first woman elected to Congress in 1916 to the first woman Vice President in 2021, these are the women who broke barriers in government and political leadership.
6 firsts documented
politics 1920 Who Was the First Woman to Vote in the US? 19th Amendment The 19th Amendment granted women the right to vote in 1920, but the fight for suffrage began more than seven decades earlier. politics 1960 Who Was the First Woman President? Sirimavo Bandaranaike No woman has served as US President, but Sirimavo Bandaranaike became the first woman head of government in the world in 1960. politics 1981 Who Was the First Woman on the Supreme Court? Sandra Day O'Connor Confirmed unanimously by the Senate, Sandra Day O'Connor served on the highest court for 25 years. politics 1916 Who Was the First Woman Elected to Congress? Jeannette Rankin Montana sent Jeannette Rankin to the House four years before women gained the national right to vote. politics 1997 Who Was the First Woman Secretary of State? Madeleine Albright Madeleine Albright became the highest-ranking woman in U.S. government history when she was sworn in as the 64th Secretary of State. politics 2021 Who Was the First Woman Vice President of the United States? Kamala Harris Kamala Harris simultaneously became the first woman, first Black American, and first South Asian American to hold the vice presidency.