Elected Women of Washington
After Women's Suffrage was enacted in the state in 1910, Washington’s first women
legislators were elected in 1912 and served in the 1913 State Legislature. Washington
has consistently been in the top five states for percentage of women legislators
and from 1993 to 2004 led the nation in percentage of Women State Legislators, and
in 1999 and 2000 boasted a record-breaking 40.8 percent of the House and Senate.
In 2010, 240 women have served in the Washington State Legislature since 1913.
Women Members and Officers of the Washington State Legislature 1913-2010
Source: Washington State Legislature.
The Papers of Catherine May Bedell
The papers of Catherine May Bedell (overview
| browse),
Member of Congress, were acquired by the Washington
State University Library in February 1971. A gift of Mrs. May, the collection
was transferred to the Library from her office and the National Archives and Records
Service facility at Washington, D.C. The collection consists of approximately 400,000
items in 558 containers and constitutes the Congressional office files of Mrs. May
during her tenure as United States Representative from the Fourth Congressional
District of Washington, between 1959 and 1970. (See finding aid,
Cage 304.)
43 years in public office, Julia Butler Hansen
During her 43 years in public office, Julia Butler Hansen became one of the
greatest political figures Washington has ever known. This
WHC profile presents a brief biographical introduction and points visitors
to numerous resources available for further study.
Dixie Lee Ray, the Governors Papers Related to Women's Issues 1904-1984
Governor Dixie Lee Ray was Washington's first woman governor, and advocates of women's
issues had high hopes for progress during her administration. Governor Ray, however,
proved not to be a stauch supporter, abolishing the Women's Council in 1977. The
Governors Papers Related to Women's Issues 1904-1984 collection, from the
Washington State Archives, depicts the turbulent struggle over the Equal Rights
Amendment and the Women's Council.
African American Women Legislators
|
|