Women’s Rights Timeline
With Women’s History Month nearing a close, it is still important to uplift women around you no matter what month it is throughout the year. Furthermore, women’s rights have come a long way all throughout history, and it is imperative to continue to revel in these accomplishments women as a community have made.
Each accomplishment made for women’s rights was made together as a coalition, a theme present within all parts of history. To highlight this, we at TeenSource want to provide you with a timeline of major milestones of Women’s Rights.
July 19-20, 1848 - Seneca Falls Convention
Organized by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott, about a hundred people of all genders signed the Declaration of Sentiments at this convention. Modeled after the Declaration of Independence, this document highlights the injustice women in the United States faced despite the Revolution years before promising equality. Here, the Sentiments called upon equal rights and made way for the 19th Amendment ratified in 1920, granting women the right to vote.
December 10, 1869 - Wyoming’s Suffrage Law
Wyoming, the forty-fourth territory admitted to the Union, is the first state ever to allow women’s suffrage. This enactment allowed for women to not only vote, but also run for office. When Wyoming turned into a state from a territory in 1890, the clause was directly cemented into the State Constitution.
October 16, 1916 - First Birth Control Clinic
The first birth control clinic in the United States, founded by Margaret Sanger, was opened but under heavy government scrutiny. At this time, the clinic was found illegal under the Cornstock Laws, which did not allow information about contraceptives to be shared. The clinic closed three times because of raids and threats until its eventual permanent closure in 1921. In turn, Sanger began the establishment of the National Birth Control League, a precursor of Planned Parenthood.
April 2, 1917 - First Women in the House of Representatives
Jeannette Rankin of Montana was sworn in as the first woman to be elected a part of the House of Representatives, being the first woman ever to enter Congress. As a part of National Woman Suffrage Association, it was a huge success for women everywhere, with further progression to national women’s suffrage.
August 18, 1920 - 19th Amendment Passed
The 19th Amendment was ratified that allowed all citizens of the United States to vote, without gender being a barrier. Often, this amendment is nicknamed the “Susan B. Anthony Amendment” as she was the strongest and most influential in the passing of this amendment.
May 9, 1960 - First Birth Control
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves the first commercially produced birth control pill. The creation was commissioned by Margaret Sanger and funded by Katherine McCormick, working towards healthier and safer methods of contraceptives.
June 10, 1963 - Equal Pay Act
President John F. Kennedy passed the Equal Pay Act, which prevents gender based discrimination within wages. An employer cannot pay a man more than a woman when they perform the same job. Similarly, a year later, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act, in which Title VII further prohibited employment discrimination hiring practices.
December 24, 1970 – Title X
Title X, passed in 1970, is the first and only federal program focused on offering family planning and other important health services. It’s designed to help people, especially those with lower incomes or who don’t have access to healthcare. Title X is administered within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health by the Office of Population Affairs.
June 23, 1972 - Title IX
Signed into law by President Richard Nixon, prevented gender-based discrimination within educational programs funded by the government. This includes all subjects and areas like athletics, career choices, and access to math and science, and protected women against sexual harassment and bullying.
January 22, 1973 - Roe v. Wade
The United States Supreme Court in a 7-2 decision, declared the Constitution protects a woman’s right to have an abortion. However, in June 2022, almost fifty years later, the decision was overturned.
June 18, 1983 - Sally Ride into Space
Ride was the first woman to go into space as part of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Here, with a robotic arm, she released a satellite into space. She made way for women’s careers in STEM, a previously underrepresented career for many women.
June1994- Reproductive Justice
In a conference in Chicago, 12 Black women came together to form The Women of African Descent for Reproductive Justice. They wanted to highlight the unique challenges women of color face when it comes to obtaining sexual and reproductive health services. This was the beginning of many important organizations focused on reproductive justice, led by voices of those who advocated for their identities to be included.
July 26, 2016 - First Presidential Woman Nomination
Hillary Clinton is the first woman ever to receive a Presidential Nomination from a major political party.
January 20, 2021 - First Female Vice President
On this day, Kamala Harris started her term as the first woman of color vice president of the United States. She served until 2025.
Overall, look back on the American women’s accomplishments regarding their own rights and remember how far the country has come since its beginning.