“A Woman’s Place is in the House — The House of Representatives”
Feminist leader Bella Abzug (D–New York) took her seat in the House of Representatives on this day.
When she first came into Congress there were only 10 women out of 435 members of the House and 1 out of 100 in the Senate. By 2020 there were 101 women in the House, 23% of the total.
Among other accomplishments, Abzug was one of the organizers of the National Women’s Political Caucus on July 10, 1971. She served for three terms in the House, leaving in January 1977.
Bella Abzug: “We are coming down from our pedestal and up from the laundry room. We want an equal share in government and we mean to get it… A woman’s place is in the house. The House of Representatives.”
Read: Bella Abzug, Bella! Ms. Abzug Goes to Washington (1972)
See the report on the number of women in Congress, for each session 1917-2014: http://www.senate.gov/CRSReports/crs-publish.cfm?pid=%270E%2C*PLS%3D%22%40%20%20%0A
Watch a speech by Bella Abzug: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yh1tAVvEOak
Learn more about Bella Abzug: https://www.nwhm.org/education-resources/biography/biographies/bella-abzug/
For a great perspective on the “long Sixties:” Tom Hayden, The Long Sixties: From 1960 to Barack Obama (2009)