Women Lawyers Win the Right to Practice: Hayes Signs the Bill
Belva Lockwood had already argued cases in lower courts for years. She'd gotten her law degree at 43. But the Supreme Court said no — their rules only mentioned male attorneys. So she drafted a bill herself. Lobbied Congress for three years. Got it passed. Hayes signed it on this day in 1879. She became the first woman to argue before the Court two months later. She won. Five years after that, she ran for president. Got 4,000 votes in six states. The Democratic Party wouldn't even let women attend their convention that year.
February 15, 1879
147 years ago
Key Figures & Places
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