Jeannette Rankin, First Woman Elected to Congress, Takes Office

The pioneering Montana congresswoman was sworn in 110 years ago today.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 10:05pm

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A dimly lit, cinematic painting of a lone woman standing in a government building hallway, bathed in warm, diagonal sunlight and deep shadows, conceptually representing the pioneering political career of Jeannette Rankin, the first woman elected to the U.S. Congress.

The pioneering congresswoman's historic swearing-in marked a major milestone for women's political representation in America.Washington Today

On April 2, 1917, Jeannette Rankin became the first woman to be sworn in as a U.S. House Representative, nearly four years before the 19th Amendment guaranteed women's right to vote. Rankin had previously worked as a social worker and campaigned with women's suffrage groups before winning her first election in Montana.

Why it matters

Rankin's historic election and swearing-in marked a major milestone for women's representation in American government, paving the way for greater political participation and leadership by women in the decades that followed.

The details

Jeannette Rankin, a social worker and women's suffrage activist from Montana, won election to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1916, becoming the first woman ever elected to Congress. She was sworn in on April 2, 1917, nearly four years before the 19th Amendment guaranteed women's right to vote nationwide.

Jeannette Rankin was sworn in as a U.S. House Representative on April 2, 1917.
Rankin was elected to Congress in 1916, before the 19th Amendment guaranteed women's right to vote.

The players