Location: Washington, D.C.
On April 2, 1917, Jeannette Rankin, a Republican from Montana, made history by taking her seat as the first woman ever elected to the United States Congress. Her election in 1916 marked a pivotal moment for women's suffrage and political representation in the nation. On this momentous day, Rankin was sworn into office, becoming a trailblazer for future generations of women in politics. Her first term in Congress was immediately met with the challenge of World War I, where she famously cast one of 50 votes against the U.S. entry into the war, stating, 'I want to stand by my country, but I cannot vote for war.' Her actions and presence in Congress underscored Montana's progressive stance on women's rights and its significant contribution to national political discourse.