WOMEN'S HISTORY MONTH: FIVE ACCOMPLISHED WOMEN FROM IOWA

WOMEN BELONG IN ALL SPACES; GRAPHIC BY ANISA RACHMAN

Among all the important dates in March, such as the beginning of spring and Daylight-Saving Time, it is also the month dedicated to the history and progress of women. It’s important to acknowledge the growth made by women to gain equal rights in this country, especially during a time where certain rights such as access to abortion are being threatened. In honor of Women’s History Month, let’s acknowledge five women from Iowa who aided in the progress for women. 

Carrie Chapman Catt was known as one of the key figures in the American women’s suffrage movement and dedicated a great portion of her life to activism. Raised on a farm near Charles City, Iowa, Catt attended Iowa Agricultural College, now known as Iowa State University. She finished her bachelor’s degree in general science in 1877 as the only woman in her graduating class. Catt later joined the Iowa Women Suffrage Association, arranging suffrage events and working as a lecturer and writer. 

She eventually took her work to a national level and joined the International Women Suffrage Alliance, becoming the president of the organization from 1904 to 1923. As the 19th Amendment was ratified, she began the League of Women Voters, an organization that aims to get women involved in public affairs. This advocacy group is still running strong today. Catt is remembered in Iowa as its most famous suffragette and is honored by an Iowa State department dedicated to her and the studies of women and politics. 

Born and raised in Iowa City, Janet Guthrie is known for living the fast life as the first woman to compete in the Indianapolis 500 and Daytona 500. Guthrie has received various accomplishments such as gaining her pilot license at 17, qualifying for the scientist-astronaut program at NASA, and becoming the first female aerospace engineer at Republic Aviation. She was the third woman to be inducted into NASCAR’s Hall of Fame, recognized in the International Motorsports Hall of Fame in 2006, and the Automotive Hall of Fame in 2019. After retiring from professional race car driving in 1980, Guthrie has continued to advocate for involvement in women’s sports.

Susan Clark was only 12 years old when she became one of the first African American children to try and become enrolled in an all-white school. Located in Muscatine, Iowa, Clark excelled in the African American school provided, however, she was denied when requesting to switch to the all-white school. After suing the district, in the Clark v. Board of School Directors the Iowa Supreme Court became one of the first courts to rule that separate was not equal in public education. This case shook segregated schools all over Iowa, and aided in the civil rights movement. While Clark likely faced plenty of racism and discrimination from her classmates, she persevered and graduated from the secondary school with honors and was chosen to speak at her graduation ceremony. 

In 1965, a middle school student in the Des Moines Public Schools district was suspended for wearing a black armband in protest of the Vietnam War. Even after backlash from the public, Mary Beth Tinker and her family sued the district for violating her right to freedom of speech. In a historic supreme court ruling, Tinker was supported in her right to free speech in school. The Tinker v. Des Moines case is known to have set the standard for high protection of students’ first amendment rights. After the legal battle, Tinker continues to speak out about the importance of the first amendment and educate the youth about their rights as a free speech activist. 

Peggy Whitson from Beaconsfield, Iowa, is an astronaut with a list of firsts for women. After many pushbacks, taking more than a decade to get accepted into the NASA astronaut program, she became the first female commander of the International Space Station and first female, nonmilitary, Chief Astronaut for NASA. Whitson also achieved many firsts for Americans such as the most time spent in space and most spacewalks by an American. She spent a total of 675 days in space during her career, retiring from NASA in 2018. Whitson is a major figure in the astronaut and NASA world and continues to encourage women all over the world to pursue similar fields of work.