Come visit the Silver Lake Historical Society in Silver Lake for an Ohio Humanities’ Speakers Bureau event with Barbara Palmer! Dr. Palmer will discuss the fascinating history of Ohio women running for public office.

In 1872, Victoria Woodhull, an Ohio native, was the first woman to ever run for president. In the early 20th century, Ohio was one of the first states to ratify the 19th Amendment. In 1922, six women were elected to the state legislature, and Florence Allen was the first woman to ever be elected to a state supreme court in the nation. 

One hundred years later, Ohio has never elected a woman to the US Senate or as governor. The 2022 election was the first time in 10 years that the number of women serving from Ohio in the US House increased. The number of women serving in the Ohio Statehouse is stalling.  The proportion of female candidates for local offices has been flat for a decade.

Over the past century, we can see a great deal of change in women’s representation in public office; Ohio can claim some remarkable “famous firsts.” Ohio is represented by an increasingly diverse group of women. But some things have remained stubbornly the same. The pool of political candidates is still overwhelmingly male. What are the challenges—and opportunities—that women candidates face?

Curious about our Speakers Bureau? Check out speakers and topics here.

Want to see other Ohio Humanities events? Check out our calendar!