On this day, November the 7th, in the year of 1916, Jeannette Rankin became the first woman to be elected to the U.S. Congress, being a Representative from Montana (U.S. House of Reps).

An advocate for women rights, Rankin introduced and supported policies dedicated to that cause.

Rankins first stint in the House was cut short due to her stance on the war in Europe, voting not to declare war on Germany, rather wanting the U.S. wanting to stay out of the Great War.

She would run again for office and be elected back to the House in 1940 on an anti war platform, and once again voting against war, this time around being at war with Japan.

Being more unpopular than her first vote against war, Rankins would once again be ousted out of the House.

Rankin would spend the rest of her life fighting for women’s rights and against war until her death in 1973 (Britannica).