Prompt Cast
The Success of All-Female Town Councils in the United States
TLDR In the late 1800s and early 1900s, all-female town councils and mayors in the United States were successful in implementing various improvements in their towns, such as cleaning up the town square, grading the streets, and establishing a cemetery. Despite their success, it took many years before another all-female council and mayor were elected.
Timestamped Summary
00:00
In the 1800s, there were towns in Kansas and Utah that had all-female town councils, and in 1920, Jackson, Wyoming elected an all-female town council and mayor.
02:00
The first woman elected mayor in the United States was Susanna Salter in 1887, who was initially put on the ballot as a prank but ended up winning the election.
03:59
Female mayors in the late 1800s and early 1900s were successful in cleaning up towns, collecting back taxes, enacting leash laws for dogs, and implementing taxes on traveling salesmen to protect local businesses.
06:01
The success of the Petticoat rulers and the Canab, Utah Town Council in winning by a two to one margin shows that their victories were not a joke or a fluke.
07:46
The Petticoat rulers proved themselves as worthy for reelection by implementing various improvements in the town, such as cleaning up the town square, grading the streets, expanding electrical service, and establishing a cemetery.
09:31
The Petticoat rulers shaped Jackson into the town it is today, but despite their success, it took another 80 years before the town elected another all-female council and mayor.
11:31
In the 1980s, women were elected to the city council again, and it wasn't until 2001 that another woman, Jean Jackson, was elected as mayor.
Categories:
Society & Culture
