Women’s History Month in Wyoming
By Kylie L. McCormick
On June 15, 1889, Amalia Post stood before one hundred women in Cheyenne and delivered a passionate speech advocating for the inclusion of woman suffrage in Wyoming’s Constitution. She closed her speech with a wish for the future, “may we all hope that woman will be accorded an honored place in building up and maintaining the Great State of Wyoming.”
This is a sentiment that holds true to me today. Depending on the way we frame our history in Wyoming, one can be discouraged or inspired. Despite passing an equal pay law for teachers in 1869, Wyoming still has one of the largest pay gaps in the U.S. While Nellie Tayloe Ross served Wyoming as the first woman governor in the U.S., we have yet to elect another woman to that role in the last 100 years. Amalia Post’s call to action in 1889 is as important today as it was on the eve of statehood.
Each generation of Wyomingite has fought to protect our founding ideal of equality. The first generation worked to prove it was possible. Esther Morris served as the nation’s first woman judge and not a single decision was overturned. Amalia Post sat on juries, owned property, and shared her experiences on the national stage while serving as the Vice President to the National Woman Suffrage Association for more than 20 years. Therese Jenkins delivered speeches around the world at a time when women were not yet valued as capable public speakers—her speech celebrating Wyoming’s statehood was celebrated in Wyoming newspapers as the best speech of the day.
When the University of Wyoming was founded in 1886, women proved themselves capable of taking on important leadership positions. Acting Governor Amos Barber appointed Augustine Kendall, Mattie Quinn, and Grace Raymond Hebard to the university’s Board of Trustees in 1891. Hebard wore many hats at the university—secretary, librarian and professor. She grew the library collection from several hundred books to around 60,000 by the time she left. Hebard used her position to uplift the entire state, training our rural educators and establishing a traveling library. Unprecedented at the time, women served as the heads of their departments, take for instance the history department, headed successively by Irene Morse, Agnes Wergeland, and Laura White.
Women became integral members of their communities as business owners, doctors, and homesteaders. Lola West, owner of the Black & Tan Café, helped to root out corruption in Cheyenne. Lillian Heath assisted with the autopsy of Big Nose George and went on to become Wyoming’s first woman doctor. Elinore Pruitt Stewart published her letters to friends with anecdotes on homesteading and they were later adapted into a movie. Judy Shepard faced tragedy and the devastating loss of her son Matthew Shepard by creating the Shepard Foundation to combat hate in 1998. Ann Esquibel Redman won a lifetime achievement award in 2017 after working for the state of Wyoming for 22 years and creating community organizations and events to celebrate Hispanic culture in Wyoming.
After statehood, women also began to run for public office. When Estelle Reel won her election as Superintendent of Public Education (1895-1899), she became the first Wyoming woman elected to a state-wide office. Reel later became the first woman nominated to a federal appointment when President William McKinley appointed her national superintendent of Indian schools. Others followed in her footsteps. In 1911, Mary Bellamy was the first woman to serve in the Wyoming Legislature. Susan Wissler became Wyoming’s first mayor when she served in Dayton in 1912. While serving for a year as the marshal for the rowdy town of Jackson, 23-year-old Pearl Williams shot three men and buried them herself. She resigned after a year because, “the town is now so quiet it don't need no marshal anymore.” Lizabeth Wiley successfully shut down the KKK in Greybull during her tenure as mayor. State Senator Liz Byrd introduced a bill for Martin Luther King Jr. Day nine times before it was finally adopted in 1990. In 2017, Affie Ellis became the first Native American to serve in the Wyoming Legislature. During her tenure she has advocated to preserve the history of Wyoming women like Esther Morris and has supported legislation on education and addressing the epidemic of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women.
Women have also given Wyoming some of our most beloved symbols. The Wyoming Legislature attempted and failed to pass a state flag into law in 1911 and 1915. Wyoming remained without a flag until the Daughters of the American Revolution held a contest in 1916, and advocated for the winning design during the next legislative session in 1917. The winner of that contest, Verna Keays Keyes, was not only an incredible designer—she was also an active citizen who gave back to her community. She advocated for art instruction in our public schools and led Girl Scout activities in the Bighorns.
Women’s History Month is a time to remember and celebrate the women of Wyoming. You can read many of their stories on WyoHistory.org. In recalling their struggles and dedication to our state, may we also be inspired to take on an active role in shaping our communities and ensuring that we continue to strive toward the ideals set forth in our constitution in 1889—to protect the political equality of all regardless of sex, race or religion.