Anything’s possible if you’ve got enough nerve . ~J.K. Rowling
Arabella Mansfield née Belle Aurelia Babb
After graduation had passed and I settled into bar prep mode, I realized the reality of the legal profession–good grades and all the clinics in the world meant nothing if I couldn’t pass the bar.
Passing the bar exam is a huge achievement, even today when over half of the states administer a uniform bar exam. But passing the bar in 1869 was an incredible feat, especially when you consider that the test was limited only to test takers who fit the description of “any white male person” over the age of 21. But that did not stop Arabella Mansfield of Des Moines County, Iowa.
In June 1869, Arabella passed the Iowa bar exam despite the restrictions on her gender. Judge Francis Springer, an advocate of women’s rights, interpreted the law in favor of the young woman (“the affirmative declaration that male persons may be admitted, is not an implied denial to the rights of females”).
Following her win, 23 year old Arabella Mansfield became the first woman admitted to the legal profession in the United States. The next year saw Iowa becoming the first state to officially amend this rule, allowing more women to be admitted to the profession. While she never went on to actually practice law, Arabella paved the way for future generations of women to enter the field.
So the next time you think passing the bar is impossible, think again.
Project Mansfield 