ST. LOUIS — On Nov. 8, 1938, Crystal Bird Fauset won election to the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, becoming the first Black woman elected to a state legislature in the United States.
Fauset represented Philadelphia County’s 18th District during the 1939-40 term. The Pennsylvania House Archives records that she had worked as a teacher, YWCA field secretary, social worker and traveling speaker before entering public office. She also led the Institute of Race Relations at Swarthmore College.
Her victory carried national importance, but her legislative work addressed daily needs. House historical materials say she sponsored nine bills during her first year, with work focused on housing, education and public health. She also advocated better legal treatment and compensation for women employed in domestic service.
Fauset resigned from the House in January 1940 and later served in federal and local public roles, including work connected to the Works Progress Administration and the Office of Civilian Defense. Her career linked electoral representation with practical public service.
Her election remains a reminder that breaking a barrier is only the beginning of the record. Fauset used the office to press issues affecting working families and carried that public mission into the years that followed.
Sources: Pennsylvania House Archives | Pennsylvania Heritage
