Mary Philbrook
Encyclopedia
Mary Philbrook was one of New Jersey
's most prominent women for equal rights
. She was the first woman attorney in New Jersey and then used her legal training for the advancement of women's rights, the social settlement movement in Jersey City, and a gender free writing of the New Jersey Constitution of 1947.
Mary Philbrook was born in Washington, D.C.
in 1872 but her family moved to Jersey City by the time she was six. She attended Public School #11 (now the Martin Luther King, Jr.
School) and then Jersey City High School (now William L. Dickinson High School
). Philbrook left school before graduating to become a stenographer in a law office, and she applied to be admitted to the New Jersey Bar in February 1894.
The fact that Mary had not attended college, law school, or even finished high school was no barrier to her admission as a lawyer. At the time, candidates could simply apply to take the bar exam. Some three hundred female lawyers were practicing in thirty other states, but the New Jersey Court decided that "[a] woman is not, by virtue of her citizenship, vested by the Constitution . . . with any absolute right. . . to practice as an attorney."
New Jersey suffragists, including Cecilia Gaines, President of the Jersey City Woman's Club, lobbied the legislature to pass a law in 1895 allowing women to become lawyers in New Jersey, and Mary Philbrook was the first to be admitted. She worked for the law firm of Bacot and Record in Jersey City before starting her own practice. In 1906 she was admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, the first woman from New Jersey to be so appointed.
Philbrook volunteered to be counsel for the Legal Aid Society
at Cornelia Bradford's Whittier House in lower Jersey City, and she helped Mabel Smith Douglass
and the College Club of Jersey City to promote the founding of New Jersey College for Women (now Douglass College).
During the suffrage campaign, Philbrook supported the militant activism of Alice Paul
and her National Woman's Party in Washington, D.C. After the passage of the 19th amendment
, Philbrook worked with Alice Paul for the passage of an equal rights amendment.
In 1947 Philbrook led a successful effort to change the wording of the New Jersey Constitution to insure equal rights for women. As a result the word "persons" is used to include both sexes, making sexual discrimination unconstitutional. Mary Philbrook died in 1958.
Every year, the Rutgers School of Law - Camden
confers the Mary Philbrook Public Interest Award to a distinguished individual who has honored the spirit of Mary Philbrook by serving the public interest in the legal field. The award is presented at a gala dinner that also honors law school students who have particularly distinguished themselves in public interest law.
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States. , its population was 8,791,894. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York, on the southeast and south by the Atlantic Ocean, on the west by Pennsylvania and on the southwest by Delaware...
's most prominent women for equal rights
Women's rights
Women's rights are entitlements and freedoms claimed for women and girls of all ages in many societies.In some places these rights are institutionalized or supported by law, local custom, and behaviour, whereas in others they may be ignored or suppressed...
. She was the first woman attorney in New Jersey and then used her legal training for the advancement of women's rights, the social settlement movement in Jersey City, and a gender free writing of the New Jersey Constitution of 1947.
Mary Philbrook was born in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
in 1872 but her family moved to Jersey City by the time she was six. She attended Public School #11 (now the Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr.
Martin Luther King, Jr. was an American clergyman, activist, and prominent leader in the African-American Civil Rights Movement. He is best known for being an iconic figure in the advancement of civil rights in the United States and around the world, using nonviolent methods following the...
School) and then Jersey City High School (now William L. Dickinson High School
William L. Dickinson High School
William L. Dickinson High School is a four-year public high school located in Jersey City, New Jersey, as part of the Jersey City Public Schools...
). Philbrook left school before graduating to become a stenographer in a law office, and she applied to be admitted to the New Jersey Bar in February 1894.
The fact that Mary had not attended college, law school, or even finished high school was no barrier to her admission as a lawyer. At the time, candidates could simply apply to take the bar exam. Some three hundred female lawyers were practicing in thirty other states, but the New Jersey Court decided that "[a] woman is not, by virtue of her citizenship, vested by the Constitution . . . with any absolute right. . . to practice as an attorney."
New Jersey suffragists, including Cecilia Gaines, President of the Jersey City Woman's Club, lobbied the legislature to pass a law in 1895 allowing women to become lawyers in New Jersey, and Mary Philbrook was the first to be admitted. She worked for the law firm of Bacot and Record in Jersey City before starting her own practice. In 1906 she was admitted to practice before the United States Supreme Court, the first woman from New Jersey to be so appointed.
Philbrook volunteered to be counsel for the Legal Aid Society
Legal Aid Society
The Legal Aid Society in New York City is the United States' oldest and largest provider of legal services to the indigent. It operates both traditional civil and criminal law cases.-History:...
at Cornelia Bradford's Whittier House in lower Jersey City, and she helped Mabel Smith Douglass
Mabel Smith Douglass
Mabel Smith Douglass was the first dean, in 1918 of the New Jersey College for Women. In September 1932 she retired due to ill health. On September 21, 1933, she went rowing on Lake Placid and never returned. She was last seen rowing alone across the lake by servants at a camp she owned...
and the College Club of Jersey City to promote the founding of New Jersey College for Women (now Douglass College).
During the suffrage campaign, Philbrook supported the militant activism of Alice Paul
Alice Paul
Alice Stokes Paul was an American suffragist and activist. Along with Lucy Burns and others, she led a successful campaign for women's suffrage that resulted in the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1920.-Activism: Alice Paul received her undergraduate education from...
and her National Woman's Party in Washington, D.C. After the passage of the 19th amendment
Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution
The Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibits any United States citizen to be denied the right to vote based on sex. It was ratified on August 18, 1920....
, Philbrook worked with Alice Paul for the passage of an equal rights amendment.
In 1947 Philbrook led a successful effort to change the wording of the New Jersey Constitution to insure equal rights for women. As a result the word "persons" is used to include both sexes, making sexual discrimination unconstitutional. Mary Philbrook died in 1958.
Every year, the Rutgers School of Law - Camden
Rutgers School of Law - Camden
Rutgers School of Law–Camden is a public law school of Rutgers University located in Camden, New Jersey on the Delaware Waterfront. It is one of two law schools of Rutgers University and one of only three law schools in the state of New Jersey...
confers the Mary Philbrook Public Interest Award to a distinguished individual who has honored the spirit of Mary Philbrook by serving the public interest in the legal field. The award is presented at a gala dinner that also honors law school students who have particularly distinguished themselves in public interest law.