Martha Hughes Cannon Statue

Martha-Hughes-Cannon-Statue-WWP

Photo credit - Utah State Capitol

The statue of Martha Hughes Cannon is standing in front of the Utah State Senate building, honoring the life and work of Dr. Cannon – the first woman in the US to be elected to a state Senate. In 1896, right after Utah became a state, Cannon ran for a State Senate seat and won. She defeated four other men; among them was her husband.

During the two terms she served in this position, Cannon, who was a medical doctor, promoted important health policy in the state, helped to end an outbreak of smallpox, promoted vaccination, improved education for deaf and blind children, and founded Utah’s first State Board of Health. As a suffragist and women’s rights advocate, Cannon advocated for passing a law to regulate working conditions for women and girls.

The eight-foot-high bronze statue created by Laura Lee Stay Bradshaw was dedicated on July 4th, 1996. It depicts Cannon walking forwards and looking straight ahead, holding a hat in her hand. A similar statue is located at Historic Downtown Provo, and in 2020 a statue of her will be placed at the National Statuary Hall Collection in the US Capitol in Washington, DC, representing the state of Utah.

Salt Lake City's History Minute - Martha Hughes Cannon

Martha Hughes Cannon was the first woman in the United States ever elected to a State Legislature, but there was so much more to this pioneering woman.

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Salt Lake City's History Minute - Martha Hughes Cannon

Martha Hughes Cannon was the first woman in the United States ever elected to a State Legislature, but there was so much more to this pioneering woman.
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