Arabella Mansfield facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Arabella Mansfield
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Mansfield, ca. 1870
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| Born |
Belle Aurelia Babb
May 23, 1846 Benton Township, Iowa
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| Died | August 1, 1911 (aged 65) |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Iowa Wesleyan College |
| Occupation | Lawyer, Educator |
| Spouse(s) | Melvin Mansfield |
Arabella Mansfield (born May 23, 1846 – died August 1, 1911), originally named Belle Aurelia Babb, made history in 1869. She became the first female lawyer in the United States. She was allowed to practice law in Iowa.
Even though an Iowa law said only men could take the bar exam (the test to become a lawyer), Arabella took it. She passed with excellent scores. Because of her challenge, Iowa changed its law. It became the first state to allow women and minorities to become lawyers.
Later in her life, Arabella Mansfield worked mostly as a teacher and leader. She taught at Iowa Wesleyan College and DePauw University. At DePauw, she also became a university administrator. She was the dean of two different schools in the 1890s.
Early Life and Education
Belle Aurelia Babb was born in 1846. Her family lived on a farm in Benton Township, Des Moines County, Iowa. She was the second child of Mary and Miles Babb. Her older brother, Washington Irving Babb, was born in 1844. He was named after a famous writer. They were close friends throughout their lives.
When Belle was young, her father left for California in 1850. He wanted to make sure his children could get an education. Sadly, Miles Babb died in a mining accident in 1852.
After her father's death, Mary Babb moved with her two children to Mount Pleasant, Iowa. Belle and Washington went to schools there.
In 1862, Belle started college at Iowa Wesleyan College in Mount Pleasant. This is when she began using the name Arabella. Many men were leaving for the American Civil War then. So, colleges started letting in more women students. They also hired more women as teachers. Arabella Babb finished her studies in three years. She was the top student in her class, known as the valedictorian. Her brother Washington was the second-best student, the salutatorian, in the same class.
Career as a Pioneer
After college, Arabella Babb taught at Des Moines Conference Seminary (now Simpson College) for a year. She then returned to Mount Pleasant. There, she married her college boyfriend, John Melvin Mansfield. He was a young professor at Iowa Wesleyan. He really supported her dream of studying law.
Arabella Mansfield "read the law" in her brother Washington's law office. This means she learned law by studying with an experienced lawyer. Her brother had already become a lawyer. Even though Iowa law said only "males over 21" could take the bar exam, Arabella Mansfield took it in 1869. She passed with very high scores.
In 1869, Iowa became the first state to allow women to practice law. This happened after Mansfield challenged the state law that kept her out. The court decided that women could not be stopped from practicing law in Iowa. So, Arabella Mansfield was officially allowed to become a lawyer. She took her oath at the Union Block building in Mount Pleasant that year.
Even though she was a lawyer, Mansfield did not practice law much. Instead, she focused on teaching at colleges and working for important causes. She taught at Iowa Wesleyan College. Then she moved to DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. In 1893, she became the Dean of the School of Art at DePauw. In 1894, she became the Dean of the School of Music. In 1893, Mansfield also joined the National League of Women Lawyers.
Mansfield was also very active in the women's suffrage movement. This movement worked to get women the right to vote. She led the Iowa Women’s Suffrage Convention in 1870. She also worked with Susan B. Anthony, a famous leader in the suffrage movement.
Arabella Mansfield passed away on August 1, 1911. She died at her brother's home in Aurora, Illinois. She did not live to see women get the right to vote. This happened when the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution was passed in 1920.
Legacy and Honors
- In 1980, Arabella Mansfield was honored by being added to the Iowa Women's Hall of Fame.
- In 2002, the Iowa Organization of Women Attorneys created the Arabella Mansfield Award. This award recognizes amazing women lawyers in Iowa.
- A special sculpture of her was made for Iowa Wesleyan College. It was created by Benjamin Victor.
- The National Association of Women Lawyers named its highest award after Arabella Babb Mansfield. Famous winners include all three women who have served on the U.S. Supreme Court.
- In 2017, Diversity Lab started the Mansfield Rule. This rule helps big law firms make sure they are hiring a diverse group of people. It is named after Arabella Mansfield. The rule asks firms to consider women or minority candidates for leadership jobs. To be "Mansfield Certified," a firm must show that 30 percent of the people considered for these jobs were underrepresented lawyers.
Images for kids
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The historic Union Block building in Mount Pleasant, where Mansfield took her oath as the first female lawyer in the U.S.
