A Timeline of Women at Princeton

Celebrating 50 years

Marian Anderson

In 1959, Princeton University confers the Doctor of Humanities honorary degree upon opera singer Marian Anderson, making her the first African American woman to receive such an honor from the college.

T’sai-ying Cheng

In 1964, Princeton awards a Ph.D degree to a woman, T’sai-ying Cheng, for the first time. In the same year, Princeton ends compulsory chapel for freshmen.

Admission

In 1969, Princeton first admits women as undergraduates. 148 women, consisting of 100 freshwomen and transfer students of other years, enter Princeton on September 6, amidst a frenzy of media ogling and ribbing.

On the left, a female student smiles and wears a pin reading 'bring back the old Princeton.' On the right, a female student walks her bike. — Image: Life Magazine

Daily Princetonian Article titled 'New Women's Center initiates educational, cultural classes.' — Image: Daily Princetonian

Founding

The Women*s Center and Third World Center (now Carl A. Fields Center) are founded. This same year, Swann v. Charlotte Mecklenburg makes the busing of students for the purpose of promoting integration in public schools constitutional. This case was suggestive of how the nation was still grappling with the implementation of the Brown v. Board of Education decision.

Princeton women's lacrosse team poses for a group photo — Image: Office of Communications Records

Athletics

In the fall of 1971, the University creates a women’s varsity intercollegiate sports program that allows intramural teams to compete formally with other schools. The teams includes field hockey, tennis, squash, and crew. Princetonian women quickly demonstrate that they were willing and able to compete; several newspapers, including a feature in the New York Times, discuss the achievements of the women’s crew and tennis teams.

On the left, yearbook photo and information for Vera Marcus. On the right, a group of Princeton students stand on the steps of Blair Arch. — Images: Mudd Manuscript Library

African American Women Firsts

Linda Blackburn ’71, Terrell Nash ’71 and Carla Wilson ’71 became the first black women to graduate from Princeton with undergraduate degrees. All of whom transferred in with the start of coeducation in Fall of 1969. A year later, within three years time of completion, Vera Marcus became the first undergraduate African American woman to start and graduate from the college as a “Princetonian.”

Title IX

Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 bans discrimination on the basis of gender.

Patsky Mink speaks with other legislators at a table — Image: Women’s Sports Foundation / Featuring: Patsy T. Mink

LGBT

In 1972, undergraduate students form the Gay Alliance at Princeton for gay, lesbian, and bisexual students. In 2005, Princeton launches the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Center.

Button pins reading 'come out!' 'gay and proud' and 'hold hands.' At the bottom there is a caption reading 'Gay Alliance recruits members.' — Image: Daily Princetonian

Engineers

In 1973, the Society of Women Engineers is founded by thirteen of the 17 women majoring in engineering.

Affirmative Action

In 1974, a group of Princeton’s Puerto Rican and Chicano students, which included Sonia Sotomayor, petitions the Office of Health, Education, and Welfare to review the college’s Affirmative Action policy—particularly what the students charge are Princeton’s deficiencies in addressing the concerns of Puerto Rican and Chicano students. Thereafter, Sotomayor goes on to propose the first student- initiated seminar on the history and politics of Puerto-Rico to be administered in the spring of 1974.

Daily Princetonian article by Sonia Sotomayor titled 'Anti-Latino discrimination at Princeton — Image: Daily Princetonian

Valedictorian

In 1975, women are named valedictorian (Cynthia Chase ’75) and salutatorian (Lisa Siegman ’75) for the first time.

Cynthia Chase and Lisa Siegman smile in their graduation gowns. — Image: Daily Princetonian

Article by Leslie Gersing titled 'Trackwomen take third in league in squad's initial complete season,' with a photo of Jill Pilgram. — Image: Daily Princetonian

Jill Pilgrim

In 1977, Jill Pilgrim becomes the first women’s track athlete to be a Heptagonal Games first-team performer and the first black woman in League history in any sport to become first team.

Dean

In 1977, Joan Girgus becomes the first woman to be named Dean of the College. She served in this role till 1987. Nina Garsoian served as dean of the Graduate School from 1977 to 1979.

Daily Princetonian article with a photo of Joan Gircus. — Image: Daily Princetonian

Sally Frank

In 1979, Sally Frank ’80 files a sex discrimination suit against all-male eating clubs.

ROTC

In 1980, Kimberlee Thompson ’81 becomes Princeton’s first female ROTC cadet commander.

Kimberlee Thompson smiles in her uniform. — Image: Daily Princetonian

Women’s Studies

In 1982, the Program in Women’s Studies is established with Nancy Malkiel (then Nancy Weiss), as its first interim director.

Daily Princetonian article featuring a photo fo Nancy Weiss. — Image: Daily Princetonian

In 1987, SHARE (Sexual Harassment/Assault Advising, Resources and Education) is founded. The first annual Take Back the Night march is held that year.

A group of women hold up a poster reading 'Women take back the night.' — Image: Daily Princetonian

Standing Committee

In 1989, the Standing Committee on the Status of Women is established to focus on issues such as work-life resources and the recruitment and retention of women.

Eating Clubs

In 1990, Sally Frank ’80 wins her suit and all eating clubs became co-ed. Tiger Inn, the last of the all-male eating clubs, admits women in 1991.

Daily Princetonian article titled 'TI, Ivy to admit women: Prospect's all-male tradition ends.' — Image: Daily Princetonian

Toni Morrison

In 1993, Toni Morrison, who had been part of the Princeton faculty since 1989, is awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Amy Gutmann

In 1995, Amy Gutmann is named Dean of the Faculty and served in this role till 1997. She later served as provost from 2000 to 2004.

Shirley Tilghman

In 2001, Shirley M. Tilghman is named president of the University. She was the first woman to hold this office and served till 2013.

1:1

In 2002, the number of male and female undergraduates becomes roughly equal. However, there were 111 tenured women on the faculty out of 538 full-time tenured faculty.

A co-ed class of Princetonians sit on the Blair Arch steps in their class jackets.

Maria Klawe

From 2003 to 2006, Maria Klawe, a computer scientist and former dean of science at the University of British Columbia, serves as the dean of Princeton’s School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Anne-Marie Slaughter

In 2003, Anne-Marie Slaughter becomes the first woman to be named dean of Princeton’s Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs.

Daily Princetonian article titled 'WWS Dean Slaughter '80 brings experience back to Princeton,' with accompanying photos of Slaughter as an undergraduate stand and present-day Slaughter. — Image: Daily Princetonian

Sonia Sotomayor

In 2009, Sonia M. Sotomayor ’76 becomes an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States. In 2010, Elena Kagan ’81 becomes an Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States.

2021: Gender + Sexuality Resources Center

In fall 2021, the Women*s Center and LGBT Center join to create the Gender + Sexuality Resources Center.