Reva Beck Bosone

Women in Public Service » Politics

Utah’s first woman member of Congress and one of its first female lawyers. Bosone spent her early career as a high school teacher before winning election to the state legislature in 1932 as a Democrat. Bosone’s chief accomplishment as a state legislator was sponsorship of a minimum wage and hours law for women and children. Later, as a Salt Lake City judge, Bosone fought against alcoholism, juvenile delinquency, and poor jail conditions. Bosone was elected to Congress in 1948 and again in 1950, where she supported women’s rights, Indian rights, and equal educational opportunities years before they were popular issues. She ended her career as the chief judicial officer for the U.S. Post Office Department.