To Secure These Rights: 150 Years of Women at Penn

While women have been associated with the University of Pennsylvania from its beginnings, it is only in the last 150 years that they have been students in the classroom working towards degrees, which were first awarded to women in the 1880s. This exhibition explores what was at times a fraught relationship between women students and scholars and the faculty and administration. It highlights how women moved beyond earlier stereotypes to integrate themselves into all academic and professional disciplines, and all aspects of university life.

From early Penn memorabilia and photographs of women on campus to literary journals, community work, and athletics, the wide-ranging and ongoing influence of women on the evolution of the University, led in recent years by prominent scholars of women and gender, will be on display.

The title is taken from an inscription in a copy of the 1947 report on Civil Rights, written in part by Penn graduate Sadie T. M. Alexander, who called upon women at the University to demand the fulfillment of the promise of justice for all people, regardless of race, creed, or gender.

Exhibit curated by Alicia Meyer and Lynne Farrington.

Celebrating 150 Years of Women at Penn

This exhibit is presented as part of the university-wide initiative Celebrating 150 Years of Women at Penn, commemorating 150 years since the first women enrolled at Penn and honoring the achievements, leadership, and lasting impact of Penn women across generations.

Plan Your Visit

On view August 31 - December 11, 2026. This exhibition is free and open to the public. The display is located next to the Circulation desk on the first floor of Van Pelt-Dietrich Library Center (view floor plan).

Penn faculty, staff, and students must swipe their PennCard for access. Visitors from outside the Penn community must present a current, valid government or school-issued photo ID that contains an expiration date. Find more information to plan your visit.