Esto Bates Broughton (January 9, 1890 – November 20, 1956) was an American lawyer, journalist, publicist, and politician, one of the first four women to serve in the

California State Assembly The California State Assembly is the lower house of the California State Legislature, the upper house being the California State Senate. The Assembly convenes, along with the State Senate, at the California State Capitol in Sacramento. The A ...

when they were elected in 1918. Broughton, who was sworn into office at age 29, was also the youngest woman ever to serve in the California legislature, until her record was broken in 2002.

Early life

Esto Bates Broughton was born in

Modesto, California Modesto () is the county seat and largest city of Stanislaus County, California, United States. With a population of 218,464 at the 2020 census, it is the 19th largest city in the state of California and forms part of the Sacramento-Stockton- ...

,"Esto B. Broughton"
Join California: Election History for the State of California. the daughter of James Richard Broughton and Jennie Bates Broughton. Her father was a bank president. She attended the

University of California The University of California (UC) is a public land-grant research university system in the U.S. state of California. The system is composed of the campuses at Berkeley, Davis, Irvine, Los Angeles, Merced, Riverside, San Diego, San Francisco, ...

at Berkeley, completing undergraduate studies in 1915, and earning her law degree in the class of 1916.

Career

Esto Bates Broughton was the first woman lawyer in

Stanislaus County, California , image_skyline = , image_caption = Images, from top down, left to right: Modesto Arch, Knights Ferry's General Store, a view of the Tuolumne River from Waterford , image_flag = , i ...

"California"
''Women Wielding Power: Pioneer Female State Legislators'', National Women's History Museum. In 1918 she was the only Democratic woman candidate elected to the California state assembly for the 46th district, and one of the first four women to be elected to the state's legislature, along with Grace S. Dorris, Elizabeth Hughes, and Anna L. Saylor. Broughton, representing Modesto, was reelected in 1920, 1922, and 1924. While in the legislature, she introduced bills on community property, agricultural irrigation, consumer protection, and jobs for

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

veterans. She objected to the exploitation of children in motion picture productions, but said she didn't mind "

Theda Bara Theda Bara ( ; born Theodosia Burr Goodman; July 29, 1885 – April 7, 1955) was an American silent film and stage actress. Bara was one of the more popular actresses of the silent era and one of cinema's early sex symbols. Her femme fatal ...

giving the girls lessons in vamping, although I think she carries it too far." Broughton chaired the publicity department of the California Federation of Women's Clubs. In 1928, she addressed the

Women's International League for Peace and Freedom The Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF) is a non-profit non-governmental organization working "to bring together women of different political views and philosophical and religious backgrounds determined to study and make kno ...

meeting in Hawaii, at which

Jane Addams Laura Jane Addams (September 6, 1860 May 21, 1935) was an American settlement activist, reformer, social worker, sociologist, public administrator, and author. She was an important leader in the history of social work and women's suffrage ...

was presiding. From 1928 to 1931, she was publicist for the

Pasadena Playhouse The Pasadena Playhouse is a historic performing arts venue located 39 S. El Molino Avenue in Pasadena, California, United States. The 686-seat auditorium produces a variety of cultural and artistic events, professional shows, and community engage ...

. In 1931, she was working as a journalist, covering state politics for the ''Fresno Republican'' and other newspapers. In 1932 she was a delegate to the Democratic National Convention that nominated

Franklin Delano Roosevelt Franklin Delano Roosevelt (; ; January 30, 1882April 12, 1945), often referred to by his initials FDR, was an American politician and attorney who served as the 32nd president of the United States from 1933 until his death in 1945. As the ...

for president. She started a weekly newspaper, ''Political Straws'', in 1933. In 1944, she ran for Congress, and was endorsed by the Merced County Democratic Central Committee. In the same year, she campaigned for Franklin Roosevelt's re-election.

Personal life

Broughton died in Modesto in 1956, aged 66 years. Her nephew was San Francisco poet, filmmaker, and playwright

James Broughton James Broughton (November 10, 1913 – May 17, 1999) was an American poet and poetic filmmaker. He was part of the San Francisco Renaissance, a precursor to the Beat poets. He was an early bard of the Radical Faeries, as well as a member of ...

(1913-1999).Jonathan Williams
"Obituary: James Broughton"
''Independent'' (June 2, 1999). Esto Bates Broughton was 29 years old when she was sworn into office early in 1919. Nobody younger than that was sworn into the California Assembly until 2002, when

Cindy Montañez Cindy Montañez (born January 19, 1974) is a former Democratic Assemblywoman from California's 39th State Assembly district serving for four years, from 2002 until 2006. Family Montañez was raised in the city of San Fernando, California al ...

took office at age 28.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Broughton, Esto Bates 1890 births 1956 deaths 20th-century American lawyers Women state legislators in California Democratic Party members of the California State Assembly American women in World War I People from Modesto, California 20th-century American politicians 20th-century American women politicians

Early life

Career

Personal life

See also

References