Collections

Policewoman's Uniform

Policewoman's Uniform - Uniform
Accession #: 3759.1
Title: Policewoman's Uniform
Object Type: Uniform
Participants:
Physical Description: Spokane policewoman's uniform, worn by Cheryl Stuart, including two jackets, one pair of pants, and a hat. The jackets (1a &1b) are long-sleeved navy blue polyester with gold metal buttons, on the left sleeve near the shoulder area is a Spokane Police identification badge (red, white, dark blue, and gold), one is lined the other is not; the pants (1c) are wide-legged, navy blue polyester; and the hat (1d) is navy blue on the bottom and white on the top.
Description: No women's uniforms were commercially available when Cheryl Stuart, Joan Smick, and Denise Coker joined the Spokane Police Department around 1973. They sewed their own. The department's first Police Women received the same salaries as Police Men, but with a college degree required. A class action suit soon led to the gender-neutral Police Officer classification. Although perceived as a conservative region, Inland Northwest Grange and Populist politics helped gain statewide women's voting rights in 1910. Washington engaged actively in Equal Rights Amendment efforts of the 1970s.
Category: Textiles
Subjects/Topics/Concepts:
Law Enforcement (Industry), Women (Women), Uniform (Personal Artifact)
Geographical Reference: Spokane (Washington->Spokane County)
Materials/Techniques:
cotton (textile) (Material)
polyester (Material)
metal ( -> -> ) (Material)
Related Exhibits:
Credit Line: Gift of Cheryl Graves, 1995

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