The 19th Amendment
Ratification prohibited denying the vote on the basis of sex. Racial discrimination and other barriers continued to prevent many women from voting.
National Archives ↗WOMEN’S RIGHTS & RESOURCES
Know the history.
Find your next step.
A starting point for understanding women’s rights, important legal milestones, and local resources in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, PA
Looking for PFA information?
Find official filing guidance, where to go, after-hours help, and the history of Pennsylvania’s Protection From Abuse law.
SELECTED U.S. & PENNSYLVANIA MILESTONES
Rights through time.
The Equal Pay Act
Federal law addressed sex-based wage discrimination for substantially equal work in the same establishment, subject to specified exceptions.
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ↗The Equal Credit Opportunity Act
The original law prohibited credit discrimination based on sex or marital status. Subsequent amendments expanded its protections.
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ↗Pennsylvania’s Protection From Abuse Act
Pennsylvania established a civil legal avenue for protection from domestic abuse. This became part of the state’s response alongside criminal law.
U.S. Commission on Civil Rights ↗The Violence Against Women Act
Federal legislation expanded legal protections and access to services for people affected by domestic violence and sexual assault.
U.S. Department of Justice ↗This is a selected educational timeline, not a complete history or statement of every current legal right.
Places to begin.
Workplace rights
The EEOC provides information on employment discrimination, equal pay, and the laws it enforces.
Visit the EEOCCredit discrimination
The CFPB explains prohibited credit discrimination and how to raise concerns about treatment by a lender.
Explore credit rightsGeneral information, not legal advice. Rules and procedures can change; consult the linked official sources and a qualified attorney for advice about your situation. Reviewed September 9, 2026.