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Top left, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate Elizabeth Warren speaks during a campaign rally at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012. Top right, U.S. Rep. Maize Hirono gives a victory speech at the Japanese Cultural Center, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012 in Honolulu. Bottom left, Illinois nominee for Congress Tammy Duckworth speaks during day one of the Democratic National Convention at Time Warner Cable Arena on September 4, 2012 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The DNC that will run through September 7, will nominate U.S. President Barack Obama as the Democratic presidential candidate. Bottom right, MADISON, WI  - NOVEMBER 6:   U.S. Senate candidate U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) celebrates her victory over Republican candidate Tommy Thompson on election night on November 6, 2012 in Madison, Wisconsin. With tonight's win, Baldwin became Wisconsin's first openly gay Senator. (Photo by Darren Hauck/Getty Images)

Politics

Breaking Barriers: U.S. women leaders

From Susan B. Anthony's leadership in the battle for women's suffrage to the many milestones marked by female candidates on Election Day 2012, women have a rich history of leadership in American political life.

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Top left, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate Elizabeth Warren speaks during a campaign rally at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012. Top right, U.S. Rep. Maize Hirono gives a victory speech at the Japanese Cultural Center, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012 in Honolulu. Bottom left, Illinois nominee for Congress Tammy Duckworth speaks during day one of the Democratic National Convention at Time Warner Cable Arena on September 4, 2012 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The DNC that will run through September 7, will nominate U.S. President Barack Obama as the Democratic presidential candidate. Bottom right, MADISON, WI  - NOVEMBER 6:   U.S. Senate candidate U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) celebrates her victory over Republican candidate Tommy Thompson on election night on November 6, 2012 in Madison, Wisconsin. With tonight's win, Baldwin became Wisconsin's first openly gay Senator. (Photo by Darren Hauck/Getty Images)

Breaking barriers: U.S. women leaders

Top left, Democratic candidate for U.S. Senate Elizabeth Warren speaks during a campaign rally at the Reggie Lewis Center in Boston, Saturday, Nov. 3, 2012. Top right, U.S. Rep. Maize Hirono gives a victory speech at the Japanese Cultural Center, Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2012 in Honolulu. Bottom left, Illinois nominee for Congress Tammy Duckworth speaks during day one of the Democratic National Convention at Time Warner Cable Arena on September 4, 2012 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The DNC that will run through September 7, will nominate U.S. President Barack Obama as the Democratic presidential candidate. Bottom right, MADISON, WI - NOVEMBER 6: U.S. Senate candidate U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) celebrates her victory over Republican candidate Tommy Thompson on election night on November 6, 2012 in Madison, Wisconsin. With tonight's win, Baldwin became Wisconsin's first openly gay Senator. (Photo by Darren Hauck/Getty Images)
Hillary Rodham Clinton

Hillary Clinton

Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton D-N.Y., acknowledges applause from supporters Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2008, in New York. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson)
Julie Jacobson / AP
RICE

Condoleezza Rice

** FILE ** National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice briefs reporters at the White House on Iraq and President Bush's upcoming trip to the United Kingdom in this Nov. 13, 2003, file photo. Rice, who will testify before the commission investigating the Sept. 11 attacks Thursday, April 8, 2004, once said in a speech before the attacks, \"Foreign policy simply cannot be judged by today's headlines that chalk up victories and defeats like so many box scores in the sports sections.\" (AP Photo/Ron Edmonds/File)
Ron Edmonds / AP
Nancy Pelosi

Nancy Pelosi

Democratic House Leader Nancy Pelosi of Calif., smiles during a news conference on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, Nov. 8, 2006. (AP Photo/Lawrence Jackson)
Lawrence Jackson / AP
Dem VP candidate Geraldine Ferraro speaking at campaign

Geraldine Ferraro

MADISON, UNITED STATES - OCTOBER 01: Dem VP candidate Geraldine Ferraro speaking at campaign rally. (Photo by Diana Walker/Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images)
Diana Walker / Time & Life Pictures
(FILES) US Democratic presidential hopef

Carol Moseley-Braun

WASHINGTON, UNITED STATES: (FILES) US Democratic presidential hopeful and former Illinois Senator Carol Moseley Braun delivers her remarks at the Democratic National Congress Fall meeting, 03 October, 2003 in Washington, DC. Moseley Braun is one of 10 candidates, and the only woman competing for the presidential nomination of the party for the 2004 elections. Moseley Braun, trailing badly in the polls, will drop out of the Democratic race for president and will endorse front-runner Howard Dean, Democratic sources announced 15 January 2004. AFP PHOTO/Manny CENETA (Photo credit should read MANNY CENETA/AFP/Getty Images)
Manny Ceneta / AFP
RENO

Janet Reno

Attorney General Janet Reno testifies on Capitol Hill Tuesday, Dec. 9, 1997 before the House Government Reform and Oversight Committee hearing on campaign fund raising. In a hearing filled with clashes between Democrats and Republicans, Reno and House Republicans traded testy remarks over her decision not to seek an independent counsel for fund-raising. (AP Photo/Joe Marquette)
Joe Marquette / AP
US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright points to

Madeleine Albright

WASHINGTON, : US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright points to a globe during her testimony 10 February to members of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. Albright testified about the State Department budget and other issues. AFP PHOTO Tim SLOAN (Photo credit should read TIM SLOAN/AFP/Getty Images)
Tim Sloan / AFP
(FILES) This 14 February, 2005, file pho

Sandra Day O'Connor

Washington, UNITED STATES: (FILES) This 14 February, 2005, file photo shows US Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor atytending the installation ceremonies for US Attorney General Alberto Gonzales at the US Department of Justice in Washington, DC. O'Connor, the first woman appointed to the Supreme Court, announced her retirement 01 July, 2005. O'Connor said she will step down before the court's first session in October or when a successor is confirmed by the US Senate. O'Connor's announcement gives US President George W. Bush his first opportunity to nominate a justice to the nation's highest court. AFP PHOTO/PAUL J. RICHARDS/FILES (Photo credit should read PAUL J. RICHARDS/AFP/Getty Images)
Paul J. Richards / AFP
Portrait of US Amb to UN Jeane Kirkpatrick outside United N

Jeane Kirkpatrick

NEW YORK, UNITED STATES - JUNE 01: Portrait of US Amb. to UN Jeane Kirkpatrick outside United Nations building. (Photo by Diana Walker/Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images)
Diana Walker / Time & Life Pictures
TEAMSTER ELECTION HEARINGS--Ranking Member Patsy T. Mink,D-H

Patsy Takemoto Mink

UNITED STATES - OCTOBER 14: TEAMSTER ELECTION HEARINGS--Ranking Member Patsy T. Mink,D-Hawaii,during the Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee hearings to analyze the cost of the 1996 teamsters elections and the effects of illegal campaign contributi
Douglas Graham / Congressional Quarterly
Ella Grasso

Ella Grasso

Sep 11, 1979; Hartford, CT, USA; Governor of Connecticut ELLA GRASSO. Mandatory Credit: Photo by Arthur Grace/ZUMA Press. (©) Copyright 1979 by Arthur Grace (Newscom TagID: zumalive184232) [Photo via Newscom]
Arthur Grace / Newscom
SMITH

Margaret Chase Smith

** FILE ** Former U.S. Sen. Margaret Chase Smith, R-Maine, arrives at the Republican National Convention in San Francisco in this July 1964 file photo. Forty years after Sen. Margaret Chase Smith of Maine broke ground for women as her name was placed in nomination for president, Democrats are talking seriously about backing New York Sen. Hilary Rodham Clinton for the White House in 2008. (AP Photo/Smith Library)
Ho / MARGARET CHASE SMITH LIBRARY
Shirley Chisholm

Shirley Chisholm

25th January 1972: US Representative Shirley Chisholm of Brooklyn announces her entry for Democratic nomination for the presidency, at the Concord Baptist Church in Brooklyn, New York. Manhattan borough president Percy Sutton applauds at right. (Photo by Don Hogan Charles/New York Times Co./Getty Images)
Don Hogan Charles / Hulton Archive

Hattie Caraway

Frances Perkins

Mayor Bertha Knight Landes
Seattle Municipal Archives

Bertha K. Landes

Mayor Bertha Knight Landes Seattle Municipal Archives
NELLIE TAYLOR ROSS

Nellie Tayloe Ross

Mrs. Nellie Tayloe Ross, is shown when elected governor of Wyoming in 1925. She played a big part in the Democratic convention of 1928, seconding the nominated of Al Smith for president. On the first ballot for the vice presidential nomination she received 31 votes, but withdrew her name. (AP photo)
AP
American Pacifist Leader Jeannette Rankin

Jeannette Rankin

American pacifist leader and former congresswoman Jeannette Rankin (1880 - 1973) addresses a rally at Union Square, New York, New York, September 1924. Rankin became the first female member of Congress when she was elected to the House of Representatives as a Republican from Montana in 1916. Rankin was reelected to Congress in 1940 and was the only member to vote against US entry in both World War I and World War II. (Photo by FPG/Getty Images)
Fpg / Hulton Archive
American suffragette Susan B. Anthony.

Susan B. Anthony

UNITED STATES - 1900: American suffragette Susan B. Anthony. (Photo by Time & Life Pictures/Time & Life Pictures/Getty Images)
Time Life Pictures / Time & Life Pictures
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