The Persons Case and the Famous Five

In the 1920s, five Alberta women fought a legal and political battle to have women recognized as persons under the BNA Act. The landmark decision in The Persons Case by the British Privy Council, the highest level for legal appeals in Canada at the time, was a milestone victory for the rights of women in Canada. Take a look at the Famous Five social activists responsible for that fundamental victory for Canadian women.

• Emily Murphy
• Henrietta Muir Edwards
• Nellie McClung
• Louise McKinney
• Irene Parlby

Photo: Nellie McClung, Canadian Women's Rights Activist
Cyril Jessop / Library and Archives Canada / PA-030212

More on Canadian Women in Government:
10 Firsts for Canadian Women in Government
Biographies of Canadian Women in Government
Canadian Women in History