On this day in ....... 1920 (90 years ago today), the American Society of International Law (seal at left) admitted women to its membership. This decision by the then-14-year-old organization was chronicled at 15 American Journal of International Law 76 (1921). Given the importance of the event -- and the fact that on this anniversary day, ASIL's 2010 midyear meeting is under way in Miami, Florida -- we set forth the full AJIL account:
ADMISSION OF WOMEN TO MEMBERSHIP IN THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF INTERNATIONAL LAW
At the meeting of the Executive Council of the American Society of International Law, held
in Washington on November 13, 1920, the Council took up and considered the resolution of the Executive Committee of the Society, adopted on January 24, 1920, that "the Executive Council be requested to reconsider the regulation of January 29, 1906, which it has established under Article 3 of the Constitution in regard to membership." This resolution of the Executive Committee was adopted after discussion of the advisability of admitting women to membership in the Society. The Executive Council at its meeting on November 13, after consideration, adopted the following resolution:
in Washington on November 13, 1920, the Council took up and considered the resolution of the Executive Committee of the Society, adopted on January 24, 1920, that "the Executive Council be requested to reconsider the regulation of January 29, 1906, which it has established under Article 3 of the Constitution in regard to membership." This resolution of the Executive Committee was adopted after discussion of the advisability of admitting women to membership in the Society. The Executive Council at its meeting on November 13, after consideration, adopted the following resolution:The regulation governing admission to membership, therefore, now reads as follows:Resolved, That the regulation of January 29, 1906, concerning the admission of members be, and it is hereby, amended by changing the word 'man' to 'person'.
In the interim 90 years, 4 women have served s ASIL Presidents:Any person of good moral character interested in the objects of the Society may be admitted to membership in the Society.
► Dr. Edith Brown Weiss (middle right; prior posts), 1992-1994;
► Dr. Anne-Marie Slaughter (bottom middle; prior posts), 2002-2004; and
