In the Spotlight: Bertha Knight Landes

Bertha Knight Landes was born on October 19, 1868 in Ware, Massachusetts, to Charles Sanford Knight and Cordelia Cutter. Her father, Charles, was a veteran of the Union Army. Bertha received her high school diploma from Dix Street School and Classical High School, in Worcester. At 19 years old, she moved to live with her sister Jessie and enrolled in Indiana University. Bertha earned degrees in history and political science.

On January 2, 1894, Bertha Knight married Henry Landes. They met at Indiana University and had three children, one of which was adopted. In 1896, she moved to Seattle when her husband became a geology professor at the University of Washington. Henry also became the Dean of the College of Sciences in 1912.

Bertha Knight Landes was active in women’s organizations such as the Women's University Club, the Rainier Club, and the Women's Auxiliary of the University Congregational Church. She was president of the Washington State chapter of the League of Women Voters. From 1920 to 1922, Bertha served as president of the Seattle Federation of Women's Clubs, which included 245 member clubs representing thousands of women. In 1921, she was appointed by the city mayor to serve on a commission studying unemployment, the only woman on the five-member commission. In 1922, Bertha established the "The Women's Civic League", later renamed "Women's City Club". The goal of the club was to educate women about local, state, national, and world politics, and in cooperation with other organizations, to work towards securing the welfare of the city and improving civic conditions.

Bertha Knight Landes an Katheryn Miracle were the first women elected to the Seattle City Council. They were both elected in 1922.  Bertha was a Republican.  Landes became council president after her reelection in 1924.  Landes ran on the platform that "municipal house cleaning" was needed in the Seattle government. Landes easily won the election in March 1926, by more than 6,000 votes. As a result of winning her election, Bertha became the first female mayor of a major American city. During her term, Bertha advocated for municipal ownership of utilities such as Seattle City Light and street railways. 

Bertha Knight Landes ran for a second term in 1928. Although endorsed by newspapers, the Central Labor Council, the Prohibition Party, and women's organizations, Landes was defeated by Frank Edwards.

Bertha died at her son's home in Ann Arbor, Michigan on November 29, 1943. She was 75 years old. Will you be the next Bertha Knight Landes? Learn how to run for office at the Dolley Madison Project.