Persons Case

In 1927, Emily Murphy, Henrietta Muir Edwards, Louise McKinney, Irene Parlby, and Nellie McClung persuaded Prime Minister MacKenzie King to ask the Canadian Supreme Court to clarify the word "persons" under the British North America Act of 1867. When the Canadian court rejected their argument on April 24, 1928, the Famous 5 persuaded the Government of Canada to appeal to the Judicial Committee of the British Privy Council. There, the Famous 5 won and on October 18, 1929, Canadian women were legally declared "persons" and eligible for appointment to the Senate. Their struggle to gain this recognition for women became known as the 'Persons' Case.