---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: In the nineteenth century, government…"
description: "\"In the nineteenth century, government agencies in Washington had, almost without exception, flatly refused to hire even one female.\" — David Brinkley"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ca/david-brinkley-25462_agency_in-the-nineteenth-century-government-age_1278360.png"
---

#  In the nineteenth century, government agencies in…

![“In the nineteenth century, government agencies in Washington had, almost without exception, flatly refused to hire even one female.” quote by David Brinkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ca/david-brinkley-25462_agency_in-the-nineteenth-century-government-age_1278360.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ca/david-brinkley-25462_agency_in-the-nineteenth-century-government-age_1278360.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ca/david-brinkley-25462_agency_in-the-nineteenth-century-government-age_1278360.png)

> “In the nineteenth century, government agencies in Washington had, almost without exception, flatly refused to hire even one female.”

[David Brinkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brinkley/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Women were systematically excluded from federal jobs, reflecting gender bias of the era.

**In simple terms:** Women were denied government jobs.

Key Takeaway

Recognize and challenge systemic discrimination.

Themes

gender equality history employment law

Mood

critical hopeful

Type

historical analytical

When to use this quote

- policy reform
- education
- advocacy
- workplace diversity

Key Concepts

social justice feminist theory

Questions to Reflect On

- What barriers still affect women in public service?
- How can institutions ensure equal opportunity?

A Different Perspective

Progress has been uneven; biases persist.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Female](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/female/) [Feminism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feminism/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Government agencies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government-agencies/) [Nineteenth century](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nineteenth-century/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/)

## Related quotes

> [It was just really, really tough getting anything when you were a female. Basically, I just took advantage of everything I could. But when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-lucid/it-was-just-really-really-tough-getting-anything-when-you-were-a/)

[Shannon Lucid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-lucid/)

> [I have flatly refused to be conned by Jyoti Basu and his corrupt government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mamata-banerjee/i-have-flatly-refused-to-be-conned-by-jyoti-basu-and-his-corrupt/)

[Mamata Banerjee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mamata-banerjee/)

> [I believe that space travel will one day become as common as airline travel is today. I'm convinced, however, that the true future of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buzz-aldrin/i-believe-that-space-travel-will-one-day-become-as-common-as-airline/)

[Buzz Aldrin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buzz-aldrin/)

> [The civil forfeiture law - if something so devoid of due process can be dignified as law - is an incentive for perverse behavior:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-will/the-civil-forfeiture-law-if-something-so-devoid-of-due-process-can-be/)

[George Will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-will/)

> [With a crisis as complex as coronavirus, multiple government agencies and departments are involved in responding. There needs to be one qualified and experienced…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaime-harrison/with-a-crisis-as-complex-as-coronavirus-multiple-government-agencies/)

[Jaime Harrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaime-harrison/)

> [I say this ironically, not because I favor the State, but because people are not in the state of mind right now where they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/murray-bookchin/i-say-this-ironically-not-because-i-favor-the-state-but-because/)

[Murray Bookchin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/murray-bookchin/)

> [Consumer: A person who is capable of choosing a president but incapable of choosing a bicycle without help from a government agency.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbert-stein/consumer-a-person-who-is-capable-of-choosing-a-president-but/)

[Herbert Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbert-stein/)

> [The field of U.S. cancer care is organized around a medical monopoly that ensures a continuous flow of money to the pharmaceutical companies, medical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-diamond/the-field-of-u-s-cancer-care-is-organized-around-a-medical-monopoly/)

[John Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-diamond/)

> [Well, you could take several stories off the buildings of most U.S. government agencies and we'd all probably be better for it too.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bolton/well-you-could-take-several-stories-off-the-buildings-of-most-u-s/)

[John Bolton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bolton/)

> [“The idea for the Guild first came up at a party. Your father and I met there and, well, I suppose that's a story…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonny-and-ais/the-idea-for-the-guild-first-came-up-at-a-party-your-father-and-i-met/)

Sonny and Ais

> [I want people in all the government agencies to be communicating with people because for me, we're in an era - which didn't exist…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-want-people-in-all-the-government-agencies-to-be-communicating-with/)

[Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/)

> [You shouldn't change your behavior because a government agency somewhere is doing the wrong thing. If you sacrifice your values because you're afraid, you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/you-shouldn-t-change-your-behavior-because-a-government-agency/)

[Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/)

> [We need to ensure that the government agencies that are supposed to be regulating the financial system are actually doing their jobs. We must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carly-fiorina/we-need-to-ensure-that-the-government-agencies-that-are-supposed-to/)

[Carly Fiorina](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carly-fiorina/)

> [A situation where a solution to a stakeholder problem is imposed by a government agency or the courts must be seen as a managerial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/a-situation-where-a-solution-to-a-stakeholder-problem-is-imposed-by-a/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Unfortunately, corruption is widespread in government agencies and public enterprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/unfortunately-corruption-is-widespread-in-government-agencies-and/)

[George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/)

## More by David Brinkley

> [“A successfull man is who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at us.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brinkley/a-successfull-man-is-who-can-lay-a-firm-foundation-with-the-bricks/)

[David Brinkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brinkley/)

> [I'm not a very good advertisement for the American school system.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brinkley/i-m-not-a-very-good-advertisement-for-the-american-school-system/)

[David Brinkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brinkley/)

> [Being an anchor is not just a matter of sitting in front of a camera and looking pretty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brinkley/being-an-anchor-is-not-just-a-matter-of-sitting-in-front-of-a-camera/)

[David Brinkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brinkley/)

> [Numerous politicians have seized absolute power and muzzled the press. Never in history has the press seized absolute power and muzzled the politicians.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brinkley/numerous-politicians-have-seized-absolute-power-and-muzzled-the-press/)

[David Brinkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brinkley/)

> [We can look forward to four more years of wonderful, inspirational speeches full of wit, poetry, music, love and affection, plus more goddamn nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brinkley/we-can-look-forward-to-four-more-years-of-wonderful-inspirational/)

[David Brinkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brinkley/)

> [She took a leap of faith and grew her wings on the way down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brinkley/she-took-a-leap-of-faith-and-grew-her-wings-on-the-way-down/)

[David Brinkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brinkley/)

> [Washington is a pool of money surrounded by people who want some.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brinkley/washington-is-a-pool-of-money-surrounded-by-people-who-want-some/)

[David Brinkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brinkley/)

> [Washington, D.C. is a city filled with people who believe they are important.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brinkley/washington-d-c-is-a-city-filled-with-people-who-believe-they-are/)

[David Brinkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brinkley/)

> [Nobody in TV makes as much money as Robert Redford, who likes to make movies for several million dollars only on the condition that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brinkley/nobody-in-tv-makes-as-much-money-as-robert-redford-who-likes-to-make/)

[David Brinkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brinkley/)

> [The one function that TV news performs very well is that when there is no news we give it to you with the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brinkley/the-one-function-that-tv-news-performs-very-well-is-that-when-there/)

[David Brinkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brinkley/)

> [A successful person is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks that others throw at him or her.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brinkley/a-successful-person-is-one-who-can-lay-a-firm-foundation-with-the-2/)

[David Brinkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brinkley/)

> [A successful person is one who can lay a firm foundation with the bricks others have thrown at him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brinkley/a-successful-person-is-one-who-can-lay-a-firm-foundation-with-the-3/)

[David Brinkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brinkley/)

> [By early 1943, the Pentagon was complete-a building big enough to house forty thousand people and all their accoutrements, the largest building in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brinkley/by-early-1943-the-pentagon-was-complete-a-building-big-enough-to/)

[David Brinkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brinkley/)

> [“The one function TV news performs very well is that when there is no news we give it to you with the same emphasis…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brinkley/the-one-function-tv-news-performs-very-well-is-that-when-there-is-no/)

[David Brinkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brinkley/)

> [Laughter is a unique medicine that places your problems in perspective, relaxes your tense muscles, reassures those around you, and helps you to enjoy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brinkley/laughter-is-a-unique-medicine-that-places-your-problems-in/)

[David Brinkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brinkley/)

[Explore all 23 David Brinkley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brinkley/)

## More Agency quotes

> [The work, the work, the work. This is what the business is all about. This is the fun, the glory, the pleasure. It's the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-dusenberry/the-work-the-work-the-work-this-is-what-the-business-is-all-about/)

[Phil Dusenberry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-dusenberry/)

> [Anyone who's read my 'Terror in the Skies' series knows that I have not been writing with an eye toward approval from any government…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/annie-jacobsen/anyone-who-s-read-my-terror-in-the-skies-series-knows-that-i-have-not/)

[Annie Jacobsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/annie-jacobsen/)

> [ We have no clear ideas of the agency of \[demonic\] spirits, nor is it necessary. The Scripture says little to satisfy our curiosity; but… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-newton/we-have-no-clear-ideas-of-the-agency-of-demonic-spirits-nor-is-it/)

[John Newton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-newton/)

> [It’s a shameful moment for U.S. media when it insists on being subservient to the grotesque propaganda agencies of a violent, aggressive state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/it-s-a-shameful-moment-for-u-s-media-when-it-insists-on-being/)

[Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/)

> [In 1949 there was a new thing called Television, to which my agency and advisers opposed as a performance medium.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/loretta-young/in-1949-there-was-a-new-thing-called-television-to-which-my-agency/)

[Loretta Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/loretta-young/)

> [Well look, CIA is an agency that has to collect intelligence, do operations. We have to take risks and it's important that we take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leon-panetta/well-look-cia-is-an-agency-that-has-to-collect-intelligence-do/)

[Leon Panetta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leon-panetta/)

> [I know that God loves us. He allows us to exercise our moral agency even when we misuse it. He permits us to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-s-monson/i-know-that-god-loves-us-he-allows-us-to-exercise-our-moral-agency/)

[Thomas S. Monson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-s-monson/)

> [I was taking all prints and I brought them to the Magnum meetings, trying the old Josef Koudelka trick: Give them to photographers, who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-van-agtmael/i-was-taking-all-prints-and-i-brought-them-to-the-magnum-meetings/)

[Peter van Agtmael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-van-agtmael/)

> [The WPA was one of the most productive elements of FDR's alphabet soup of agencies because it put people to work building roads, bridges,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-wpa-was-one-of-the-most-productive-elements-of-fdr-s-alphabet/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [In most agencies, account executives outnumber the copywriters two to one. If you were a dairy farmer, would you employ twice as many milkers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ogilvy/in-most-agencies-account-executives-outnumber-the-copywriters-two-to/)

[David Ogilvy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ogilvy/)

> [Free agency is a gift of God…The world does not comprehend the significance of that divine gift to the individual. It is as inherent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-o-mckay/free-agency-is-a-gift-of-god-the-world-does-not-comprehend-the/)

[David O. McKay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-o-mckay/)

> [You are also asked to take an oath, and that's the oath of service. The oath of service is not to secrecy, but to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/you-are-also-asked-to-take-an-oath-and-that-s-the-oath-of-service-the/)

[Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/)

> [You cannot have 300-some million Americans - and really, right, the global citizenry be at risk of having their phone conversations intercepted with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-lieu/you-cannot-have-300-some-million-americans-and-really-right-the/)

[Ted Lieu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-lieu/)

> [I do a lot of writing in my capacity as the creative director for a marketing agency. These days, though, I'm trying to write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-doescher/i-do-a-lot-of-writing-in-my-capacity-as-the-creative-director-for-a/)

[Ian Doescher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-doescher/)

> [Unfortunately, corruption is widespread in government agencies and public enterprises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-papandreou/unfortunately-corruption-is-widespread-in-government-agencies-and/)

[George Papandreou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-papandreou/)

Browse all 1,225 Agency quotes

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "In the nineteenth century, government agencies in Washington had, almost without exception, flatly refused to hire even one female.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "David Brinkley"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brinkley/in-the-nineteenth-century-government-agencies-in-washington-had/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Agency"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brinkley/in-the-nineteenth-century-government-agencies-in-washington-had/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ca/david-brinkley-25462_agency_in-the-nineteenth-century-government-age_1278360.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ca/david-brinkley-25462_agency_in-the-nineteenth-century-government-age_1278360.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ca/david-brinkley-25462_agency_in-the-nineteenth-century-government-age_1278360.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“In the nineteenth century, government agencies in Washington had, almost without exception, flatly refused…” — David Brinkley",
                "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
                "creator": {
                    "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
                }
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "BreadcrumbList",
            "itemListElement": [
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 1,
                    "name": "Home",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 2,
                    "name": "Quotes",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 3,
                    "name": "David Brinkley",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-brinkley/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "In the nineteenth century, government agencies...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brinkley/in-the-nineteenth-century-government-agencies-in-washington-had/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-brinkley/in-the-nineteenth-century-government-agencies-in-washington-had/#breadcrumb"
        },
        {
            "@type": "WebSite",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "publisher": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization"
            }
        },
        {
            "@type": "Organization",
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization",
            "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes",
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/",
            "logo": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png",
                "width": 512,
                "height": 512
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
