Symbol of Service: Martha Hughes Cannon’s Statue Reflects the Church’s Humanitarian Commitment

Emancipation Hall in the U.S. Capitol now features a bronze statue of Martha “Mattie” Hughes Cannon (1857–1932), a Latter-day Saint and the first woman elected to a state senate in the United States.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints supported the efforts to memorialize Martha and celebrate her many accomplishments. Elder Gary E. Stevenson of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles, Elder Matthew S. Holland, General Authority Seventy, and Relief Society General President Camille N. Johnson attended the unveiling ceremony held in the Capitol on Wednesday, December 11, 2024.

“I am honored to have attended the unveiling of the statue of Dr. Martha Hughes Cannon,” said Elder Stevenson. “The life and accomplishments of this faithful sister remind everyone of the power of putting the Lord first in all things. Her statue—in such an important place—will serve as a fitting representation not only of the State of Utah but also her deep faith and the devoted lives of millions of people like her around the world.”

President Johnson offered the invocation at the statue unveiling ceremony. “She just represents Utah and the women of Utah so beautifully. So I was honored to have the opportunity to say the opening prayer at that unveiling ceremony,” she said.

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As a state senator, Martha laid the foundation for prioritizing public health in Utah. This reflected her lifelong commitment to improving community well-being. She authored important sanitation laws and helped establish Utah’s first state board of health. She also helped craft laws to regulate working conditions for women and girls and helped secure funds for the education of deaf and speech-impaired students.

Her trailblazing efforts to bless the lives of women and children continue today in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. 

“Our global initiative in 2024 and moving forward is to bless the lives of women and children and improve their well-being. Martha Hughes Cannon seemed to have a vision for that in the late 1800s,” said President Johnson. “She educated herself in medicine and then educated others and provided medical services to bless the lives of women and children.  Many of her legislative initiatives in the Utah State Senate were focused on public health.”

In 2018, the Utah Legislature voted to replace the statue of Philo T. Farnsworth (a television pioneer and Utah native) with that of Martha Hughes Cannon, created by Utah artist Ben Hammond. The Capitol also features a statue of Brigham Young.

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Martha’s story begins in Wales, where she was born on July 1, 1857. She and her family immigrated in 1861 to the Utah Territory as converts to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Her father and younger sister died around this time, acquainting her with difficulty and influencing her decision later to study medicine.

“She looked around her in the world [and saw] so many children that were sick,” said Arline Arnold Brady, one of Cannon’s great-granddaughters. “She decided that she wanted to do something about it. She was affected by the deaths in her family, and she wanted to change things. So, she worked hard and saved her money.”

Motivated by Brigham Young’s call for women to pursue careers in medicine, Martha began her journey at the University of Deseret (now the University of Utah) at just 16 to complete her pre-med requirements. While studying for her chemistry degree, she worked as a typesetter for the Deseret News and later the Women’s Exponent, where she became deeply involved in the women’s rights movement. She graduated with a medical degree from the University of Michigan in 1880 and a degree in pharmaceuticals from the University of Pennsylvania in 1882, where she was the sole female student in her class. Demonstrating remarkable public speaking abilities, she also earned a degree from the National School of Elocution and Oratory in Philadelphia.

In all, she had four degrees by age 25.

After completing her education, she became the youngest head surgeon of the new Deseret Hospital (an all-female hospital created by the Relief Society, the Church’s organization for women). While there, she met Angus Munn Cannon, a hospital board member. She became one of his wives in 1884.

“She was an immigrant who came west to be with the Saints in Utah and live her religion. That’s a story we’re all really familiar with in Utah,” said Utah Congresswoman Celeste Maloy. “But there are also really complicated parts to her story. Later in life, after she was a doctor and one of the most educated women in Utah, she was also the fourth wife in a polygamous marriage. She ended up leaving Utah [for a time in the 1880s] and going back to Wales to flee religious persecution because the United States had decided she couldn’t practice her religion. That’s part of her story. That’s part of what makes her so remarkable. I hope we don’t forget that part.”

In 1896, after Utah was accepted into the Union as the 45th state, Martha ran for a seat in Utah’s first legislature. She received more votes than the other candidates, including her husband and Emmeline B. Wells (later the fifth General President of the Relief Society).

In addition to her medical and political accomplishments, Martha was a dedicated suffragist. Her advocacy for women’s rights was evident in her efforts to include women’s enfranchisement in Utah’s constitution when it gained statehood. Her leadership extended to her role in the women’s rights movement, where she worked tirelessly to advance the cause of suffrage and women’s empowerment.

“She took that fight nationwide, traveling across the country, rallying support and building a movement that ultimately delivered the 19th Amendment,” said Katherine M. Clark, Democratic Whip of the U.S. House of Representatives. “She knew that every break with precedent, every step toward equality, wasn’t just in service to her daughters. It was in service to all Americans.”

Utah Senator Mike Lee said the statue is an important symbol of courage, perseverance, and innovation.

“She does these things exceptionally well,” Senator Lee said. “Her presence here reminds us that Utah’s history is rich with those who have dared to make a difference, dared to be different, and her example challenges us to further that legacy.”

Utah Lt. Governor Deidre Henderson said we best honor Martha’s legacy by picking up where she left off.

“[We can] do our little bit of good in the world [and] keep both eyes open and be intentional about remembering the past as we look to the future — and most importantly to remember that the arc of history bends toward equality and freedom,” Lt. Governor Henderson said. “Today is not a culmination of our efforts, but a continuation of them.”

President Johnson said she hopes visitors to Emancipation Hall will feel inspired by Martha’s example of service.

“Her pursuit of a medical education was extraordinary for her time,” President Johnson said. She was the only women in her medical school class. But she pursued that degree nonetheless, and others in pharmacy, and elocution and oratory.  She was determined.  She was tenacious.  I hope that women - including my granddaughters, and my great-granddaughters, will learn of Martha Hughes Cannon and be inspired by her example. Latter-day Saint women have been asked by [President Russell M. Nelson] to stand out and speak up, and she is a beautiful example of that.”