Nancy Pelosi donated her speaker's gavel to the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of American History on Wednesday in honor of Women's History Month.
The House minority leader, who became the first female speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives in 2007, also donated the burgundy suit she wore to her swearing-in ceremony to add to its collection of artifacts documenting prominent women in U.S. history, The Washington Post noted.
During the donation ceremony, Pelosi spoke about the moment she became the first woman to serve as the chamber's speaker.
"In 2007, I was granted the opportunity to shatter the marble ceiling when I was sworn in as the first woman Speaker of the House, surrounded by children," she said, according to USA Today.
"And that day, I said to our daughters and granddaughters, 'We made history. Now we must make progress.'"
Pelosi served as the 52nd Speaker of the House until 2011.
"I'm really humbled by my colleagues who had the courage to elect the first woman speaker of the House," she noted, per CBS News, explaining that it brought everyone "closer to the ideal of equality that is America's hope and heritage."
Pelosi received praise from Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers, who is head of the House Republican Conference and the highest-ranking Republican woman in the House.
"Because of her donation, young women who visit the Smithsonian will now have a close-up view of the story behind America's first woman speaker of the House, and I know they'll be inspired," she said, according to USA Today.
Pelosi's items will join a collection of other women's firsts at the Smithsonian, which includes the spacesuit worn by astronaut Sally Ride as well as the robe of Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, CBS News reported.
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