On this day in 1991, law professor Anita Hill took a seat before the Senate Judiciary Committee and delivered testimony that would change the national conversation about sexual harassment. Hill testified under oath that Clarence Thomas, who had been nominated to the U.S. Supreme Court, had sexually harassed her when he was her supervisor at the Department of Education and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

Her detailed account described inappropriate comments and unwanted behavior. The hearing was televised live, placing sexual harassment in front of millions of viewers and igniting a public debate about workplace misconduct, gender dynamics, and the treatment of women who come forward with allegations against powerful men.

The Judiciary Committee, composed entirely of men, questioned Hill aggressively. Some senators doubted her credibility, while others suggested she had political motives. Thomas, in response, denied the allegations and called the process a “high-tech lynching.” Despite the explosive testimony, the committee deadlocked and sent the nomination to the full Senate without a recommendation. The Senate confirmed Thomas by a narrow vote of 52 to 48, one of the closest Supreme Court confirmation margins in history.

Although Thomas secured a lifetime seat on the Court, Hill’s testimony had a lasting impact. The hearings pushed sexual harassment into mainstream discourse and led to a surge in women seeking public office in 1992, which became known as the “Year of the Woman.” Congress also strengthened workplace protections and updated policies around harassment in the years that followed. Hill became a symbol of integrity and a leading voice on gender equity and law.

More than two decades later, Hill reflected on how the experience reshaped her understanding of power in government. In a 2014 interview with BET.com, she said, “It made me believe in representative government. I realized, [these senators] didn't know anything about my life. How can they make good decisions for me if they don't know anything about me?” 

Hill continued her career as a scholar and advocate, writing books, speaking across the country and advising institutions on discrimination and gender-based misconduct. Her testimony laid the groundwork for future movements, including #MeToo. 

Watch a clip from her testimony below.