Beate Sirota Gordon was only 22 when Gen. Douglas MacArthur ordered her to draft the women's rights section of the democratic Japanese constitution.
Gordon spoke of her experience as the only woman to help write the constitution to a crowd of about 100 in Turlington Hall on Monday night.
After World War II left Japan war-torn and powerless, the American government called for a democratic constitution to replace the Meiji constitution that had been in place since about 1890.
When the Japanese government failed to effectively rewrite the constitution, MacArthur selected 20 members of his staff to form a constitutional assembly and demanded that they crank out the document within seven days, Gordon said.
"We were, in a way, amateurs from all walks of life," Gordon said. "But of course, no one was an expert on constitutions."
Despite her inexperience, Gordon said she crafted Article 24 of the Japanese constitution, which gave women equality with the opposite sex, freeing them from arranged marriages and discrimination in the workplace.
To prepare for the task, Gordon borrowed copies of constitutions from Tokyo libraries and studied the sections referring to women's rights, she said.
While the Japanese government was not satisfied with the newly drafted constitution, particularly the section on women's rights, Japan's people were happy with it, Gordon said.
The new constitution took effect in 1947 and has stood strong for 60 years.
Today, the old traditions, such as women living with their in-laws and confining themselves to the role of housewife, are not as prevalent in Japan, she said.
"All the money that women earn, they can use for themselves: fashion, iPods," Gordon said.
Erica Ervin, a second-year journalism student, said she was impressed by Gordon's presentation and her charisma.
"I think it's tremendous to see what women can do, not just in America but in other countries," Ervin said.
Gordon is proud of the role she played in empowering the Japanese and women around the world.
"Being able to write something that plants the seeds of democracy in another country was unbelievable," Gordon said.
