Alice Paul …show more content…
On March 3rd, one day before the inauguration of Woodrow Wilson, the parade occurred and had a lasting effect on the history of women 's suffrage. During the parade, over 5,000 marchers joined to raise awareness for their goal. The parade was off to a good start until one of the streets become overcrowded with spectators - mostly men in town for the inauguration. Marchers were ridiculed by the spectators, some were tripped, and some were even assaulted. Over 100 marchers were hospitalized after the parade.. The mistreatment of the marchers was a blessing in disguise, since it helped make the parade national news. This Parade was Alice’s first duty as part of the suffrage association. Alice’s smarts shone through when asked about how the day for the parade was chosen. “That was the only day you could have it if you were trying to impress the new President. The marchers came from all over the country at their own expense. We just sent letters everywhere, to every name we could find.” Every politician and their family would be in washington for the inauguration of a new president, and the intention of the parade immediately reached every important person. The parade led to congressional hearings with over 150 witnesses retelling their experiences and as a direct result, the superintendent of police for Washington D.C. was fired. Alice Paul’s grit and drive helped …show more content…
The Silent Sentinels were a group of women in favor of women’s suffrage and protested outside the White House during Woodrow Wilson 's presidency starting January 10, 1917. The women held banners which proclaimed, “Mr President, what will you do for Women 's Suffrage?” In mid-August, that year, picketers revealed a banner which referred to President Wilson as ‘Kaiser Wilson’ which ignited mob violence. For two days, the women could not step foot outside without being assaulted. After acting indifferent towards this melee for two days, the police finally resolved peace. That October, Paul was hauled off the picket line twice in two weeks, and was slapped with the longest sentence for a suffragist yet - 7 months in a D.C. jail. The jail was overcrowded, vermin infested, and they (Paul’s companions) had no privacy. In an attempt to gain privacy, she demanded political prisoner status, which was contemptuously denied. This led Paul and friend, Rose Winslow, to attempt a hunger strike. After 3 days, Paul was committed to a psych ward, where she was force fed through a tube 3 times a day. As news of the treatment towards these suffragists spread, angry women from across the country flocked to Washington. By the end of 1917, Wilson announced his support for the suffragist amendment. “There will never be a new world order until women are a part of it.” Alice is quoted saying this meaning that without