The fight for women’s suffrage had been a long winded and grueling battle, but on August 26, 1920 women finally got the vote, 70 years after the Seneca Falls Convention, the Nineteenth Amendment stated, “The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged… on account of sex.” However, African American women were unfortunately still largely disenfranchised. Nonetheless, before women were enfranchised they undertook several political reforms such as birth control and feminism while undergoing to numerous atrocities. Further, suffragists were no longer limited to middle-class white women, working-class women as well as segregated African American women were largely a part of suffrage movement. Militant suffragists such as leader Alice Paul of the National Women’s Party (NWP) fought eagerly for women’s suffrage, through picketing the White House with signs that mocked president Woodrow Wilson addressing him as “Kaiser Wilson” declaring that “Democracy Should Begin at Home.” At this time, the United States had entered the war and many suffrage picketers were sent to prison including Alice Paul. As seen on page 499 of Through Women’s Eyes figure 8.5 titled “National Woman’s Party Picketers at the White House (1918)”, women are seen picketing for enfranchisement the signs they hold read “Mr. President How Long Must Women Wait For Liberty” and “Mr.
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President What Will You Do For Woman Suffrage” this demonstrates the dedication women had for the suffrage movement. However, the most significant part of the women suffragist movement was suffrage parades which drew numerous crowd’s eager to see a mass violation of ladylike norms. Above all, the suffrage parade held on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington D.C. in March of 1913 which was the first of the suffrage parades to demonstrate the movement at a national level, more importantly at the nation’s capital. The Washington D.C. parade was held particularly on the day before of Woodrow Wilson’s inauguration and despite of police presence women marchers were physically attacked by drunk men. Anna Howard Shaw, former president of National American Women Suffrage Association (NAWSA), criticized saying “Do you suppose that if we were voters the police would have allowed the hoodlums to possess the streets while we marched?” However, the most egregious of any atrocities was done toward African American men and women alike. In a response towards to an East St. Louis, Illinois race riot, as Ida B. Wells would describe as a “slaughter” of 150 black people, the NAACP organized a public protest of men, women, and children who marched in a “silent” parade down New York’s Fifth Avenue. The parade allowed for African Americans to challenge Woodrow Wilson’s claim on fighting a war for democracy, when there was clearly a great lack of democracy within the United States domestically. On somewhat of a lighter note, women challenged the conformity norms of the era and began to voice their opinions upon feminism and birth control by stepping into the public sphere. The term “feminist” emerged into existence, they embraced female individuality, sexual freedom, and birth control. Further, feminists challenged the olden idea of female sexual restraint, stating that women too had sexual desires in addition to maternal capabilities. Not to mention, lesbian women began
President What Will You Do For Woman Suffrage” this demonstrates the dedication women had for the suffrage movement. However, the most significant part of the women suffragist movement was suffrage parades which drew numerous crowd’s eager to see a mass violation of ladylike norms. Above all, the suffrage parade held on Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington D.C. in March of 1913 which was the first of the suffrage parades to demonstrate the movement at a national level, more importantly at the nation’s capital. The Washington D.C. parade was held particularly on the day before of Woodrow Wilson’s inauguration and despite of police presence women marchers were physically attacked by drunk men. Anna Howard Shaw, former president of National American Women Suffrage Association (NAWSA), criticized saying “Do you suppose that if we were voters the police would have allowed the hoodlums to possess the streets while we marched?” However, the most egregious of any atrocities was done toward African American men and women alike. In a response towards to an East St. Louis, Illinois race riot, as Ida B. Wells would describe as a “slaughter” of 150 black people, the NAACP organized a public protest of men, women, and children who marched in a “silent” parade down New York’s Fifth Avenue. The parade allowed for African Americans to challenge Woodrow Wilson’s claim on fighting a war for democracy, when there was clearly a great lack of democracy within the United States domestically. On somewhat of a lighter note, women challenged the conformity norms of the era and began to voice their opinions upon feminism and birth control by stepping into the public sphere. The term “feminist” emerged into existence, they embraced female individuality, sexual freedom, and birth control. Further, feminists challenged the olden idea of female sexual restraint, stating that women too had sexual desires in addition to maternal capabilities. Not to mention, lesbian women began