Women's March on Washington: Inspiration from our 20th Century Suffragist Sisters

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

Last edited Sun Jan 15, 2017, 01:38 AM - Edit history (1)

Leading up to the march planned for the 21st, let's draw strength, courage, and inspiration from the valiant women who fought for our right to vote.

On Monday, March 3, 1913, lawyer Inez Milholland Boissevain, clad in a white cape and riding a white horse, led the great women's suffrage parade down Pennsylvania Avenue in the nation's capital. Behind her stretched a long procession, including nine bands, four mounted brigades, three heralds, more than 20 floats and more than 5,000 marchers.

https://www.loc.gov/loc/lcib/9803/suffrage.html



Some participants hiked from New York to DC.


Lawyer Inez Milholland Boissevain prepares to lead the Suffrage Parade

Mounted suffragists at the head of the parade as it moves down Pennsylvania Avenue









Foreign intrigue.
Comrade Trump meet Kaiser Wilson. Virginia Arnold holding Kaiser Wilson banner.


Russian Roulette? Suffragettes in Washington, DC, June 1917.


Things did not progress without difficulty in the movement in general nor in the 1913 march, but the women persevered.

Some Southern members of NAWSA argued for the enfranchisement of white women only. In addition, in the suffrage parade of 1913 organized by Alice Paul’s Congressional Union, black women were asked to march in a segregated unit. Ida B. Wells refused to do so, and slipped into her state’s delegation after the start of the parade.

https://www.nwhm.org/online-exhibits/rightsforwomen/AfricanAmericanwomen.html

The organizers of the parade also maximized attention on the event by strategically hosting it just one day before the inauguration of President-elect Woodrow Wilson. This tactic worked. As the women marched from the U.S. Capitol toward the Treasury Building, they were met by thousands of spectators, many in town for the inauguration.

Not all spectators were kind. Some marchers were jostled, tripped, and violently attacked, while police on the parade route did little to help. By the end of the day, over 100 women had to be hospitalized for injuries.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2016/03/03/this-day-history-1913-womens-suffrage-parade

A resolution from the Men’s League for Woman Suffrage in King’s County noted that the women in the parade, “many of whom were among the finest intellectual leaders of their sex, were . . . subject to insult, ribaldry, and personal abuse.”

https://prologue.blogs.archives.gov/2013/03/01/suffrage-and-suffering-at-the-1913-march/

However, the women did not give up; they finished the parade. Their experiences led to major news stories and even congressional hearings. Historians later credited the 1913 parade for giving the suffrage movement a new wave of inspiration and purpose.

https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2016/03/03/this-day-history-1913-womens-suffrage-parade

I found a couple of short youtube videos on the subject.

Best Kept Secret: Suffrage in the 20th Century From the Fairfax County Government. In later protests in DC, some of the women were arrested and jailed in Fairfax County, VA. Their treatment was abominable. These women were truly heroic.

Press Coverage- 1913 Suffrage Parade in Washington, DC From the National Women's History Museum. Tells of how conscientious press coverage helped promote the cause of liberty these women were demanding.

[northoftheborder]

1. Thanks for great photos!

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

5. You're most welcome! I knew almost nothing about the 1913 Women's March before tonight.

I stumbled upon this material when searching for info on next week's march and found it fascinating and inspirational. Seems we owe those women a debt of gratitude.

Suffragists (and your British counterparts, the suffragettes), I salute you.

[50 Shades Of Blue]

2. K & R!

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

20. Thank you.

[gademocrat7]

3. Thank you, Dark n Stormy Knight.

Very informative.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

8. Happy to share!

Also just found this video summary of the 1913 march from the National Women's History Museum.

It could use some up votes and positive comments. Upvotes currently in the lead at 8 to 2 after my vote, but it deserves better.

[cwydro]

4. Love this!

K and r!

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

17. Thank you. Glad you enjoyed it.

[cry baby]

6. knr

[shenmue]

7. ...

[politicat]

9. There's a fictionalized depiction from 2004 - Iron Jawed Angels

It looks like it's not streaming anywhere right now, but it's $6 for the DVD at Amazon. It was an HBO production, so well done (and before HBO went Rome-ified and GoT-ized). A very strong cast - Angelica Huston, Hillary Swank, Julia Ormand and Frances O'Connor.

Also, Soomo Learning did a very interesting lesson around the battle for 19, using a rebuild of Lady Gaga's (extremely problematic) Bad Romance. http://www.soomolearning.com/suffrage/

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

10. Cool. Thanks for the info.

I did skim an article that mentioned Iron Jawed Angels, but was on the trail of the real thing, so didn't pay much attention. I'll have to check it out. I still have Netflix DVD subscription along with streaming, and I they have it. Just moved it to the top of my queue. Thanks for the rec.

I'd never heard of Soomo learning. Unfortunately, the video appears to have been pulled for copyright infringement. I'd like to have seen that. I taught in public schools for a number of years and so am curious about their approach. I'll have to have a look at what is still available on the lesson.

However, as it's now waaaaaaaay past my bedtime, it'll have to wait. Good night.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

11. In case anyone who would be interested missed this tribute to the suffragists,

kicking it myself.

[malaise]

12. Lovely post

K & R

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

13. Thank you. It seemed very apropos to the moment.

Strong, brave women (and men) speaking up for democracy.

[demmiblue]

14. Kick

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

18. Thanks for piquing my interest in this topic with your earlier post & pix.

For those who missed it: http://www.democraticunderground.com/10028447595

[demmiblue]

19. De nada!

[LeftInTX]

15. Kick....this was really cool! Thanks for doing all of this research

I didn't know there was a women's march to coincide with Wilson's inauguration.

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

16. Happy to do it. It's kind of hard to keep up with everything that's happening currently,

much less in the past. As soon as I came across this, I had to know more. Then I was dying to share the info. Thanks for reading.

[NWCorona]

21. Thanks for the great post!

"You cannot be neutral. You must either join with us who believe in the bright future or be destroyed by those who would return us to the dark past.”

Daisy Lampkin

[Dark n Stormy Knight]

22. Thank you for adding Daisy Lampkin's words and photo.