1913 Woman Suffrage Procession

1913 Woman Suffrage Procession
Adam Cuerden · Public domain · source
Name	1913 Woman Suffrage Procession
Date	March 3, 1913
Location	Washington, D.C.
Goals	Women's suffrage
Methods	Protest march

1913 Woman Suffrage Procession. The 1913 Woman Suffrage Procession was a significant event in the women's suffrage movement, led by Alice Paul and Lucy Burns, who were inspired by the Suffragette movement in the United Kingdom, particularly the work of Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughters, Christabel Pankhurst and Sylvia Pankhurst. This procession was a key moment in the fight for Women's suffrage in the United States, with participants including Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Ida B. Wells, who were all influential figures in the National Woman Suffrage Association and the American Woman Suffrage Association. The event drew attention from prominent figures such as Woodrow Wilson, who would later support the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution, and Theodore Roosevelt, who was a key figure in the Progressive Party (United States).

● Introduction

The 1913 Woman Suffrage Procession was a groundbreaking event that took place on March 3, 1913, in Washington, D.C., with thousands of women marching to demand their right to vote, inspired by the Suffragette movement in the United Kingdom and the work of Millicent Fawcett and the National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies. The procession was organized by the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA), led by Alice Paul and Lucy Burns, who were influenced by the Women's Social and Political Union and its leaders, Emmeline Pankhurst and Christabel Pankhurst. The event featured prominent speakers, including Inez Milholland, Mary Church Terrell, and Anna Howard Shaw, who were all active in the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs and the National Council of Negro Women. The procession also drew support from notable figures such as Jane Addams, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Florence Nightingale, who were all involved in various social reform movements, including the Settlement movement and the Red Cross.

● Background

The women's suffrage movement in the United States had been gaining momentum since the mid-19th century, with key events such as the Seneca Falls Convention and the formation of the National Woman Suffrage Association and the American Woman Suffrage Association. The movement was influenced by the work of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Susan B. Anthony, and Sojourner Truth, who were all prominent figures in the Abolitionist movement and the Women's Loyal National League. The Suffragette movement in the United Kingdom, led by Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughters, Christabel Pankhurst and Sylvia Pankhurst, also played a significant role in inspiring the American movement, with events such as the Battle of Downing Street and the Hunger Strike of Suffragettes. The 1913 Woman Suffrage Procession was a key moment in this movement, with participants including Ida B. Wells, Mary McLeod Bethune, and Shirley Chisholm, who were all influential figures in the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the Congressional Black Caucus.

● The Procession

The procession began at the United States Capitol and marched down Pennsylvania Avenue to the Treasury Department, with thousands of women participating, including Alice Paul, Lucy Burns, and Inez Milholland, who were all dressed in white, with Purple, White and Green banners and flags, symbolizing the colors of the Women's Social and Political Union. The procession featured floats, bands, and speakers, including Anna Howard Shaw and Mary Church Terrell, who were both prominent figures in the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs and the National Council of Negro Women. The event was met with hostility from some onlookers, with reports of violence and harassment, but it also drew support from notable figures such as Theodore Roosevelt and Woodrow Wilson, who would later support the 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution. The procession was also covered by major newspapers, including The New York Times and The Washington Post, with articles written by prominent journalists such as Ida Tarbell and Nellie Bly.

● Impact and Legacy

The 1913 Woman Suffrage Procession had a significant impact on the women's suffrage movement, drawing attention to the cause and inspiring further action, with events such as the Silent Sentinels picketing the White House and the Night of Terror (1917). The procession also led to the formation of the Congressional Union for Woman Suffrage, which would later become the National Woman's Party, led by Alice Paul and Lucy Burns. The event is remembered as a key moment in the fight for Women's suffrage in the United States, with participants including Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Ida B. Wells, who were all influential figures in the National Woman Suffrage Association and the American Woman Suffrage Association. The procession has been commemorated in various ways, including a United States Postal Service stamp featuring Alice Paul and a National Park Service monument dedicated to the Women's suffrage movement in the United States, with support from organizations such as the National Organization for Women and the American Civil Liberties Union.

● Organization and Participants

The 1913 Woman Suffrage Procession was organized by the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA), led by Alice Paul and Lucy Burns, who were influenced by the Women's Social and Political Union and its leaders, Emmeline Pankhurst and Christabel Pankhurst. The event featured prominent speakers, including Inez Milholland, Mary Church Terrell, and Anna Howard Shaw, who were all active in the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs and the National Council of Negro Women. The procession also drew support from notable figures such as Jane Addams, Eleanor Roosevelt, and Florence Nightingale, who were all involved in various social reform movements, including the Settlement movement and the Red Cross. Participants included women from all over the United States, including Ida B. Wells, Mary McLeod Bethune, and Shirley Chisholm, who were all influential figures in the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People and the Congressional Black Caucus, with support from organizations such as the National Association of Colored Women's Clubs and the National Council of Negro Women.

Category:Women's suffrage in the United States