The historic women’s suffrage march on Washington - Michelle Mehrtens

Summary

On March 3, 1913, the Women's Suffrage Parade in Washington D.C. marked the first large-scale protest for women's voting rights. Led by activists like Inez Milholland and Alice Paul, the parade faced controversy and mob violence but ultimately drew national attention and sympathy. Despite setbacks and internal divisions, including racial tensions, the movement persevered, leading to the eventual ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920, granting women the right to vote.

Takeaways

• 📅 On March 3, 1913, Inez Milholland led the Women’s Suffrage Parade in Washington D.C., marking the first mass protest for women's right to vote on a national scale.
• 🗣️ Women's rights activists had been campaigning for decades without major victories since 1896, when Utah and Idaho enfranchised women.
• 🔍 Alice Paul, inspired by British suffragettes, sought a constitutional amendment for nationwide women's voting rights rather than state-by-state campaigns.
• 🎭 Paul proposed a massive pageant to rejuvenate the suffrage movement, which faced initial rejection and attempts to marginalize the march by authorities.
• 👮‍♂️ Despite the authorities' attempts, Paul managed to schedule the parade for maximum media coverage, the day before Woodrow Wilson's presidential inauguration.
• 🚫 Paul's planning was criticized for focusing on white women and actively discouraging African American activists, who were instructed to march at the back.
• 🌟 Black women, including Ida B. Wells-Barnett and Mary Church Terrell, refused to be marginalized and participated prominently in the parade.
• 🎉 The parade featured a diverse procession with international suffragists, artists, performers, and business-owners, along with floats and historical performances.
• 🚨 The parade faced violent opposition from a mob, with over 100 women hospitalized and no police intervention, which led to widespread media coverage and sympathy for the suffragists.
• 📰 The incident led to national newspaper criticism of the police and Congressional hearings, significantly raising the profile of the suffrage movement.
• 🗳️ Despite the efforts and sacrifices of many, including Inez Milholland who died campaigning, full voting rights for women were not realized until the ratification of the 19th amendment in 1920.

Q & A

What significant event took place on March 3, 1913, involving Inez Milholland?

On March 3, 1913, Inez Milholland, dressed in a flowing cape and astride a white horse, led the Women’s Suffrage Parade in Washington D.C., which was the first mass protest for women's right to vote on a national scale.

What was the main goal of the Women’s Suffrage Parade of 1913?

The main goal of the Women’s Suffrage Parade was to call for a constitutional amendment granting women the right to vote, as they had been struggling to secure broader support for political equality.

How did Alice Paul's approach to women's suffrage differ from previous efforts?

Alice Paul, inspired by the British suffragettes, sought the long-lasting impact of a constitutional amendment that would protect women's voting rights nationwide, rather than conducting costly campaigns on a state-by-state basis.

What was the initial reaction of Washington authorities to Alice Paul's plan for the parade?

Washington authorities initially rejected Alice Paul's plan for the parade and then tried to relegate it to side streets, but Paul managed to overturn these decisions.

How did Alice Paul ensure maximum media coverage for the Women’s Suffrage Parade?

Alice Paul scheduled the parade for the day before the presidential inauguration of Woodrow Wilson, which maximized media coverage and attracted the attention of crowds who would be in town.

What controversial stance did Alice Paul take regarding the participation of African American activists in the parade?

Alice Paul actively discouraged African American activists and organizations from participating in the parade and stated that those who did should march in the back.

How did black women respond to the discouragement from participating in the Women’s Suffrage Parade?

Black women, such as Ida B. Wells-Barnett and Mary Church Terrell, refused to be made invisible and marched under their respective banners, persevering despite the hostility from white women in the movement.

What was the public reaction to the mistreatment of women during the Women’s Suffrage Parade?

The mistreatment of women during the parade, which included physical assault and lack of police intervention, was widely reported and garnered the suffragists greater sympathy, leading to national newspaper criticism of the police and Congressional hearings.

What was the immediate impact of the Women’s Suffrage Parade on public opinion and the movement?

The parade catapulted the women's suffrage movement into the public eye, leading to a surge of support for women's voting rights and increased pressure on representatives, attendance at rallies, and petitions to the White House.

What was the ultimate outcome of the efforts of suffragists like Inez Milholland?

Despite Inez Milholland's untimely death, the efforts of suffragists culminated in the ratification of the 19th amendment in 1920, granting women the right to vote.

What was the reported last words of Inez Milholland, and what do they signify?

Inez Milholland's reported last words were, 'Mr. President, how long must women wait for liberty?', signifying the urgency and the ongoing struggle for women's rights and suffrage.

Outlines

00:00

🎖️ Pioneering Protest for Women's Suffrage

On March 3, 1913, Inez Milholland, a prominent activist, led the first large-scale Women's Suffrage Parade in Washington D.C., demanding a constitutional amendment for women's right to vote. Despite decades of campaigning with no major victories since 1896, this parade was a strategic move by Alice Paul, inspired by British suffragettes, to push for nationwide voting rights. The event faced initial resistance from authorities but was successfully held to maximize media attention. However, it revealed racial tensions within the movement, as black women, despite being discouraged, made sure their contributions were recognized. The parade showcased the diverse suffragist community and their resilience in the face of mob violence and police inaction, which ultimately led to increased public support and sympathy for the cause.

Keywords

💡Women’s Suffrage Parade

The Women’s Suffrage Parade was a significant event in the women's rights movement, representing the first mass protest for women's right to vote on a national scale. It was a strategic move to gather public attention and support for the cause of women's suffrage. The parade is a central theme of the video, highlighting the organized efforts and the public demonstration for political equality.

💡Constitutional amendment

A constitutional amendment refers to a formal alteration or addition to a constitution. In the context of the video, it is the legal change sought by women's rights activists to grant women the right to vote. This concept is pivotal as it represents the ultimate goal of the suffrage movement, aiming to secure voting rights for women across the United States.

💡Disenfranchised

Disenfranchised refers to a group of people who are denied the right to vote or have their voting rights curtailed. In the video, women were disenfranchised, lacking a voice in the political process that affected their lives. This term underscores the injustice faced by women and the urgency of their fight for suffrage.

💡Alice Paul

Alice Paul was a key figure in the women's suffrage movement, known for her media-savvy approach and inspiration from British suffragettes. She is highlighted in the video as the driving force behind the Women’s Suffrage Parade and the push for a constitutional amendment. Her strategies and determination are central to the narrative of the movement's progress.

💡National American Women Suffrage Association

The National American Women Suffrage Association (NAWSA) was a prominent organization advocating for women's right to vote. In the video, Alice Paul is a member of NAWSA, and it is through this association that she proposed the idea of a massive pageant, which became the Women’s Suffrage Parade. The association's role is crucial in understanding the organizational support behind the movement.

💡Media coverage

Media coverage refers to the reporting by various news outlets on events and issues. In the context of the video, maximizing media coverage was a strategic move by Alice Paul to draw attention to the Women’s Suffrage Parade. The video emphasizes the importance of media in raising public awareness and shaping public opinion on the suffrage cause.

💡Racism

Racism is the belief in the inherent superiority of one race over another, which often results in discrimination and prejudice. The video discusses the racism within the suffrage movement, particularly the exclusion and marginalization of African American activists by Alice Paul. This keyword reveals the complex dynamics and internal conflicts within the movement.

💡Ida B. Wells-Barnett

Ida B. Wells-Barnett was a groundbreaking investigative journalist and anti-lynching advocate who played a significant role in the suffrage movement. The video highlights her refusal to be marginalized and her participation in the parade, representing the resilience and determination of black women in the movement.

💡Mob violence

Mob violence refers to aggressive and violent behavior by a group of people, often directed against a specific target. In the video, mob violence is depicted during the Women’s Suffrage Parade, where participants were insulted, spat at, and physically assaulted. This keyword illustrates the hostility and resistance faced by suffragists, which paradoxically helped to garner sympathy and support for their cause.

💡19th Amendment

The 19th Amendment is a constitutional amendment that granted women the right to vote in the United States. It is the culmination of the efforts described in the video, symbolizing the victory of the suffrage movement. The amendment's ratification in 1920 is a key historical event that brought an end to the long struggle for women's voting rights.

💡Inez Milholland

Inez Milholland was a prominent activist for women's rights, known for her iconic appearance on a white horse during the Women’s Suffrage Parade. The video recounts her tireless campaigning across the United States, despite health issues, and her tragic death, encapsulating the personal sacrifices made by activists in the pursuit of women's suffrage.

Highlights

On March 3, 1913, Inez Milholland led the Women's Suffrage Parade in Washington D.C., the first mass protest for women's right to vote on a national scale.

Women had been campaigning for decades but had achieved no major victories since 1896 when Utah and Idaho enfranchised women.

Alice Paul, inspired by British suffragettes, sought a constitutional amendment to protect women's voting rights nationwide.

Paul proposed a massive pageant to rejuvenate the movement, initially rejected by Washington authorities but later approved for the day before Woodrow Wilson's inauguration.

Paul focused on appealing to white women, actively discouraging African American activists from participating, despite their contributions to the movement.

Ida B. Wells-Barnett and Mary Church Terrell, among other black women, refused to be marginalized and marched proudly in the parade.

The parade featured international suffragists, artists, performers, and business owners, with floats representing enfranchised countries and historical achievements of women.

A mob blocked the parade route, hurling insults and physically assaulting participants, while the police did not intervene.

Over 100 women were hospitalized due to the mob's violence, which was widely reported and garnered suffragists greater sympathy.

National newspapers criticized the police, leading to Congressional hearings investigating their inaction during the parade.

The Women's Journal declared the parade a great victory for equal suffrage, despite the violence and mistreatment of participants.

The march initiated a surge of support for women's voting rights, with suffragists maintaining pressure on representatives and petitioning the White House.

Inez Milholland campaigned tirelessly across the United States for women's suffrage, despite suffering from chronic health problems.

Milholland collapsed and died in 1916 while giving a suffrage speech, with her last words questioning the delay of women's liberty.

The 19th amendment was ratified in 1920, granting women the right to vote, decades after the initial protests and campaigns.

Transcripts

On March 3, 1913,

protesters parted for the woman in white:

dressed in a flowing cape and sitting astride a white horse,

the activist Inez Milholland was hard to miss.

She was riding at the helm of the Women’s Suffrage Parade-

the first mass protest for a woman’s right to vote on a national scale.

After months of strategic planning and controversy,

thousands of women gathered in Washington D.C.

Here, they called for a constitutional amendment granting them the right to vote.

By 1913, women’s rights activists had been campaigning for decades.

As a disenfranchised group,

women had no voice in the laws that affected their– or anyone else’s– lives.

However, they were struggling to secure broader support for political equality.

They’d achieved no major victories since 1896,

when Utah and Idaho enfranchised women.

That brought the total number of states which recognized a women’s right to vote

to four.

A new, media-savvy spirit arrived in the form of Alice Paul.

She was inspired by the British suffragettes,

who went on hunger strikes and endured imprisonment in the early 1900s.

Rather than conduct costly campaigns on a state-by-state basis,

Paul sought the long-lasting impact of a constitutional amendment,

which would protect women’s voting rights nationwide.

As a member of the National American Women Suffrage Association,

Paul proposed a massive pageant to whip up support and rejuvenate the movement.

Washington authorities initially rejected her plan-

and then tried to relegate the march to side streets.

But Paul got those decisions overturned

and confirmed a parade for the day before the presidential inauguration

of Woodrow Wilson.

This would maximize media coverage

and grab the attention of the crowds who would be in town.

However, in planning the parade,

Paul mainly focused on appealing to white women from all backgrounds,

including those who were racist.

She actively discouraged African American activists

and organizations from participating-

and stated that those who did so should march in the back.

But black women would not be made invisible in a national movement

they helped shape.

On the day of the march,

Ida B. Wells-Barnett,

a ground-breaking investigative journalist and anti-lynching advocate,

refused to move to the back and proudly marched under the Illinois banner.

The co-founder of the NAACP, Mary Church Terrell,

joined the parade with the 22 founders of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority,

an organization created by female students from Howard University.

In these ways and more,

black women persevered despite deep hostility

from white women in the movement,

and at great political and physical risk.

On the day of the parade,

suffragists assembled to create a powerful exhibition.

The surging sections of the procession included international suffragists,

artists, performers and business-owners.

Floats came in the form of golden chariots;

an enormous Liberty Bell; and a map of enfranchised countries.

On the steps of the Treasury Building,

performers acted out the historical achievements of women to a live orchestra.

The marchers carried on even as a mob blocked the route,

hurling insults and spitting at women,

tossing cigars, and physically assaulting participants.

The police did not intervene,

and in the end, over 100 women were hospitalized.

Their mistreatment, widely reported throughout the country,

catapulted the parade into the public eye—

and garnered suffragists greater sympathy.

National newspapers lambasted the police,

and Congressional hearings investigated their actions during the parade.

After the protest, the "Women’s Journal" declared,

“Washington has been disgraced. Equal suffrage has scored a great victory."

In this way,

the march initiated a surge of support for women’s voting rights

that endured in the coming years.

Suffragists kept up steady pressure on their representatives,

attended rallies, and petitioned the White House.

Inez Milholland, the woman on the white horse,

campaigned constantly throughout the United States,

despite suffering from chronic health problems.

She did not live to see her efforts come to fruition.

In 1916,

she collapsed while giving a suffrage speech and died soon after.

According to popular reports,

her last words were,

“Mr. President, how long must women wait for liberty?”

Though full voting inclusion would take decades,

in 1920, Congress ratified the 19th amendment,

finally granting women the right to vote.