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The History of Woman Suffrage, Volume VI is a comprehensive reference work that picks up where the previous volume left off, chronicling the final decades of the campaign that culminated in the federal amendment of August 1920. The opening pages explain that after thirty‑year state‑level efforts preceded the national push, the two movements ran side by side from 1869 onward, each bolstering the other. This volume concentrates on the surge of organized activity in the last ten years, documenting legislative advances for women and children, the spread of protective laws, and the rapid expansion of women’s rights in education, office‑holding, and professional fields. Detailed state chapters, arranged alphabetically, list officers, campaigns, and legislative outcomes, while extensive sections trace suffrage developments in the United States territories, the Philippines, Britain, its colonies, and a host of other nations, culminating in a survey of the International Woman Suffrage Alliance.
Written in the formal, documentary style of early‑20th‑century historical scholarship, the text reads like a meticulous report rather than a narrative history. Its dense, fact‑laden prose, abundant quotations, and exhaustive tables will appeal to researchers, students of women’s studies, and readers who relish primary‑source‑type accounts of social movements. Those interested in the legal and organizational milestones of the suffrage era, as well as scholars comparing trans‑national feminist activism, will find the volume a valuable, if demanding, resource.
The opening · free to read
In the preceding volume a full account is given of the forty years' continuous effort to secure an amendment to the Federal Constitution which would confer full suffrage on all the women of the United States possessing the qualifications required of men. Antedating the beginning of this effort by thirty years was the attempt to enfranchise women through the amendment of State constitutions. After 1869 the two movements were contemporaneous, each dependent on the other, the latter a long process but essential in some measure to the success of the former. There is no way by which the progress of the movement for woman suffrage can be so clearly seen as by a comparison of the State chapters in this volume with the State chapters in Volume IV, which closed with 1900. The former show the remarkable development of the organized work for woman suffrage, especially in the last decade, which brought the complete victory.
In Volume IV it was possible to give a résumé of the Laws specifically relating to women and one was sent with each chapter for this volume. The space occupied by the account of the work for the suffrage, however, made it necessary to omit them. It required thousands of words to record the legislation of the last twenty years relating especially to women in some of the States and the large part of it to women in the industries, which they had scarcely entered in 1900. The same is true of child labor. Every State shows a desire for protective legislation. Many States provide for mothers' pensions, a modern tendency. About half of the States now have equal guardianship laws. There is a gradual increase in those enlarging the property and business rights of married women. The "age of consent" and the age for marriage have been raised in most States where they were too low. In every State for a number of years the large organizations of women have made a determined effort to obtain better laws for women and children and Legislatures have yielded to pressure. In every State as soon as women were enfranchised there was improvement in laws relating to their welfare and that of children.
The Federal Woman Suffrage Amendment went into effect in August, 1920, and the following winter there was a greater amount of advanced legislation in the various States than had taken place in the preceding ten years collectively, and the résumé of existing laws that had been prepared for this volume was soon at least partially obsolete in many of them. A brief statement of Office Holding was incorporated but its only value was in showing that in all States this was almost exclusively limited to "electors." When the Federal Amendment was proclaimed it carried with it eligibility to the offices. In some States it included Jury service but in others it was held that for this special legislation was necessary. In all States the professions and other occupations are open to women the same as to men. In the way of Education every State University admits women, and the vast majority of institutions of learning, except some of a religious character, are co-educational. A few of the large eastern universities still bar their doors but women have all needful opportunities for the higher education. Some professional schools--law, medicine and especially theology--are still closed to women but enough are open to them to satisfy the demand, and the same is true of the technical schools. To meet the lack of space every chapter had to be drastically cut after it was in type.
Women now have in a general sense equality of rights, although in every State they have learned or will learn that this is not literally true and that further effort will be required, but now, as never before, they are equipped for accomplishing it. It will be a long time before they have equality of opportunity in the business and political world but for the majority this will not be needed. Women will find, however, that in the home, in club life and in all lines of religious, philanthropic, educational and civic work the possession of a vote has increased their influence and power beyond measure.
Early work -- Progress of organization -- Conventions held, reports and speeches made, activities of the association -- Officers and workers -- Legislative action -- Campaigns -- Help of the National Association -- Action on ratification of the Federal Suffrage Amendment -- Interest taken by President Wilson, National Committees and party leaders -- Celebrations.
[This form is followed in all the State chapters, with names of officers, workers, friends and enemies and many incidents; also results where woman suffrage exists. The chapters are alphabetically arranged, I to XLIX.]
Legislature gives suffrage to women -- Privileges to Indian women --Other laws -- Women in prohibition campaign -- Women's war work.
Congress refuses to let its Legislature control the suffrage --National Suffrage Association protests -- Its president, Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, at Honolulu -- Mrs. Pitman, of Brookline, Mass., holds meetings there -- Legislature sends resolution to Congress -- Senator John F. Shafroth gets Bill through Congress -- Efforts of Hawaiian women with their Legislature.
The National Suffrage Association demands franchise for their women -- Governor General Taft and Archbishop Nozaleda support the demand --The U. S. Congress ignores it -- Position of Filipino women --Commissioner's wife describes their efforts for the suffrage.
Status of suffrage for men -- They demand their own Legislature -- National Suffrage Association asks that women may share in the suffrage -- Senator Shafroth shows that it can not be put into the Bill -- Efforts of Porto Rican women with its Legislature.
Situation as to woman suffrage at commencement of the present century -- Status of the Bill in Parliament in the first decade -- Premier Campbell-Bannerman advises "pestering" -- Strong hostility of Premier Asquith -- Beginning of "militancy" -- Its effect on the suffrage movement -- Mrs. Fawcett's opinion -- Constitutional societies repudiate it -- Labor party supports woman suffrage --Treachery in Parliament -- The Conciliation Bill -- Women left out of the Franchise Reform Bill -- Deputation to Premier Asquith -- Lloyd George's attitude -- Speaker Lowther kills Bill -- Suffragists go into politics -- Great suffrage "pilgrimage" -- Outbreak of war --Important war work of the suffrage societies -- Coalition Government -- Conference Committee on Electoral Reform Bill -- Premier Asquith supports Woman Suffrage -- Lloyd George becomes Premier -- Suffrage clause in Bill gets immense majority in House of Commons -- Big fight in House of Lords but goes through -- Royal assent given -- Two women elected to House of Commons -- Oxford University opened to women.
First Woman Suffrage Society in Ontario -- The gaining of Woman Suffrage in Manitoba, Alberta, Saskatchewan and British Columbia. Efforts of the Women to secure action from the Legislature of each Province -- Victory in Ontario after long struggle -- War time Woman Suffrage Act of the Dominion Parliament -- Granting of complete suffrage in 1918 -- The Legislatures of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia give Provincial suffrage -- Quebec refuses -- Women of Newfoundland still disfranchised.
The National Parliament persistently declines to enfranchise women --Their strong efforts for the vote -- Granted in several of the States -- Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, president of the International Woman Suffrage Alliance, spends several months in South Africa conferring with the women.
Desire of Early Leaders -- International Council of Women -- Miss Anthony and Mrs. Catt call Conference in Washington on International Suffrage Alliance -- Ten Countries represented -- Proceedings of Conference -- Plan of Temporary Organization -- Declaration of Principles -- Valuable Reports on the Status of Women.
PERMANENT ORGANIZATION IN BERLIN IN 1904 809
Conference and Congress in Copenhagen in 1906 812 Delegates present, addresses, Memorials for Miss Anthony, reports, social entertainments, Badge adopted.
Welcome of Dr. Aletta Jacobs, president of the National Suffrage Association -- Mrs. Catt's president's address -- "Militants" present -- Entertainments -- Victories in Finland and Norway -- Jus Suffragii established -- A day in Rotterdam.
Mrs. Catt's address -- Mrs. Fawcett, president of the British Suffrage Association, speaks, refers to "militants" -- Mass meetings in Albert Hall -- In touch with Queens -- Flag and Hymn selected --Resolutions adopted -- Officers elected -- Dr. Shaw in the pulpits.
Honors to Mrs. Catt -- Many delegates and eminent guests -- Dr. Shaw preaches in State church -- Selma Lagerlöf speaks -- Growth of Alliance -- Non-partisanship declared -- Men's International League formed -- Beautiful outdoor entertainments --Tributes to Sweden.
Great number of delegates -- Official welcome in Academy of Music --Mrs. Catt's president's address -- Dr. Jacobs presents Banner from women of China -- Royal Opera House opened for the Congress -- Many excursions -- "Militant" methods discussed -- Resolution on commercialized vice -- Activity of Men's League -- Rosika Schwimmer, national president, speaks -- Officers elected.
First meeting of Alliance after the World War -- Miss Royden preaches in National church -- Mrs. Catt uses the War as text for great speech -- It brought Woman Suffrage to many countries -- Women present from thirty-six, including five members of Parliament -- Delegates entertained by the Municipality -- Treasurer's report tells of help of United States -- Congress votes to continue the Alliance.
In 1902 Miss Frances Griffin of Verbena sent to the national suffrage convention the following report as president of the State suffrage association: "Two clubs in Alabama, in Huntsville and Decatur, are auxiliary to the National American Woman Suffrage Association. The State president did some aggressive work within the year, speaking in many different towns before women's clubs and at parlor meetings. She devoted much time to work of this character in Montgomery, hoping to bring to bear sufficient influence upon members of the Constitutional Convention to secure some concessions for women citizens. The results were bitterly disappointing, for it not only refused to grant suffrage to tax-paying women but it gave to the husbands of tax-payers the right to vote upon their wives' property! Women in the larger towns are taking an interest in municipal and educational affairs. Some have been placed on advisory boards in State institutions, such as the Girls' Industrial School, the Boys' Reform School and others. All this means a gradual advance for the suffrage sentiment, a general modifying of the anti-sentiment."
There were also short reports for 1903 and 1904, which, while showing no practical, tangible results of the efforts of that earnest pioneer worker, are interesting as evidences of the backward, unprogressive spirit against which the women of Alabama have had to contend. These reports mark the end of the first period of suffrage activity in the State, which had been maintained by a few devoted women. The new era was ushered in by the organization in Selma in 1910 of an Equal Suffrage Association which was the beginning of an aggressive, tireless fight. Miss Mary Partridge, after seeing the defeat of a constitutional amendment for prohibition in Alabama despite the earnest but ineffectual efforts of the women who besieged the polls begging the men to vote for it, decided that the time was ripe for a woman suffrage organization and wrote for advice to Dr. Anna Howard Shaw, president of the National American Woman Suffrage Association, who answered in part: "I cannot express to you how happy I am that you are willing to begin the work in your State where very little has been done for suffrage because of the great conservatism among the women of the South. I am very glad if they are now beginning to realize their absolutely helpless and unprotected position. We have the temperance agitation to thank for arousing a great many women over all the country...."
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