VIRTUAL SCROLL
Honoring 22 Suffrage Leaders by Meredith Bergmann and Pam Elam
This Virtual Scroll chronologically and thematically lists the names and words of some of the leaders of the Woman Suffrage Movement.
WE HOLD THESE TRUTHS TO BE SELF-EVIDENT: THAT ALL MEN AND WOMEN ARE CREATED EQUAL.
–DECLARATION OF SENTIMENTS, SENECA FALLS 1848
LET WOMAN THEN GO ON—NOT ASKING AS FAVOR, BUT CLAIMING AS RIGHT, HER ELEVATION IN THE SCALE OF BEING SO THAT SHE MAY ENTER PROFITABLY INTO THE ACTIVE BUSINESS OF LIFE.
–LUCRETIA MOTT 1849
WE’LL HAVE OUR RIGHTS, SEE IF WE DON’T; AND YOU CAN’T STOP US FROM THEM, SEE IF YOU CAN.
–SOJOURNER TRUTH 1853
HERE LIES THE CORNER STONE OF ALL THE INJUSTICES DONE WOMAN, THE WRONG IDEA FROM WHICH ALL OTHER WRONGS PROCEED. SHE IS NOT ACKNOWLEDGED AS MISTRESS OF HERSELF. FROM HER CRADLE TO HER GRAVE SHE IS ANOTHER’S. WE NEED AND DEMAND THE OTHER RIGHTS, BUT LET US FIRST OBTAIN OURSELVES.
–ERNESTINE ROSE 1853
IN EDUCATION, IN MARRIAGE, IN RELIGION, IN EVERYTHING, DISAPPOINTMENT IS THE LOT OF WOMEN. IT SHALL BE THE BUSINESS OF MY LIFE TO DEEPEN THIS DISAPPOINTMENT IN EVERY WOMAN’S HEART UNTIL SHE BOWS DOWN TO IT NO LONGER.
–LUCY STONE 1855
WOMAN WILL BLESS AND BRIGHTEN EVERY PLACE SHE ENTERS, AND SHE WILL ENTER EVERY PLACE.
–FRANCES WILLARD 1879
ONLY THE BLACK WOMAN CAN SAY, ‘WHEN AND WHERE I ENTER, IN THE QUIET UNDISPUTED DIGNITY OF MY WOMANHOOD, WITHOUT VIOLENCE AND WITHOUT SUING OR SPECIAL PATRONAGE, THEN AND THERE THE WHOLE NEGRO RACE ENTERS WITH ME.’
–ANNA JULIA COOPER 1892
WOMAN IS LEARNING FOR HERSELF THAT NOT SELF-SACRIFICE BUT SELF DEVELOPMENT IS HER FIRST DUTY IN LIFE, AND THIS NOT PRIMARILY FOR THE SAKE OF OTHERS BUT THAT SHE MAY BECOME FULLY HERSELF.
–MATILDA JOSLYN GAGE 1893
WHEN WOMAN’S TRUE HISTORY SHALL HAVE BEEN WRITTEN, HER PART IN THE UPBUILDING OF THIS NATION WILL ASTOUND THE WORLD.
–ABIGAIL SCOTT DUNIWAY 1905
WITH NO SACREDNESS OF THE BALLOT THERE CAN BE NO SACREDNESS OF HUMAN LIFE ITSELF.
–IDA B. WELLS-BARNETT 1910
WHAT THE WOMAN WHO LABORS WANTS IS THE RIGHT TO LIVE, NOT SIMPLY EXIST. THE WORKER MUST HAVE BREAD, BUT SHE MUST HAVE ROSES, TOO. HELP, YOU WOMEN OF PRIVILEGE, GIVE HER THE BALLOT TO FIGHT WITH.
–ROSE SCHNEIDERMAN 1911
THOSE WHO HOLD POWER ARE RESPONSIBLE NOT ONLY FOR WHAT THEY DO BUT FOR WHAT THEY DO NOT DO. INACTION
–LUCY BURNS 1913ESTABISHES JUST AS CLEAR A RECORD AS DOES A POLICY OF OPEN HOSTILITY.
FEMINISTS WANT NOTHING MORE THAN THE EQUALITY OF OPPORTUNITY FOR WOMEN TO PROVE THEIR MERITS.
–MABEL LEE 1914
WHEN THE BALLOT IS PUT INTO THE HANDS OF THE AMERICAN WOMAN THE WORLD IS GOING TO GET A CORRECT ESTIMATE OF THE NEGRO WOMAN. IT WILL FIND HER A TOWER OF STRENGTH.
–NANNIE HELEN BURROUGHS 1915
AROUND ME I SAW WOMEN OVERWORKED AND UNDERPAID, DOING MEN’S WORK AT HALF MEN’S WAGES, NOT BECAUSE THEIR WORK WAS INFERIOR, BUT
–ANNA HOWARD SHAW 1915BECAUSE THEY WERE WOMEN. I COULD FIND BUT ONE SOLUTION—THE REMOVAL OF THE STIGMA OF DISFRANCHISEMENT.
BY HER PECULIAR POSITION THE COLORED WOMAN HAS GAINED CLEAR POWERS OF OBSERVATION AND JUDGMENT—EXACTLY THE SORT OF POWERS WHICH ARE TODAY NECESSARY TO THE BUILDING OF AN IDEAL COUNTRY.
–MARY BURNETT TALBERT 1915
WE ARE JUSTIFIED IN BELIEVING THAT THE SUCCESS OF THIS MOVEMENT FOR EQUALITY OF THE SEXES MEANS MORE PROGRESS TOWARD EQUALITY OF THE RACES.
–JOSEPHINE ST. PIERRE RUFFIN 1915
LIBERTY MUST BE FOUGHT FOR. AND, WOMEN OF THE NATION, THIS IS THE TIME TO FIGHT. THIS IS THE TIME TO DEMONSTRATE OUR SISTERHOOD, OUR SPIRIT, OUR BLITHE COURAGE, AND OUR WILL.
–INEZ MILHOLLAND 1916
I WILL TAKE A STAND AND A FIRM ONE WHENEVER NECESSARY, FOR I AM WITH YOU NOW AND ALWAYS.
–NINA OTERO-WARREN 1917
SUFFRAGE PICKETS AT THE WHITE HOUSE GATES… A FLAME OF REBELLION IS ABROAD AMONG
–ALVA BELMONT 1917WOMEN, AND THE STUPIDITY AND BRUTALITY OF THE GOVERNMENT IN THIS REVOLT HAVE ONLY SERVED TO INCREASE ITS HEAT.
IT IS INCREDIBLE TO ME THAT ANY WOMAN SHOULD CONSIDER THE FIGHT FOR FULL EQUALITY WON. IT HAS JUST BEGUN.
–ALICE PAUL 1920
WE WOMEN HAVE NOW A WEAPON OF DEFENSE WHICH WE HAVE NEVER POSSESSED BEFORE. IT WILL BE A SHAME AND REPROACH TO US IF WE DO NOT USE IT. HOWEVER MUCH THE WHITE WOMEN OF THE COUNTRY NEED SUFFRAGE…COLORED WOMEN NEED IT MORE.
–MARY CHURCH TERRELL 1920
THE VOTE IS THE EMBLEM OF YOUR EQUALITY, THE GUARANTY OF YOUR LIBERTY. WOMEN HAVE SUFFERED AGONY OF SOUL WHICH YOU NEVER CAN COMPREHEND, THAT YOU AND YOUR DAUGHTERS MIGHT INHERIT POLITICAL FREEDOM. THAT VOTE HAS BEEN COSTLY. PRIZE IT!
–CARRIE CHAPMAN CATT 1920
THE RIGHT OF CITIZENS OF THE UNITED STATES TO VOTE SHALL NOT BE DENIED OR ABRIDGED BY THE UNITED STATES OR BY ANY STATE ON ACCOUNT OF SEX.
–THE 19TH AMENDMENT TO THE UNITED STATES CONSTITUTION
AUGUST 26, 1920