Collage of New Hampshire’s more famous suffragists. Copyright by J.W. Brown.
A special celebration of suffrage is approaching (actually two)! One hundred years ago, on August 18, 1920, the 19th Amendment that gave women the right to vote was finally ratified (meaning resolutions were passed by the required 36 State legislatures to accept it). Then the resolution was presented to the President of the United States (Woodrow Wilson) for his assent and approval.
Secretary of State Bainbridge Colby issued a proclamation declaring the 19th Amendment ratified and part of the US Constitution on August 26, 1920, protecting American women’s right to vote.
Autumn of that same year (1920) was the first year that New Hampshire women were both able to vote and run for public office. Previously they could hold school board offices (1871) and vote in school board elections (1878) in New Hampshire. This was the culmination of many decades of work.
Metal political pin button, “Equal Suffrage” circa 1912. Donated to NH Historical Society by Stanley Hamel in 2007.
For the past many months I’ve written articles about the work of New Hampshire’s people to achieve suffrage. Our suffragists were women AND men who spent sometimes their entire lives, tirelessly working to obtain the rights we consider the usual today. Yet after writing all these stories, there are still a few topics I have not yet offered.
Examples of topics I will cover this month include Anti- suffrage (oh yes, there were plenty of women and men against it), the history of suffrage, more individual New Hampshire men and women who are documented as having participated. And finally why we should celebrate the passage of the 19th amendment–what is its impact on our every day?
This article is just an introduction. Now I look backward at the stories I have written about New Hampshire’s women’s suffrage in case they are new to you. I was recently honored to discover that The National Park Service used my blog stories about New Hampshire and the 19th Amendment to compile their article on this topic.
–WOMEN’S SUFFRAGE and the 19TH AMENDMENT IN NEW HAMPSHIRE–
New Hampshire’s Centennial Celebration of the 19th Amendment
Was Your New Hampshire Ancestor a Suffragist? (I am adding additional names this month)
New Hampshire Men Were Suffragists
New Hampshire Political Heroines, Suffragists, and Record Breakers
Woman Suffrage in New Hampshire by Hobart Pillsbury, The Granite Monthly
–MORE NEW HAMPSHIRE SUFFRAGE STORIES (Aug 2020) —
100 Years Ago: Anti-Suffrage New Hampshire Women
100 Years Ago: Poems and Prose of Woman’s Suffrage
New Hampshire’s Suffrage Anniversary: 18 & 26 August 2020
Dr. Anna B. (Dimick) Parker of Gilmanton NH: Physician, Minister, Suffragist, Civic Leader, Club Woman (1868-1931)
Suffragist, Club Woman, Lecturer, Musician and Poet: Ola Maude (Gordon) Roby of Bristol, New Hampshire (1868-1927)
New Hampshire’s Women Who Gained The Vote–100 Years Ago and Now
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Congratulations on your blog being used by the National Park Service! And let’s hope women turn out in large numbers to vote in November and honor those whose efforts made that possible.
Thanks Amy. Let us hope what you say is true.