America Celebrates the Centennial of Women’s Suffrage

The climate surrounding women’s issues in the beginning of the 20^th century, as shown in the March 4, 1913 issue of the Washington Post (p. 10), March 4, 1913 issue of the Chicago Tribune (p. 2), and March 4, 1913 issue of the New York Times (p.4.)

By: Juliette Moak

One of the most notable events from 1913 was the women’s suffrage parade in Washington D.C. The parade took place March 3, one day before the inauguration of President Woodrow Wilson. It featured 8,000 marchers, in addition to nine bands, four mounted brigades, 20 floats, and an allegorical performance.

The youngest suffragette in the parade, via Library of Congress

Public sentiment at the time was not in favor of giving women the right to vote, and the reactions of spectators reflected that sentiment. Reports of the event describe men in the crowd tripping, shoving, cursing and heckling the suffragettes. Police demonstrated a general disregard for the safety of the protestors by the police, who are said to have “enjoyed the ribald jokes and laughter,” according to "Marching for the Vote" by Sheridan Harvey. One policeman reportedly told a woman that “There would be nothing like this happen if you would stay at home.” Subsequent coverage of the event proved to be quite favorable to the suffrage movement, however, as the articles focused mainly on the injustices perpetrated against the marchers.

In The Press

On page 10 of this March 4, 1913 Washington Post article, “WOMEN’S BEAUTY, GRACE, AND ART BEWILDER THE CAPITAL: Miles of Fluttering Femininity Present Entrancing Suffrage Appeal,” the reporter does not quite seem to get the point of the movement, attributing the authority of their appeal to the extent of their grace and beauty, whereas the suffragettes were demanding equality on the basis of their rights as US citizens, fluttering femininity aside.

The reporter’s coverage initially seems fair but soon devolves into condescension, beginning with the use of “Bewilder” - a vast understatement of the violence of the crowd’s actual reaction. The article refers to the march as a “pageant” on multiple occasions. The rioting was of such severity that it took an hour to march 10 blocks, and could only be completed when “troops of Cavalry from Fort Meyer were rushed into Washington to take charge of Pennsylvania Avenue,” according to the article. Reports of women crying as insults were yelled at them, as well as one account of a Miss Millholland who struck one heckler in the face with a riding crop were contained in the article, which also referred to the suffragettes who traveled from New York State as “bedraggled women.”

Photo spread accompanying the Washington Post article, via Library of Congress

Other headlines give a more straightforward summation of the events, such as these from the New York Times and the Chicago Daily Tribune, which read, “5, 000 women march, beset by crowds,” and “Mobs at Capitol defy police, block suffrage parade.” The former underestimates the number of marchers by 3,000, however. Another important point to note is that, despite the uproar caused by the riot, none of these articles appeared on the front page of their publications.

Public Opinion

The accuracy with which the march and subsequent rioting was reported was a vast departure from how activists for women’s suffrage were customarily portrayed by the press. Contemporary ads, articles, and cartoons depicted female activists as lazy annoyances to men, and were described as bitter, unloved man-haters (due to a life of singleness and childlessness, some would opine).

  

Both Photos Via Library of Congress

The ideal woman was presented as one who was willing to bask in the glow of her husband’s success, while asking nothing for herself, least of all the added burden of having to entertain political ideas.

Both Photos Via Library of Congress

 Then And Now

The belief that women allow aspects of their rights to be determined by men who supposedly know what’s best for them should be extinct by now, but in light of recent political events concerning women’s health, it’s evident that the American patriarchy is very much alive and well. Accusations leveled against women who identify as feminists today are nearly identical to those the suffragettes faced, although now opponents of women’s rights cite a women’s right to vote as evidence that feminism is no longer necessary. Those who encounter this argument may point out the fact that despite the 19^th amendment enfranchising women in 1920, there is still a city in West Virginia (ironically named “Sistersville,”) where, according to the city charter, women are not allowed to vote.