Victories in 1917 / Suffragists Demonstrated Until Congress Passed the 19th Amendment

Victories in 1917, also, Suffragists Demonstrated Until Congress Passed the 19th Amendment. . , Victories in 1917: New York Approved Suffrage and Prisoners Released ,

"Self-respecting and patriotic American women will no longer tolerate a government which denies women the right to govern themselves." , Alva Belmont at the ceremony where suffragists imprisoned in 1917 were presented with "Jailed for Freedom" pins

, New York Won Woman Suffrage, 1917 , Despite the 1915 defeat, New York suffragists tried again and won a stunning wartime victory in November 1917. New York, the nation's most populous state, became the first eastern state to break this suffrage barrier. Most of New York's 43 United States Congressional representatives would now support the woman suffrage amendment., Weakened Suffrage Prisoners Shocked the Court and Nation , In late November, concerned over prison conditions and the physical welfare of the prisoners, the National Woman's Party attorney, Dudley Field Malone, field a petition to bring the pickets to open court. Reporters and the public were shocked to see their severely weakened condition. Taking testimony from the prisoners, the judge called the women's treatment "bloodcurdling" and found that they should never have been sent to the Occoquan Workhouse. All suffrage prisoners were moved to the District of Columbia Jail to serve out their terms. Under public pressure, all remaining suffrage prisoners were finally released on November 27 and 28, 1917., Wilson Reversed His Position and Supported the Suffrage Amendment , Six weeks after the prisoners were released, President Wilson finally announced his support for the suffrage amendment. Many things prompted this reversal, including public outrage at the treatment of the suffragists and a sense of inevitability after the New York victory in 1917. Wilson wanted to prevent Republicans from receiving credit and emphasized that women's wartime services were vital to winning the war. He urged Congress to support the amendment., 19th Amendment , "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. Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.", [Sidebar:] , Jailed for Freedom Pin , The "Jailed for Freedom" pin was designed by Alice Paul and issued to suffragists who had been jailed or imprisoned., [Captions:] , Door to door canvassing during New York suffrage campaign., In a severely weakened state, imprisoned suffrage picket Kate Heffelfinger is helped to court., Two NASWA presidents, Anna Howard Shaw and Carrie Chapman Catt, led the New York suffrage parade during the successful 1917 campaign., Suffragists Demonstrated Until Congress Passed the 19th Amendment, 1918-1919 ,

"I tell you plainly that this measure which I urge upon you is vital to winning of the war." , President Woodrow Wilson in an address to the United States Senate, September 30, 1918

, Suffragist Pressure Continued , An amendment to the US Constitution must pass both Houses of Congress by a two-thirds majority, and be ratified by three-fourths of the state legislatures. With the increased number of representatives from New York and other suffrage states, the House passed the suffrage amendment in 1918. However, despite intense lobbying by suffrage supporters, the US Senate defeated suffrage by two votes in the same session., "Watch Fires of Freedom" Lit at White House Gates , Defeat by the Senate led the National Woman's Party to light "Watch Fires of Freedom" on the White House sidewalk. From January through February 9, 1919, suffragists ceremoniously burned President Wilson's speeches to protest his hypocrisy in defending democracy in Europe while denying it to women at home. Arrests of the suffragists followed with sentences of 5 days in the District of Columbia Jail., Senate Failure to Pass the Amendment Prompted the "Prison Special" Train Tour , To highlight the lack of Senate action, Alice Paul arranged a transcontinental "Prison Special" train tour from mid-February to mid-March 1919, featuring former suffrage prisoners dressed in prison clothes. They spoke about their prison treatment and urged supporters to pressure Senators to pass the amendment., Senate Voted for Amendment Passage, 1919 , Under public and political pressure, President Wilson secured the final vote needed to pass the suffrage amendment after Congress adjourned. He called a special session for May 19, 1919, to vote on the suffrage amendment. It passed the House and the Senate, and was signed for the House on June 4 and for the Senate on June 5. In the photographs of the events, only suffragists of the national american Woman Suffrage Association, led by Maud Wood Park and Helen Gardener, were included while the NWP, the more militant suffragists, were excluded. The amendment was then sent to the 48 states for ratification., [Captions:] , To protest his hypocrisy, in 1919 suffragists lit "Watch Fires for Freedom" to burn President Wilson's speeches on democracy., In 1919, former suffrage prisoners set out on a nationwide train tour, the "Prison Special," to gain citizen support for the suffrage amendment and to urge their US Senators to vote accordingly., The suffrage amendment resolution being signed for the House., The suffrage amendment resolution being signed for the Senate. . This historical marker was erected in 2021 by Turning Point Suffragist Memorial Association. It is in Lorton in Fairfax County Virginia