My friend, Diana, gives a Sisters, Saints and Suffragists tour every spring (or almost every spring). On her tour, she talks about some of the ladies who fought for women's right to vote.
A few Saturdays ago, I went on one of these tours. It was cold, rainy, and windy that day. Thankfully, the rain had stopped by the time we had the tour, but it was still cold and windy.
One of the stops on our tour.
I learned about Martha (Mattie) Hughes Cannon. She was a lady who lived in Utah and ran for state senate in 1896 and won the spot (beating her husband for that spot). For some reason it makes me smile that she beat her husband in that election and also that she was the first woman state senator in the USA.
Mattie served a four year term as state senator and fought for improving public health and women's rights during her term. (She was a really interesting lady, you can also google her to learn more about her.)
Diana, our tour guide!
Another stop on our tour, on the side of the capitol building. (Look at that view, with the Washington Monument and the cherry blossoms in bloom!)
Another thing I learned on the tour was about the Women's March on Washington in 1913. They were marching to bring attention (to the men in power at the time) that women should have the right to vote! It was the day before President Woodrow Wilson's inauguration.
Alice Paul, Lucy Burns, and the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA) organized the march. Thousands of ladies from all over the country marched along Pennsylvania Avenue (the same route the President would take the next day for his inauguration).
You can google 1913 Woman Suffrage Procession (or parade) and some decent websites come up that talk more about it.
An original (I think) banner from the Women's March on Washington in 1913. (The tour ended across the street from the Belmont-Paul Women's Equality National Monument. This banner was in that house.)
Votes for Women!
The tour group at the end of our tour! I really enjoyed the tour and I learned a lot. I am so grateful for the people before us who fought for women's right
to vote so that I (as well as all of the other women
who are of age) can go and vote now.
Since the tour ended across the street from this house, my friend, Heather and I decided to go and visit it. It's a small museum, but it was cool!
I liked this stained glass inside of the museum.
I think this was an original banner women used to peacefully protest in front of the White House before women got the right to vote.
"I stand on the shoulders of the women before me."
After the museum, Heather and I walked back towards the mall to get on the metro at Smithsonian station. Look at the sky in this picture! Isn't it pretty?!
The sky again!
I am glad I went on the tour this day and I am so grateful for the right to vote! Thanks Diana for giving the tour and helping educate us about some of the awesome ladies who fought for women's suffrage.
