Dennis Saul
In the early 1900s, New York City was the center of a new, energetic push for women’s right to vote. The fight for suffrage moved from quiet indoor meetings to the public streets of the city. Activists adopted bold tactics to draw attention to their cause and pressure politicians for change.
Taking the Message to the Streets
Suffrage leaders like Harriot Stanton Blatch, daughter of Elizabeth Cady Stanton, believed in making the movement visible. She organized the city’s first major suffrage parades. These were not small protests. On May 21, 1910, a parade of women marched from Union Square to a rally at Carnegie Hall.
By 1912, these parades grew into massive public events. Thousands of women marched up Fifth Avenue, grouped by their professions—teachers, lawyers, doctors, and factory workers walked together. They carried colorful banners with slogans like “Votes for Women.” These public displays were designed to show that the demand for the vote came from all classes of society.
A Movement of Diverse WomenActivists made a point to campaign in every neighborhood. They held open-air meetings, with women standing on soapboxes on street corners in immigrant communities and financial districts alike. They spoke from the back of automobiles, which were a novelty at the time, to draw crowds in places like Wall Street and the Lower East Side.
The Political Campaign
The main goal was to amend the New York State Constitution to allow women to vote. The New York State Woman Suffrage Association, led by Carrie Chapman Catt, organized a disciplined, city-wide campaign. They divided the city into assembly districts, with a captain for each one to track voters and distribute literature.
In 1915, a referendum to grant women the vote was put before the male voters of New York State. Suffragists campaigned heavily, but the measure was defeated. They immediately began working on the next campaign. They used new strategies, raising millions of dollars and getting endorsements from many community groups. Two years later, on November 6, 1917, another referendum was held. This time, it passed, and the women of New York won the right to vote.
The city’s suffrage movement included a wide range of women. Wealthy patrons like Alva Belmont funded headquarters and activities. She helped establish the Political Equality Association at 505 Fifth Avenue. At the same time, working-class women and union organizers, such as Rose Schneiderman of the Women’s Trade Union League, argued that the vote was a necessary tool to improve horrible working conditions in factories.
Read more
Activists made a point to campaign in every neighborhood. They held open-air meetings, with women standing on soapboxes on street corners in immigrant communities and financial districts alike. They spoke from the back of automobiles, which were a novelty at the time, to draw crowds in places like Wall Street and the Lower East Side.
The Political Campaign
The main goal was to amend the New York State Constitution to allow women to vote. The New York State Woman Suffrage Association, led by Carrie Chapman Catt, organized a disciplined, city-wide campaign. They divided the city into assembly districts, with a captain for each one to track voters and distribute literature.
In 1915, a referendum to grant women the vote was put before the male voters of New York State. Suffragists campaigned heavily, but the measure was defeated. They immediately began working on the next campaign. They used new strategies, raising millions of dollars and getting endorsements from many community groups. Two years later, on November 6, 1917, another referendum was held. This time, it passed, and the women of New York won the right to vote.
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings