Women’s Suffrage Parade of 1913

Key Figures and Events

• Inez Milholland: Notable presence in the parade, dressed in white, riding a white horse.
• Alice Paul: Strategist inspired by British suffragettes, proposed the national level amendment rather than state-by-state approach.

Context

• March 3, 1913: Date of the parade, one day before Woodrow Wilson's presidential inauguration.
• Historical Struggle: Women's rights activists had been campaigning for decades with little success since 1896.

Goals and Challenges

• Constitutional Amendment: Aim to secure nationwide voting rights for women.
• Racial Discrimination: Alice Paul focused on white women's participation and discouraged African American involvement.

Significant Participants and Actions

• Ida B. Wells-Barnett: Anti-lynching advocate, refused to march at the back.
• Mary Church Terrell and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority: Prominent African American participants.

Parade Dynamics

• Formation: Included international suffragists, artists, performers, and business-owners.
• Floats: Included golden chariots, Liberty Bell, and a map of enfranchised countries.
• Performances: Enacted historical achievements of women with live orchestra.

Hostility and Outcome

• Violence and Assault: Mob violence, lack of police intervention, over 100 women hospitalized.
• Public Reaction: Media coverage led to national outrage and sympathy for suffragists.
• Political Impact: Congressional hearings investigated police actions; marked a significant victory for women's suffrage.

Post-Parade Efforts and Legacy

• Continued Advocacy: Suffragists continued to pressure representatives and the White House.
• Inez Milholland's Campaign: Campaigned across the US but died in 1916.
• 19th Amendment: Ratified in 1920, granting women the right to vote, though full voting inclusion took decades.

Key Quotes

• Inez Milholland's reported last words: “Mr. President, how long must women wait for liberty?”