Emma Smith DeVoe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Emma Smith DeVoe
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| Born |
Emma Smith
August 22, 1848 Roseville, Illinois
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| Died | September 3, 1927 (aged 79) Tacoma, Washington
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| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Suffragist |
| Spouse(s) |
John Henry DeVoe
(m. 1880) |
Emma Smith DeVoe (born August 22, 1848 – died September 3, 1927) was an American leader for women's right to vote. She helped change politics for both women and men in the early 1900s. Many people called her "the Mother of Women's Suffrage".
Contents
Early Life and Inspiration
Emma Smith DeVoe was born on August 22, 1848, in Roseville, Illinois. When she was a young girl, she heard a speech by Susan B. Anthony. This talk inspired Emma to become a suffragette at just eight years old. A suffragette is a woman who actively works to get the right to vote for women.
In 1880, she married John Henry DeVoe. John was a veteran of the American Civil War. He supported Emma throughout her life. He also helped her with her campaigns. Besides women's right to vote, she also worked for other changes and the temperance movement. Over time, Emma became a very good public speaker. Susan B. Anthony herself helped teach and guide Emma.
Working for Women's Vote
In 1890, DeVoe worked to add a women's vote amendment in South Dakota. She was very organized and spoke well. Because of this, she was chosen in 1895 to start an official suffrage group in Idaho. Her speeches often talked about peaceful ways to solve problems between countries. She believed that if women could vote, they would help bring about these peaceful changes.
Thanks to her kind and strong speeches, women in Idaho gained the right to vote in 1896. Emma went on to give speeches and start new suffrage groups in 28 states and territories. For example, a group called the National American Woman Suffrage Association sent her to Kentucky. She traveled across Kentucky from October 7 to November 3, 1897.
She worked with the Kentucky Equal Rights Association (KERA). In less than a month, she visited 15 cities. She collected money from rallies and membership fees. She also helped start eight new local groups. In one of her first stops, she helped the Madison County Equal Rights Association. This was one of the first lasting suffrage clubs in the South. A member named Kate Rose Wiggins wrote that DeVoe was "a fine reasoner." She gave clear answers to all questions against women voting.
DeVoe was skilled at working with different groups. These included labor unions, men's groups, and farm associations. She would ask people what they thought about women voting. She used many smart ideas to get her message out. She published cookbooks and organized "women's days." She also covered neighborhoods with posters. She often started her speeches by saying, "There is nothing in the Constitution of the United States that should prevent women the right of franchise." This meant that the U.S. Constitution did not stop women from voting.
Leading the Way in Washington
In 1905, the DeVoes moved to Tacoma, Washington. A year later, Emma Smith DeVoe became president of the Washington Equal Suffrage Association. She helped bring the movement back to life there. She worked as a paid organizer for the National American Woman Suffrage Association. She started groups of suffragists, set up meetings, and gave talks.
By this time, she was very confident in her political skills. For the Washington campaign, she added new ways to get attention. These included penny posters, rallies, and parades. She also did publicity stunts and gave different speeches for different audiences. She always kept a polite and ladylike approach.
In 1908, she published the Washington Women's Cook Book. This book helped raise money for the suffrage movement. It also showed that getting the right to vote would not change women's roles at home. The cookbook's title page said: "Give us the vote and we will cook/ The better for a wide outlook." This helped calm fears that women would stop their home duties if they could vote. This was a key part of Emma's plan. These methods helped women win the right to vote in Washington in 1910. They won by a large majority of 64%. This made Washington the fifth state in the country to allow women to vote.
A National Impact
In 1911, DeVoe helped start the National Council of Women Voters (NCWV). This group was not tied to any political party. Its goal was to help states where women did not yet have the right to vote. It also aimed to teach women who could vote about politics.
Emma DeVoe made connections with both Republicans and Democrats. Eventually, she convinced the Washington state legislature to approve the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920. This amendment gave women across the entire United States the right to vote.
Later Life and Legacy
After her hard work for the suffrage movement, DeVoe became a very active Republican. In 1920, she was the only woman chosen as a presidential elector at the Republican State convention. She later began writing a Republican column for the Tacoma News Tribune. This column shared a woman's point of view. She was later made vice-chairman of the Washington State Republican Party. She was one of the first people to suggest that people should vote based on issues, not just for a specific political party.
Emma Smith DeVoe died on September 3, 1927, at age 79. In 2000, she was honored by being added to the National Women's Hall of Fame.
