Grace Julian Clarke facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Grace Julian Clarke
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Grace Julian Clarke, from a 1914 publication
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Grace Giddings Julian
September 11, 1865 |
| Died | June 16, 1938 (aged 72) Indianapolis, Indiana, US
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| Resting place | Crown Hill Cemetery, Indianapolis |
| Nationality | American |
| Citizenship | United States |
| Alma mater | Butler University |
| Occupation | Women’s suffrage advocate |
| Political party | Democrat |
| Spouse(s) | Charles B. Clarke |
| Parent(s) | George Washington Julian Laura Giddings Julian |
| Relatives | Joshua Reed Giddings (grandfather) |
Grace Julian Clarke (born September 1865 – died June 18, 1938) was an important woman from Indiana. She was a leader in women's clubs, a strong supporter of women's suffrage (the right to vote), a newspaper writer, and an author.
Grace grew up in a family that cared deeply about social fairness. Her father, George Washington Julian, and her grandfather, Joshua Reed Giddings, were both abolitionists (people who wanted to end slavery). They also served in the U.S. Congress.
Grace Julian Clarke is known for helping to restart the women's right to vote movement in Indiana. She was very active in the national effort for women's suffrage in the early 1900s. She founded and led several important groups. These included the Indiana State Federation of Women's Clubs and the Women's Franchise League of Indiana. This league later became the League of Women Voters of Indiana.
Grace also wrote three books about her father's life. She was a regular writer for Indianapolis Star newspaper from 1911 to 1929.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Grace Giddings Julian was born on September 11, 1865. Her birthplace was Centerville, in Wayne County, Indiana. She was the only daughter of George Washington Julian and his second wife, Laura Giddings Julian. Grace also had three older half-brothers.
Her father was an abolitionist and a U.S. congressman. He even suggested the first federal amendment for women's right to vote in 1868. Grace stayed close to her father throughout her life. Her mother's father, Joshua Reed Giddings, was also an abolitionist and a U.S. congressman from Ohio.
Grace spent her early years in Washington, D.C.. Her father worked there as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives. In 1873, her family moved to Irvington, near Indianapolis. Grace lived in Irvington for the rest of her life.
She went to Mount Zion School and then to Butler University's prep school. She continued her studies at Butler University. Grace earned her first degree in 1884 and a master's degree in 1885. She was also a member of a Unitarian church in Indianapolis.
Marriage and Family
Grace married Charles B. Clarke on September 11, 1887. Charles was a lawyer and a member of the Democratic Party. He had worked as a U.S. deputy surveyor in the New Mexico Territory. He also served in the Indiana Senate in 1913 and 1915. Grace and Charles did not have any children.
Grace's Work and Advocacy
Women's Right to Vote
Grace was a strong supporter of the women's suffrage movement. This movement worked to get women the right to vote. She was very active in women's clubs and organizations in Indiana. She helped create and lead the Indiana State Federation of Women's Clubs. She also led the Women's Franchise League and the Legislative Council.
In 1892, Grace started the Irvington Women's Club. It was a local group focused on literature. She was also president of the Indianapolis Woman's Club. She was a member of other groups like the Society of Indiana Pioneers.
Grace was key in bringing the suffrage movement back to life in Indiana. She especially worked to get support from women's clubs across the state. In 1909, she helped form a Women's School Commission. This group helped elect the first woman to the Indianapolis school board.
This organization later became the Woman's School League. Grace was its president. The group worked to get voting rights for women in Indianapolis. By 1911, this group, with 3,000 members, became the Women's Franchise League of Indiana. It led the fight for women's suffrage in Indiana. This Indiana group joined the National American Woman Suffrage Association.
Grace served as an officer in the Women's Franchise League. She also became the first president of the Legislative Council of Indiana. This group worked to influence lawmakers. Even though the Indiana General Assembly did not pass women's suffrage laws in 1915, the council brought many groups together.
On January 20, 1920, Indiana became the twentieth state to approve the national women's suffrage amendment. This was the Nineteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. In May 1920, the Women's Franchise League decided to change. They formed the League of Women Voters of Indiana. Grace continued to be involved with this new league.
After women gained the right to vote, Grace wrote a column for the Indianapolis Star. She shared the Democratic Party's views. She also traveled around Indiana, speaking about the Democratic Party and its candidates.
Peace Activism and Public Service
In her later years, Grace became a peace activist. She was interested in international issues. She was a member of the national committee for the League to Enforce Peace. She also belonged to the American Peace Society. In 1920, Grace led Indiana's committee for Pro-League Independents. She gave speeches to support the League of Nations. This idea was not popular with everyone at the time.
Grace also served on national and local boards. In 1916, President Woodrow Wilson chose her to lead the women's division of the Federal Employment Bureau in Indianapolis. In 1931, she was appointed to the Indianapolis City Planning Commission.
Author and Journalist
Besides her work in clubs and politics, Grace was a writer. From 1911 to 1929, she wrote a weekly column for Indianapolis Star. She also summarized women's club activities and political organizing. For a year, she edited the newspaper's women's pages. She continued to write for the paper after the 19th Amendment passed. She also wrote articles for the Indiana Magazine of History.
Grace collected and published her father's speeches in a book. She also wrote her own memories of him. In 1923, she wrote George W. Julian, a biography of her father. This book was the first in the Indiana Historical Commission's biography series.
Death and Legacy
Grace Julian Clarke passed away at her home in Irvington on June 18, 1938. She died from pneumonia. She was buried at Crown Hill Cemetery in Indianapolis.
Published Works
Books
- Later Speeches on Political Questions: With Select Controversial Papers (Indianapolis: Carlon and Hollenbeck, 1889)
- George W. Julian: Some Impressions (Indianapolis: C. E. Hollenbeck Press, 1902)
- George W. Julian (Indianapolis: Indiana Historical Commission, 1923)
Selected Articles
- "Andrew Hoover Comes to Indiana," Indiana Magazine of History, XXXV (December 1928), 223–41
- "A Letter of Dr. Gamaliel Bailey to Joshua R. Giddings," Indiana Magazine of History, XXXV (March 1930), 43–46
- "A Letter of Daniel Worth to George W. Julian and Other Documents," Indiana Magazine of History, XXVI, (June, 1930), 152–57.
- "'The Burnt District,'" Indiana Magazine of History, XXVII, (June 1931), 119–24.
- "Isaac Hoover Julian," Indiana Magazine of History, XXVIII (March 1932), 9–20.
- "Home Letters of George W. Julian, 1850–1851: Forward," Indiana Magazine of History, XXIX, (June 1933), 130–63.
