Iron Jawed Angels facts for kids

Iron Jawed Angels is a movie from 2004. It's a drama movie based on history and was directed by Katja von Garnier. The film stars Hilary Swank as Alice Paul, Frances O'Connor as Lucy Burns, Julia Ormond as Inez Milholland, and Anjelica Huston as Carrie Chapman Catt. The movie was first shown at the 2004 Sundance Film Festival and was well-liked by critics.

The film tells the story of the women's right to vote movement in America during the 1910s. It follows leaders like Alice Paul and Lucy Burns. They used peaceful ways to help women get the right to vote. The movie was released in the United States on February 15, 2004.

Movie Story: Fighting for the Vote

Starting the Movement in Washington D.C.

Alice Paul and Lucy Burns come back from England. There, they learned about a group called the Women's Social and Political Union. This group was started by Emmeline Pankhurst and led by her daughter Christabel Pankhurst. Alice and Lucy suggest a new plan to the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA). They want to campaign directly in Washington D.C. for women's voting rights across the country.

The leaders of NAWSA, especially Carrie Chapman Catt, think Alice and Lucy's ideas are too strong. But they let them lead a special committee in D.C. Their first big event is organizing the 1913 Woman Suffrage Procession. This parade happens just before President Woodrow Wilson's inauguration.

Organizing the Parade and a New Group

While asking for money at an art gallery, Alice Paul convinces Inez Milholland to lead the parade. Inez rides a white horse, which makes a big statement. Alice also meets Ben Weissman, a newspaper cartoonist.

In a scene from the movie, Alice Paul talks with Ida B. Wells. Alice wants African American women to march at the back of the parade. This was to avoid upsetting people from the southern states. But Ida B. Wells refuses. During the parade, she bravely steps out from the crowd to join a white group.

Later, Alice and Lucy have disagreements with NAWSA about how to raise money. They decide to leave NAWSA. They then start their own group called the National Woman's Party (NWP). This new group supports their more direct approach to getting women the vote.

Protests and Challenges

The movie shows more disagreements within the movement. NAWSA leaders don't like the NWP's methods. For example, the NWP protests against President Wilson. They also start the Silent Sentinels action, where women stand quietly outside the White House.

The government's relationship with the NWP protesters becomes difficult. Many women are arrested for their actions. They are charged with "obstructing traffic."

Imprisonment and Hunger Strike

The arrested women are sent to the Occoquan Workhouse. They are given 60-day sentences. Even though they face harsh treatment, Alice Paul and other women start a hunger strike. During this strike, guards force-feed them milk and raw eggs.

The suffragists are not allowed to see visitors or lawyers. But then, U.S. Senator Tom Leighton visits his wife, Emily. She is one of the imprisoned women. Emily secretly gives a letter to her husband during his visit. News of their treatment then gets out to the media. After this, Paul, Burns, and the other women are released.

Winning the Vote

Pressure continues to build on President Wilson. The NAWSA joins the NWP in asking for the Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution. This amendment would give women the right to vote. President Wilson finally agrees. He doesn't want to be criticized by other countries for fighting for democracy abroad while denying it to half of the U.S. population.

When the amendment is being voted on, Harry T. Burn is a member of the Tennessee legislature. At the last minute, he gets a telegram from his mother. He changes his vote, and the amendment passes! This is how women in America finally get the right to vote.

Why the Movie is Called "Iron Jawed Angels"

The movie's name comes from a real event. In 1917, a politician named Joseph Walsh from Massachusetts spoke against creating a committee for women's suffrage. He said that creating the committee would be giving in to "the nagging of iron-jawed angels." He also called the Silent Sentinels "bewildered, deluded creatures with short skirts and short hair."

The movie also shows how the women were force-fed during their hunger strike. Steel tools were used to hold their jaws open. This painful scene also connects to the "iron-jawed" part of the title.

Meet the Cast

See also

In Spanish: Iron Jawed Angels para niños