Lilla Day Monroe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lilla Day Monroe
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| Born |
Lilla Day Moore
November 11, 1858 Mooresburg, Indiana
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| Died | March 2, 1929 (aged 70) |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Lawyer, Suffragist, Pioneer |
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Notable work
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Lilla Day Monroe Collection of Pioneer Stories |
| Spouse(s) | Lee Monroe |
Lilla Day Monroe (born November 11, 1858 – died March 2, 1929) was an important American lawyer, pioneer, and suffragist. A suffragist is someone who worked to get women the right to vote. She spent most of her life in Topeka, Kansas.
Lilla Day Monroe was recognized for her work in 1982. She was inducted into the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame. She helped the women's suffrage movement in Kansas a lot. She also collected over 800 stories from women pioneers. Her great-granddaughter later published these stories as a book.
Contents
Early Life and Learning
Lilla Day Monroe was born Lilla Day Moore on November 11, 1858. Her birthplace was Mooresburg, Indiana. This town in Pulaski County, Indiana was named after her father.
Her mother taught her traditional homemaking skills. She also taught Lilla how important reading was. Lilla, her mother, and her brothers often walked to a faraway library. They would borrow books, read them, and then talk about them. Lilla's first job was as a schoolteacher.
Becoming a Lawyer
Lilla Day Monroe started studying law early in her life. She first studied with Judge Slack in Indiana. In 1884, she moved to WaKeeney, Kansas. This was near the end of the American frontier era.
In Wakeeney, she met and married Lee Monroe. He was a lawyer from Pennsylvania. They had four children together. Lilla was very interested in law. She worked as a clerk in her husband's law office. She also studied law with him at home.
In 1894, she passed the local bar exam. This meant she could practice law in the District Court. On May 7, 1895, she made history. She became the first woman allowed to practice law in the Kansas Supreme Court.
When her husband became a judge, Lilla stopped her private law practice. She felt it might be a conflict of interest. However, she kept using her legal knowledge. She volunteered for women's rights and other causes.
Fighting for Women's Right to Vote
Lilla Day Monroe was a strong supporter of women's suffrage. In one of her first speeches, she argued for women's voting rights. She used liquor laws as an example of why women needed a say.
In 1901, the Monroe family moved to Topeka, Kansas. There, Lilla became very active in many causes. Her most important work was for women's suffrage. She joined the Kansas State Suffrage Association. She was its president for many years. She also led the Kansas branch of the National Woman's Party.
From 1908 to 1912, Monroe worked hard to convince lawmakers to support women's right to vote. She also gave many public speeches. She explained why women needed more rights. The Monroe family home in Topeka was a busy place. Many women and groups working for suffrage met there. Lilla's children remembered that some women often stayed as houseguests for weeks.
During her work for women's suffrage, Monroe wrote a book. It was called "The Gee-Gee's Mother Goose." It was full of poems and nursery rhymes. She once said she wrote it to calm things down. She used it "when the argument grew too heated."
Monroe was very dedicated to women's suffrage. But she did not want the movement to be used for other political goals. When she felt the movement was favoring the Democratic party, she resigned. She left her position as Kansas chair and the organization. She believed they were putting party politics before women's suffrage.
Monroe wrote and spoke often. Her speeches and writings were popular. People liked both what she said and how she said it. For example, in 1906, she gave a speech called "Some Women Suffrage History." She spoke to a large audience at Pike's Pawnee Village. This event was part of their centennial celebrations.
In 1919, Monroe was elected the first president of the Kansas Women Lawyers Association. This group worked for similar laws as the Good Government Club. Under Monroe's leadership, the association encouraged women to become lawyers. They believed this would help women better protect the interests of women and children. This call for more women lawyers was even mentioned in the Women Lawyers' Journal. Monroe was also a member and long-time president of the Kansas Equal Suffrage Association. This group actively pushed lawmakers to pass laws for women's rights.
Other Important Work
Kansas Day Club
The Kansas Day Club was an old event that celebrated Kansas becoming a state. In 1905, Lilla Monroe and her friends felt women needed their own version. They wanted to be more active than just watching the men's club. Monroe became an officer in the new Women's Kansas Day Club. She also helped write the club's rules. The club's goal was to collect and save Kansas history. It also aimed to encourage patriotism among young people in the state. This club grew out of the Good Government Club.
Good Government Club
Monroe spent many years as a lobbyist for the Good Government Club of Topeka. A lobbyist tries to convince lawmakers to pass certain laws. Because of her good reputation, the Senate allowed her to freely enter the Senate floor. This showed how much they respected her. Monroe's ideas were often found in the Hand Book of Laws. These laws were mostly from articles she published in The Women Lawyers' Journal. Monroe led the lobbying efforts for this club for 27 years.
She also lobbied for many other important laws. These included a minimum wage bill and a child hygiene division. She worked on property and inheritance laws, and divorce reform. She also pushed for equal tax exemptions for both men and women. Monroe was very successful in her lobbying efforts for women's suffrage and these other causes.
Other Groups
Monroe also created and edited two magazines: The Club Woman and The Kansas Woman's Journal. She was a member of several other important groups. These included the Women's Press Association, the State Federation of Clubs, the Business and Professional Women's Club, and the National League of Pen Women.
Collecting Pioneer Women's Stories
While Monroe was publishing The Kansas Women's Journal, she started a special project. She wanted to record the stories of pioneer women. Pioneer women were brave women who helped settle new lands. After she passed away, her daughter and great-granddaughter continued this project.
Monroe saved more than 800 stories from or about pioneer women. These stories show the challenges these women faced. They also show their strength in overcoming these difficulties while settling the American frontier. This important collection still exists today. It is known as the Lilla Day Monroe Collection of Pioneer Women's Stories.
Legacy
Lilla Monroe's daughter, Lenore Monroe Stratton, continued the project. She typed and organized the stories. Later, Monroe's great-granddaughter, Joanna Stratton, published them. Joanna was a professor at Harvard University. In 1982, she published the stories as a complete book. It was called Pioneer Women, Voices From the Kansas Frontier by Simon & Schuster.
Washburn University created the Lilla Day Monroe Award. This award honors women who have made important contributions.
Lilla Day Monroe passed away on March 2, 1929, in Topeka, Kansas.
