List of Rhode Island suffragists facts for kids

Women in Rhode Island worked hard to gain the right to vote, just like women across the United States. This movement was called women's suffrage. Many brave people and groups in Rhode Island helped make this important change happen. This article tells you about some of them.

Groups That Helped Women Vote

Many groups in Rhode Island worked together to help women get the right to vote. They organized meetings, wrote letters, and held parades to share their message.

Members of the Congressional Union for Women's Suffrage at their summer office in Newport, Rhode Island, around 1914.

• Bristol Equal Suffrage League: A group from Bristol that supported women's voting rights.
• College Equal Suffrage League: This Rhode Island group started in 1907. It brought together college students and graduates who believed in women's suffrage.
• Congressional Union of Providence, Rhode Island: Formed in 1916, this group pushed for a national amendment to give women the vote.
• Jamestown Equal Suffrage League: A local group working for suffrage in Jamestown.
• Newport County Woman Suffrage League: Founded in 1908, this group focused on women's voting rights in Newport County.
• Providence Woman Suffrage Party: A political party in Providence dedicated to women's suffrage.
• Rhode Island Equal Suffrage Association: This group was created in 1915 to unite different suffrage efforts in the state.
• Rhode Island Women's Suffrage Association: One of the earliest groups, formed in 1868, working for women's right to vote.
• Rhode Island Women's Suffrage Party: Created in 1913, this party also worked to get women the vote.
• Rhode Island Union of Colored Women's Clubs: Formed in 1903, this union supported suffrage and other rights for African American women.
• Woman's Newport League: Another group from Newport that supported women's rights.
• Women's Political Equality League of Providence: This league worked for equal political rights for women in Providence.

Important People in the Suffrage Movement

Many individuals dedicated their lives to the cause of women's suffrage in Rhode Island. They spoke out, organized, and inspired others to join the movement.

Sarah Elizabeth Doyle was a leading suffragist from Providence.

• Esther H. Abelson: A suffragist from Pawtucket.
• Sara Algeo: An active supporter of women's voting rights.
• Agnes Bacon: A suffragist from Providence.
• Mary Rathbone Kelly Ballou: Involved in the movement from Providence and Portsmouth.
• Alva Belmont: A wealthy and influential suffragist from Newport who used her resources to support the cause.
• Mae E. Profitt Bentley: A suffragist from Providence.
• Elizabeth Buffum Chace: A very important leader in the suffrage and abolition movements from Providence.
• Paulina Wright Davis: A pioneer in the women's rights movement, active in Providence.
• Sarah E. Doyle: A prominent educator and suffragist from Providence.
• Maud Howe Elliot: A writer and suffragist from Newport.
• Julia Ward Howe: A famous writer and activist from Portsmouth, known for "The Battle Hymn of the Republic," who also supported suffrage.
• Mary E. Jackson: An African American suffragist from Providence.
• Deborah Knox Livingston: A notable suffragist from Rhode Island.
• Annie Peck: A famous mountaineer and suffragist from Providence.
• Anna Garlin Spencer: A minister and social reformer from Providence who supported women's rights.
• Elizabeth Upham Yates: A well-known speaker and leader in the suffrage movement.

Politicians Who Supported Women's Suffrage

Some politicians also believed in women's right to vote and helped the cause.

• Robert Livingston Beeckman: A governor of Rhode Island who supported suffrage.
• Clark Burdick: A politician from Newport who backed the movement.
• Joseph H. Gainer: The mayor of Providence who was a suffrage supporter.
• Daniel L. D. Granger: A U.S. Representative from Providence who supported women's voting rights.

National Suffragists Who Visited Rhode Island

Many famous suffragists from other states came to Rhode Island to give speeches and rally support for the movement.

• Susan B. Anthony: One of the most famous leaders of the national women's suffrage movement. She visited Rhode Island many times.
• Henry B. Blackwell: A strong male supporter of women's rights and husband of Lucy Stone.
• Carrie Chapman Catt: A key leader who helped organize the final push for the 19th Amendment.
• Frederick Douglass: A famous abolitionist and orator who also supported women's suffrage.
• Lucy Stone: A prominent speaker and organizer for women's rights and abolition.
• Anna Howard Shaw: A doctor and minister who was a powerful speaker for suffrage.

Important Places in the Movement

Certain places in Rhode Island played a role in the suffrage movement.

• Marble House: A famous mansion in Newport, owned by Alva Belmont, who used it for suffrage meetings and events.
• Oak Glen: The home of Julia Ward Howe in Portsmouth, where suffrage discussions and meetings took place.

People Who Opposed Women's Suffrage

Not everyone agreed that women should vote. These individuals and groups were called "anti-suffragists." They believed women's roles were mainly in the home.

Groups

• Rhode Island Association in Opposition to Woman Suffrage: This group actively worked against women getting the right to vote.

Individuals

• Mrs. Edward Johnson
• Margaret Farnum Lippitt
• Mary Lippitt Steedman

See also

• New England Woman Suffrage Association
• Timeline of women's suffrage in Rhode Island
• Women's suffrage in Rhode Island
• Women's suffrage in the United States