List of Virginia suffragists facts for kids
The fight for women's right to vote was a big part of history, and Virginia had many brave people who worked hard to make it happen. This movement, called the women's suffrage movement, aimed to give women the same voting rights as men. It was a long journey, but thanks to many dedicated individuals and groups, women in Virginia and across the United States finally gained the right to vote.
Contents
Groups That Fought for Women's Right to Vote
Many different groups formed in Virginia to support women's suffrage. These groups organized meetings, held parades, and tried to convince people and politicians that women should have the right to vote.
Local Suffrage Leagues
These groups worked in specific towns and cities across Virginia to spread the message about women's voting rights.
- Bedford Equal Suffrage League.
- Equal Suffrage League of Fredericksburg.
- Equal Suffrage League of Highland Springs.
- Equal Suffrage League of Lynchburg.
- Equal Suffrage League of Norfolk.
- Equal Suffrage League of Williamsburg.
- Newport News Equal Suffrage League.
Statewide and National Suffrage Organizations
These larger groups worked across Virginia or were part of bigger national movements.
- Equal Suffrage League of Virginia, formed in 1909, was the main group leading the suffrage movement in the state.
- Men's Equal Suffrage League of Virginia, formed in 1912, showed that not just women supported the cause; men did too!
- Virginia State Federation of Colored Women's Clubs, created in 1907, was an important group for African American women who fought for their rights, including the right to vote.
- Virginia Suffrage Association (formerly Virginia Suffrage Society) formed in 1893, was one of the earliest groups in Virginia to push for women's suffrage.
- Virginia Branch of the Congressional Union for Woman Suffrage formed in 1915. This group was more active and sometimes used protests to get attention.
- Virginia Beach National Woman's Party.
Key People in Virginia's Suffrage Movement
Many individuals played a big role in the suffrage movement in Virginia. These people spoke out, wrote articles, and organized events to help women get the vote.
- Pauline Adams (Norfolk).
- Lillie Barbour.
- Janie Porter Barrett (Hampton).
- Kate Waller Barrett (Alexandria).
- Ada Whitehead Bodeker.
- Kate Langley Bosher (Richmond).
- Rosa Dixon Bowser (Richmond).
- Martha Haines Butt.
- Anne Atkinson Burmeister Chamberlayne.
- Adèle Clark (Richmond).
- Mary Ellen Pollard Clarke.
- Elizabeth Cooke (Norfolk).
- Edith Clark Cowles (Richmond).
- Anne Clay Crenshaw (Richmond).
- Blanche Culpeper.
- Janet Stuart Oldershaw Durham.
- Janetta R. FitzHugh (Fredericksburg).
- Ellen Glasgow (Richmond).
- Nora Houston (Richmond).
- Maude Jamison (Norfolk).
- Julia S. Jennings.
- Eugenia Jobson.
- Maria I. Johnston (Fredericksburg).
- Mary Johnston (Richmond).
- Emma Lee Kelley.
- Fannie Bayly King.
- Orra Gray Langhorne (Lynchburg).
- Elizabeth Langhorne Lewis.
- Mary Morris Hall Lockwood.
- Lucy Randolph Mason (Richmond).
- Nell Mercer (Norfolk).
- Sophie G. Meredith (Richmond).
- Faith W. Morgan.
- Mary-Cooke Branch Munford (Richmond).
- Josephine Mathews Norcom.
- Elizabeth Lewis Otey.
- Rosewell Page.
- Millie Paxton (Roanoke).
- Mary Elizabeth Pidgeon.
- Mary Bell Perkins.
- Agnes Dillon Randolph (Richmond).
- Eudora Ramsay Richardson.
- Sally Nelson Robins (Richmond).
- Ellen Robinson.
- Ora Brown Stokes.
- Alice Overbey Taylor.
- Ida Mae Thompson (Richmond).
- Clayton Torrence.
- Jessie Fremont Easton Townsend (Norfolk).
- Lyon G. Tyler (Williamsburg).
- Lila Meade Valentine (Richmond).
- Maggie L. Walker (Richmond).
- Roberta Wellford.
- Annie Barna Whitner.
- Sarah Harvie Wormeley.
- Eugenie Macon Yancey (Bedford).
Politicians Who Supported Women's Suffrage
Some politicians in Virginia understood the importance of women's voting rights and supported the cause.
- Richard Lewis Brewer, Jr..
- Charles Carlin (he changed his mind and supported it later).
- Howard T. Colvin.
- Howard Cecil Gilmer.
- Thomas Lomax Hunter.
- Allan Jones.
- Wyndham R. Mayo (Norfolk).
- Hill Montague (Richmond).
- John Garland Pollard.
- John R. Saunders.
- Elbert Lee Trinkle.
- Junius E. West.
Important Places in the Suffrage Movement
Certain locations in Virginia became significant because of events related to the suffrage movement.
- Occoquan Workhouse. This place is known because some suffragists were held there after protesting for their rights.
- Three Hills. This was the home of Mary Johnston, a famous author and suffragist, and it served as a gathering place for suffrage supporters.
National Suffragists Who Visited Virginia
Famous leaders from the national women's suffrage movement also came to Virginia to help the cause, giving speeches and inspiring local activists.
- Susan B. Anthony. A very famous leader in the national suffrage movement.
- William Jennings Bryan. A well-known politician who supported the cause.
- Carrie Chapman Catt. Another key leader of the national suffrage movement.
- Pauline Wright Davis.
- Matilda Joslyn Gage.
- Joy Montgomery Higgins.
- Josephine Miller.
- Mabel Vernon.
- Emma Howard Wight.
- Elizabeth Upham Yates.
People and Groups Who Opposed Women's Suffrage
Not everyone supported women getting the right to vote. Some people and groups believed that women should not participate in politics.
- Maria Blair (Richmond).
- Jane M. Rutherford.
- Molly Elliot Seawell.
- Catherine Coles Valentine.
- Mary Mason Anderson Williams.
- Margaret Wilmer.
Politicians Who Opposed Suffrage
Some politicians actively worked against women getting the vote.
- Harry Flood Byrd.
- Robert Franklin Leedy.
Groups Against Suffrage
- Virginia Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage (VAOWS), formed in 1912. This group worked to stop women from gaining the right to vote.
See also
- Timeline of women's suffrage in Virginia
- Women's suffrage in Virginia
- Women's suffrage in the United States
