Lucy Burns facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lucy Burns
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Burns in 1913
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| Born | July 28, 1879 |
| Died | December 22, 1966 (aged 87) Brooklyn, New York
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| Education | Packer Collegiate Institute |
| Alma mater | Columbia University Vassar College Yale University Oxford University |
| Occupation | Suffragist, women's rights activist |
| Known for | Co-founding the National Woman's Party with Alice Paul |
Lucy Burns (born July 28, 1879 – died December 22, 1966) was an American activist who fought for women's right to vote, also known as a suffragist. She was a very dedicated activist in both the United States and the United Kingdom. In the UK, she joined a brave group called the suffragettes. Lucy Burns was a close friend of Alice Paul. Together, they created the National Woman's Party, a group that worked hard for women's voting rights.
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Early Life and Learning
Lucy Burns was born in New York to an Irish Catholic family. People described her as a smart and warm person. She was good at speaking and writing. She also had a winning Irish charm.
Lucy was a talented student. She first went to Packer Collegiate Institute in 1890. This school taught girls to be "ladies." It focused on religious education but also encouraged clear thinking. At Packer, Lucy met Laura Wylie, who became a role model. Laura Wylie was one of the first women to attend Yale University Graduate School. Lucy also studied at Columbia University, Vassar College, and Yale University. After her studies, she became an English teacher.
Lucy taught at Erasmus High School in Brooklyn for two years. She enjoyed teaching but wanted to continue her own learning. In 1906, when she was 27, she moved to Germany. There, she studied languages at the Universities of Bonn and Berlin until 1909. Later, Lucy moved to the United Kingdom. She enrolled at Oxford University to study English. Lucy was lucky to have such a good education. Her father, Edwards Burns, supported her studies and paid for her international schooling.
Starting Her Activism
Lucy Burns first became involved in activism with the Pankhurst family in the United Kingdom. This was from 1909 to 1912. While studying in Germany, Lucy traveled to England. There, she met Emmeline Pankhurst and her daughters, Christabel and Sylvia. Lucy was so inspired by their work that she stopped her graduate studies. She decided to stay and work with them.
She joined the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU). This group worked for women's rights in the UK. Lucy started by selling their newspaper, Votes for Women. She joined a protest on June 29, 1909, and was arrested. From 1910 to 1912, the WSPU hired Lucy as an organizer. She became very passionate about activism. She took part in many campaigns with the WSPU. A young Grace Roe was amazed that Lucy came from America to help. Lucy even said she came to London to be arrested, calling it "a very grave honour." One of her first big tasks was organizing a parade in Edinburgh in 1909. She was the WSPU organizer for Edinburgh for two years.
Lucy also supported the campaign to boycott the 1911 census. She invited suffragettes to a large meeting in Edinburgh. They gathered at the Vegetaria Cafe on census night. This way, they could not be officially counted.
Time in British Prisons
Lucy Burns often faced arrest for her activism. She was with other suffragettes like Jennie Baines and Alice Paul. They tried to stop a meeting by Lloyd George in Limehouse. A judge said Lucy set "an extremely bad example." This led to a harsher sentence for her.
While in Europe, Lucy gave many speeches. She spoke in marketplaces and on street corners. Her activism often led to court appearances. Newspapers reported her "disorderly conduct." In August 1909, she hid on a roof in Glasgow with Adela Pankhurst and Alice Paul. They planned to break through the roof. Their goal was to disrupt a political speech by the Earl of Crewe. This speech was only for men.
Later, Lucy was with Alice Paul and Edith New in Dundee. They tried to enter a political meeting. When they couldn't get in, Lucy broke police station windows. She received a ten-day sentence. While in prison, she and others went on a hunger strike. They also damaged their cells and refused to work. Lucy and Alice Paul also caused a stir at the London Lord Mayor's Ball. They mixed with guests and then approached Winston Churchill. They held up a hidden banner and shouted. This again led to prison, hunger strikes, and force-feeding.
The WSPU gave Lucy Burns a Hunger Strike Medal for her bravery.
Working with Alice Paul
Lucy Burns first met Alice Paul at a police station in London. Both women had been arrested for protesting. Alice Paul saw Lucy wearing an American flag pin. They talked about their suffrage experiences in the UK. They also discussed the women's movement in America. Lucy and Alice were both frustrated. They felt the American suffrage movement was not active enough. Their shared passion and courage made them fast friends.
Both women were very dedicated to activism. The fight for equality in the UK inspired them. In 1912, Burns and Paul decided to continue the fight in the United States.
A historian named Eleanor Clift compared their partnership. She said it was like Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton. Lucy and Alice were different in looks and personality. Alice seemed delicate, but Lucy was tall and strong. Alice was firm, while Lucy was more flexible. Alice was the fighter, and Lucy was the diplomat. Despite their differences, they worked very well together. People often said they had "one mind and spirit." Alice Paul herself said Lucy was "always more valiant than I was."
Joining the National American Woman Suffrage Association
When they returned to the United States, Paul and Burns joined the National American Woman Suffrage Association (NAWSA). They became leaders of its Congressional Committee. Both women believed it was important to hold the ruling political party responsible. They wanted a federal amendment for suffrage. By holding a whole party accountable, they thought congressmen would have to act. Otherwise, they risked losing their seats.
Paul and Burns presented this strong plan at the 1912 NAWSA convention in Philadelphia. But NAWSA leaders rejected their idea. They felt it was too soon to act against the Democratic Party. Lucy and Alice did not give up. They asked Jane Addams for help. She was a respected NAWSA leader. The women had to soften their proposal. But NAWSA leaders did approve a suffrage parade. Burns, Paul, and other activists organized this. It was called the Woman Suffrage Procession of 1913. It happened the day before Woodrow Wilson's first inauguration. NAWSA said Paul and Burns' committee would get no more funding. Lucy and Alice agreed. This event showed the start of their split from NAWSA.
Forming the Congressional Union
Because of disagreements over tactics and money, Burns and Paul decided to form a new group. It would still be linked to NAWSA but have its own leaders. This new committee was called the Congressional Union of the National American Woman Suffrage Association. Lucy Burns was chosen as an executive member.
In April 1913, NAWSA wanted to distance itself from this more radical group. They no longer allowed their name to be used. So, the group was renamed the Congressional Union. Still, Burns and Paul wanted to be connected to NAWSA. They asked to be an auxiliary group. The Congressional Union was granted this membership. But their relationship remained difficult.
Tensions grew between the two groups. Burns made another bold proposal at the 1913 NAWSA convention. The Democrats controlled the White House and Congress. Burns wanted to give them an ultimatum. She said: support our suffrage bill, or we will work to make sure you are not reelected. She stated, "Inaction establishes just as clear a record as does a policy of open hostility." She was tired of the Democratic Party's lack of action.
Lucy was especially angry with President Wilson. He had promised to support the Committee on Suffrage. But he never mentioned it in his address to Congress. When NAWSA women tried to meet him, Wilson claimed to be sick. A few days later, he went back on his promise. He said he would not force his private views on Congress.
NAWSA felt they could no longer accept the Congressional Union's strong tactics. They wanted to officially break ties. Paul and Burns did not want to start a completely separate group. They feared it could hurt the movement. So, they tried many times to talk with NAWSA leaders. Despite their efforts, the Congressional Union officially split from NAWSA on February 12, 1914.
Many thought this split would harm the women's suffrage campaign. But this did not stop Paul and Burns. They began planning their campaign against the Democrats in the summer of 1914. They also had to deal with unhappy members in their own group. Some women complained that the Congressional Union was too strict and undemocratic. Paul believed strong leadership was key to reaching their goals. So, they did not make big changes. To calm members, they asked for suggestions.
While facing challenges, the Congressional Union worked to keep the Anthony amendment alive in 1914. This was a federal amendment for women's suffrage. It would later become the Nineteenth Amendment. After their split from NAWSA, Ruth Hanna McCormick became the chairwoman of NAWSA's Congressional Committee. She supported a different amendment, the Shafroth-Palmer amendment. This was a big threat to Burns and Paul's work. If passed, the Shafroth amendment would make suffrage a state-only issue. Burns, Paul, and other women from both groups met. But NAWSA stayed with the Shafroth amendment. The Congressional Union continued its fight for federal suffrage.
Lucy Burns was the first woman to speak to Congressional delegates in 1914. This was when the Anthony amendment finally reached the House. Her speech set the stage for Alice Paul. She also highlighted the Congressional Union's achievements. Being the first to speak at such an important time showed her courage. It also showed how much her fellow leaders respected her. The speeches by Burns and Paul were very important. They showed politicians that women would vote together.
After this, the Congressional Union sent two organizers to each of the nine states where women could already vote. Lucy Burns went to San Francisco, California with suffragist Rose Winslow. Organizing women in these states was hard. Raising money was especially difficult. Burns once said, "If the women here, however, would only give me the money they are willing to spend on luncheons and dinners I will get along admirably." Lucy spread the message about suffrage everywhere. She spoke in theaters, on streets, and went door-to-door. She also handed out cartoons and pamphlets. By election time in 1914, the Democratic Party strongly criticized the Congressional Union. The Congressional Union later claimed responsibility for five Democratic losses.
In 1915, the Congressional Union decided to organize in every state that did not have a branch. Their goal was to continue their 1914 campaign. They wanted to make suffrage a national issue. In 1915, Lucy Burns also became the editor of the Congressional Union's newspaper, The Suffragist. During this time, NAWSA had many internal problems. After their 1915 convention, Anna Howard Shaw stepped down as president. Many thought this might be a chance for the Congressional Union and NAWSA to reunite.
Burns and Paul met with NAWSA officials and other women. This meeting was at the Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C., on December 17, 1915. NAWSA wanted the Congressional Union to become an affiliate. But they had many demands. The Congressional Union had to stop its anti-Democratic Party campaign. They also could never wage any political campaigns in the future. These demands seemed completely unfair. The meeting ended without any agreement.
Forming the National Woman's Party
After all the problems, Alice Paul announced a new plan for 1916. She wanted to create a women's political party. Lucy Burns strongly supported this idea. On June 5, 6, and 7, 1916, delegates and female voters met. They gathered at the Blackstone Theater in Chicago to form the National Woman's Party (NWP). Burns and Paul believed in direct action to fight for women's rights. They especially wanted the right to vote. More traditional suffragists disagreed with their strong tactics. NAWSA leaders thought the NWP's methods were useless. They believed these tactics would upset Democrats who supported suffrage. Only women who could already vote could join the NWP. Their only goal was to get a federal amendment for women's suffrage.
Lucy Burns played a big role in the National Woman's Party. She worked in almost every part of the group. She was a main organizer, lobby leader, newspaper editor, and teacher. She taught women about suffrage. She was also a speaker and helped create the banner campaigns. She was a rallying force and a symbol for the NWP. In Burns' "suffrage schools," she taught women how to run car campaigns. She also taught them how to lobby and work with the press. She was good at working with the media. She gave two hundred news reporters frequent updates.
The National Woman's Party led many women to picket the White House. These "Silent Sentinels" started in January 1917. The NWP was a non-partisan group. It aimed its protests at the office of the President, Woodrow Wilson. Lucy Burns also opposed World War I. She saw it as a war led by powerful men. She felt it forced young men to give their lives with little choice. Throughout her time with the National Woman's Party, Lucy Burns often felt a strong sense of injustice. She would get angry about the President's actions or the apathy of Americans.
Life in American Jail
Lucy Burns was arrested in 1917 while picketing the White House. She was sent to Occoquan Workhouse. In jail, Lucy joined Alice Paul and many other women in hunger strikes. They did this to show their dedication. They argued they were political prisoners. Lucy was ready for hunger strikes. She had done them before in British prisons and had been force-fed. Being in prison did not stop Lucy's activism. From inside the workhouse, she organized protests with other prisoners.
Lucy also helped create one of the first documents defining political prisoners' rights. This document listed their demands. They wanted an attorney, family visits, reading and writing materials, and outside food. It was passed through holes in the walls. Every suffrage prisoner signed it. When prison officials found out, they moved Lucy. She was sent to a district jail and put in solitary confinement.
After Lucy was released, she was quickly arrested again. She continued protesting, picketing, and marching at the White House. During her third arrest in 1917, the judge wanted to make an example of her. She received the longest possible sentence. Back at Occoquan Workhouse, Lucy Burns went through the "Night of Terror." The women were treated very badly. They were denied medical help. To unite the women, Lucy tried to call roll. She refused to stop, despite threats from guards. When they saw Lucy's spirit would not break, they handcuffed her. Her hands were above her head, tied to her cell door. She was left like that all night. Lucy was so loved by her fellow suffragists. The women in the cell across from her held their hands up too. They stood in the same position. Despite her courage, the hard work sometimes bothered Lucy. She once told Alice Paul, "I am so nervous I cannot eat or sleep. I am such a coward I ought to be a village seamstress, instead of a Woman's Party organizer."
After the "Night of Terror," the women refused to eat for three days. The guards tried to tempt them with fried chicken. But the women saw this as an insult. Lucy told the others, "I think this riotous feast which has just passed our doors is the last effort of the institution to dislodge all of us who can be dislodged. They think there is nothing in our souls above fried chicken."
The warden realized he needed to act quickly. He might have dead prisoners on his hands. He moved Lucy to another jail. He told the remaining women that the strike was over. He also ordered Lucy to be force-fed. Historian Eleanor Clift said that force-feeding Lucy Burns needed "five people to hold her down." When she refused to open her mouth, they pushed the feeding tube up her nostril. This was very painful and dangerous. It caused Lucy to have severe nosebleeds. Of the well-known suffragists, Lucy Burns spent the most time in jail.
The Final Push for American Suffrage
Lucy Burns and other suffragists were told the House would not pass a suffrage amendment before 1920. But to their surprise, it was announced in late 1917. The House would make a decision on January 10, 1918. The amendment passed in the House by a vote of 274 to 136. The women of the NWP, including Lucy, then worked to get 11 more votes. These votes were needed for the amendment to pass in the Senate. Sadly, on June 27, 1918, the Senate narrowly failed to pass the amendment.
Burns and Paul were very angry. But they had come so close. There was no way they would give up. They started their protests at the White House again on August 6, 1918. Again, the women were jailed. They faced terrible conditions. They were released shortly after. Their focus then shifted to helping pro-suffrage candidates get elected in November. For the first time, the NWP did not support one party over another. They supported anyone who backed suffrage. This cost the Democrats their majority in Congress.
Tensions grew between the suffragists and President Wilson. He realized something had to be done quickly. He wanted to end the highly publicized protests. He asked Congress to meet for a special session in May 1919. On May 21, the House of Representatives passed the Susan B. Anthony amendment 304 to 89. On June 4, the Senate passed it 66 to 30. Surprisingly, the suffragists were very quiet about this victory. Their battle was not over yet. They still had to make sure three-quarters of the states ratified the amendment. At that time, there were 48 states. Finally, on August 18, 1920, Tennessee became the thirty-sixth state to ratify the Anthony amendment. Lucy Burns' long fight for federal suffrage was finally over.
At this point, Lucy Burns was completely exhausted. She was quoted saying, "I don't want to do anything more. I think we have done all this for women, and we have sacrificed everything we possessed for them, and now let them fight for it now. I am not going to fight anymore." All her time in jail and experiences as a suffragist had made her feel bitter. She felt this way towards married women and others who did not act during the suffrage movement. After women in the United States gained the right to vote, Lucy Burns retired from political life. She dedicated herself to the Catholic Church and her orphaned niece. She died on December 22, 1966, in Brooklyn, New York.
Legacy
In 2020, the National Women's History Alliance honored Lucy Burns after her death.
Iron Jawed Angels
In 2004, HBO Films released Iron Jawed Angels. This movie tells the story of Lucy Burns, Alice Paul, and other suffragists. The Australian actress Frances O'Connor played Lucy Burns.
Lucy Burns Institute
The Lucy Burns Institute is a non-profit education group. It is located in Madison, Wisconsin, and is named after Lucy Burns.
Lucy Burns Museum
The Lucy Burns Museum is located at the former Occoquan Workhouse in Virginia.
See also
In Spanish: Lucy Burns para niños
