Timeline of women's suffrage in Pennsylvania facts for kids

Pennsylvania suffragists in 1917, working for the right to vote.

This is a timeline showing when women in Pennsylvania fought for and won the right to vote. This movement is called women's suffrage. People started working for women's rights in Pennsylvania in the early 1850s. At that time, two important meetings discussed women getting the right to vote. A group for the whole state, called the Pennsylvania Woman Suffrage Association (PWSA), started in 1869. Many other local groups also formed across Pennsylvania over the years.

In 1911, suffragists in Pittsburgh created a special plan called the "Pittsburgh Plan." In 1915, there was a big effort to convince voters to support women's suffrage in a statewide vote on November 2. Even with all this hard work, the vote failed. But things changed quickly! On June 24, 1919, Pennsylvania became the seventh state to approve the Nineteenth Amendment. This important amendment gave women across the United States the right to vote. Finally, Pennsylvania women voted for the very first time on November 2, 1920.

Early Efforts for Women's Voting Rights

Woman's Progress magazine, November 1895.

The 1850s: First Steps

1852

• The first statewide meeting for women's rights in Pennsylvania happened in West Chester.

1854

• The Fifth National Women's Rights Convention was held in Philadelphia. This was a big meeting for women's rights from all over the country.

The 1860s: New Groups Form

1866

• A group called the Equal Rights Association was created in Philadelphia. It supported voting rights for both African American people and women.

1869

• December 22: The Pennsylvania Woman Suffrage Association (PWSA) was officially formed. This group worked statewide for women's right to vote.

The 1870s: Taking Action

1871

• Caroline Burnham Kilgore tried to vote in Philadelphia. She was not allowed to, so she took her case to court.

1872

• The Citizen's Suffrage Association was formed in Philadelphia. This group joined forces with the National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA).

1876

• Suffragists wanted a display booth at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, but they were turned down. Still, they managed to speak in front of 150,000 people at Independence Square. Susan B. Anthony read from "A Declaration of Rights for Women."

The 1880s: Lobbying Lawmakers

1885

• Matilda Hindman went to Harrisburg. She tried to convince the state lawmakers to remove the word "male" from the description of a voter in Pennsylvania's laws.

The 1890s: More Local Groups

1892

• The Woman Suffrage Society of Philadelphia was formed.

The 20th Century: The Fight Continues

Lucy Kennedy Miller, a leader in the suffrage movement.

The 1900s: Growing Momentum

1901

• November 26: A statewide women's suffrage meeting was held in Philadelphia.

1902

• November 7: Another state women's suffrage meeting took place in Philadelphia.
• December 5: The Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of Friends, a religious group, created an Equal Rights Association.

1903

• November 7: The state women's suffrage meeting was held in Philadelphia again.

1904

• The Allegheny County Equal Rights Association (ACERA) was created.
• November 3–5: The state suffrage meeting was held in Easton.

1905

• November 14: The state suffrage meeting took place in Philadelphia.

1906

• November 6–8: The state suffrage meeting was held in Kennett Square.

1907

• November 6–8: The ACERA group hosted the PWSA meeting in Pittsburgh.

1908

• November 4–6: The state suffrage meeting was held in Norristown.

1909

• November 22–24: The state suffrage meeting was held in Newton, Pennsylvania.

The 1910s: Big Campaigns and Victory

1910

• The main office for the PWSA was set up in Philadelphia.
• A new group, the Equal Franchise Federation of Western Pennsylvania, replaced ACERA.
• The state suffrage meeting was held in Harrisburg.
• The Pennsylvania Federation of Labor, a group for workers, promised to support women's right to vote.

1911

The Pittsburgh Post newspaper showing suffragists working, April 2, 1913.

• March 14: Lawmakers in the state legislature held a hearing about a women's suffrage amendment. The amendment was sent to a special committee.
• September 30: Alice Paul's outdoor suffrage campaign ended in Independence Square in Philadelphia.
• Suffragists set up their main office in Pittsburgh and created the "Pittsburgh Plan."

1912

• March: A Pennsylvania chapter of the Men's League for Woman Suffrage was formed. This group was made up of men who supported women's right to vote.
• March 12: The Electoral Commission decided that women's suffrage was not part of their job.
• March 22: The state women's suffrage committee shared its report during a hearing at the state legislature.
• March 29: Minnie Bronson, who was against women voting, spoke at the Pittsburgh Conservatory of Music.
• November 21: A second big outdoor rally was held in Independence Square in Philadelphia.
• November 26–27: The state suffrage meeting was held in Philadelphia. It was suggested that the main suffrage office should move.
• December: The state suffrage main office moved to Harrisburg.

1913

• January: A resolution for women's suffrage was introduced in the state legislature. It passed by a small number of votes. It needed to pass a second time to go to a public vote.
• The first parade for women's suffrage in Pennsylvania happened in Perry.
• July 8: A women's suffrage parade was held in Erie.
• August: There was a special Woman's Suffrage Day at the Granger's picnic in Williams Grove.
• October 28–30: The PWSA met in Pittsburgh. People promised money for the upcoming campaign, including $10,000 from a generous person named Elizabeth Dohrman Thaw.

1914

• August: People who supported suffrage and those who were against it campaigned at the Lebanon County fair.
• The first meeting in the United States for people against women's suffrage took place in Harrisburg.
• A "Suffrage School" was held in Pittsburgh to teach people about the movement.
• November 19–24: The state suffrage meeting was held in Scranton.

1915

A map from 1915 showing support for women's suffrage in Pennsylvania.

• March 31: The Justice Bell was made at the Meneely Bell Foundry. This bell was a symbol for justice and voting rights.
• June 23: Suffragists started a tour of the state with the Justice Bell, beginning in Sayre.
• October: Suffragists showed scores for the World Series at their Pittsburgh office. They handed out information about suffrage to the crowds who came to see the scores.
• November 2: The amendment to give women the right to vote was defeated in the public vote.
• November 30: The state suffrage meeting was held in Philadelphia.

1916

• Carrie Chapman Catt, a national suffrage leader, spoke at a meeting in Harrisburg.
• July 7: The Pennsylvania Suffrage Flag was officially dedicated.
• November 21–24: The state suffrage meeting was held in Williamsport, Pennsylvania.

1919

• June 24: Pennsylvania officially approved the 19th Amendment. This was a huge step towards women voting across the country.
• November: The PWSA group ended, and the League of Women Voters of Pennsylvania was formed. This new group continued to work on civic issues.

The 1920s: Women Vote!

1920

Catherine Wentworth with a replica of the Liberty Bell outside Independence Hall, September 1920.

• September 25: The Justice Bell was finally rung at a celebration for women winning the right to vote. Katharine Wentworth was the first person to ring the bell.
• November 2: Women in Pennsylvania voted for the first time in a general election.
• November 18: The PWSA officially dissolved and became the League of Women Voters (LWV) of Pennsylvania.