A History of Leadership
March is Women’s History Month, and this year marks 103 years since the Woman Suffrage Parade of 1913. The protest march down Pennsylvania Avenue in Washington, D.C., which included nine bands, four mounted brigades, more than 20 floats and over 5,000 marchers, was a seminal event that set the stage for the adoption of the 19th Amendment granting voting rights to women in 1920.
Suffragist Alice Paul planned the groundbreaking event, enlisted volunteers and raised funds. Labor lawyer, World War I correspondent and suffragist, Inez Milholland, led the way. Helen Keller was also in attendance. Accomplished in their own rights, these women – along with legions of men and other women – took up the fight for equal participation in our nation’s political discourse.
It wasn’t easy. They endured vicious taunts, jeers and harassment from onlookers as well as the police who were charged with protecting them. Helen even had to drop out of a later speaking engagement at Constitution Hall due to the stress of the event. But the suffrage movement, as we all know, gained momentum, and seven years later the Constitution was amended to include a woman’s right to vote.
Take a moment this month to learn more about the brave women throughout U.S. history who helped bring about needed change – and those who are still working toward greater equality in the world today.
Remember, daylight saving time begins at 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, March 13th. Be sure to set your clocks ahead on hour!