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Women's Suffrage - 1865-1899
Women's Suffrage: women struggle for the right to vote. Find articles and biographies for more in-depth information on the women's suffrage struggle from the end of the Civil War through the healing of the major split in the women's rights movement. (Commonly called Woman Suffrage at the time.)
American Equal Rights Association
As the 14th and 15th amendments to the Constitution were debated, and some states debated black and woman suffrage, women's suffrage advocates tried to join the two causes, but with little success and a resulting split in the women's suffrage movement.
About Suffrage: Cast of Characters
Biographies of the women, including Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucy Stone, Lucretia Mott and anti-suffragists, from your About Guide to Women's History.
About Susan B. Anthony
Best-known organizer for women's rights in the United States. A biography and links to more information.
About Olympia Brown
Olympia Brown, first woman minister in the United States ordained with full denominational authority -- and campaigner for woman suffrage, especially in Wisconsin and Kansas.
About Elizabeth Cady Stanton
While she did not travel as widely for woman suffrage as Susan B. Anthony did, Stanton's writings and strategy helped shape the movement.
About Lucy Stone
Lucy Stone was a key leader of the early woman's rights movement, and continued as a key leader of one wing of the movement until the late 19th century. Biography, articles, links.
Comments on Genesis from The Woman's Bible
A selection from the scandalous Bible commentary authored by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and other feminists, published 1895-1898.
Minor v. Happersett
In 1874, the US Supreme Court ruled that women were not entitled to voting rights, despite the protections of the Fourteenth Amendment.
Not For Ourselves Alone
On the 1999 Ken Burns documentary on Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony.
The Other Side of the Woman Question
In this response to an article by Francis Parkman opposing woman suffrage, Julia Ward Howe uses many of the typical arguments for woman suffrage. Originally published in 1879.
The Progress of Fifty Years
Lucy Stone's last public appearance, at the Columbian Exposition, Chicago World's Fair 1893, was a review of the progress for women in her lifetime of activism.
Solitude of Soul - Elizabeth Cady Stanton
A well-known speech by Stanton. This version was delivered to the U.S. Congress.
United States v. Susan B. Anthony - 1873
When Susan B. Anthony voted in 1871, she was arrested, tried, and convicted in this test of women's citizenship rights.
Woman's Journal
Edited by Lucy Stone and Henry Blackwell, and later by their daughter Alice Stone Blackwell, the Woman's Journal represented one half of the split women's movement after the Civil War, and continued even after the merging of the two rival halves of the movement.
Address To The First Anniversary of the American Equal Rights Association
An address by Frances D. Gage in 1867, on the progress to date of women's rights efforts.
Address to the National Woman Suffrage Convention, 1869
Elizabeth Cady Stanton addresses the convention, giving her reasons for outrage at the Reconstruction amendments which have left out women.
American Equal Rights Association, 1867
The post-Reconstruction split in the suffrage movement is apparent in these proceedings of the first annual meeting of the newly-formed American Equal Rights Association, with speakers including Stanton, Rev. Samuel J. May, Abby Kelly Foster, Rev. Henry Ward Beecher, Susan B. Anthony.
American Equal Rights Party: Resolution 1867
A resolution signed by Theodore Tilton, Frederick Douglass, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Lucretia Mott, and Susan B. Anthony.
Apotheosis of Suffrage
A cartoon showing the major figures of suffrage, plus George Washington, as heavenly ideals. Published 1896.
Bible Resolution, 1896
The Bible Resolution and Susan B. Anthony's comment, NAWSA Convention, Washington, D.C., January 23-28, 1896, in the wake of the publishing of Elizabeth Cady Stanton's "The Woman's Bible."
Colorado Campaign, 1893
Report on the suffrage campaign of 1893, including the appeal of the campaigners to the women attending the Woman's Congress at the Columbian Exposition in Chicago.
Debates, American Equal Rights Association, 1869
Stanton and others debate universal suffrage, male suffrage and female suffrage. Speakers include Stanton, Mary Livermore, Anthony, Frederick Douglass, Henry Blackwell.
Debate on Woman Suffrage and the Churches
Transcript of a debate at the NWSA Convention, Washington, D.C., February 17-19, 1886, on a proposal by Elizabeth Cady Stanton that suffragists should work for woman suffrage by lobbying for change within churches.
Declaration of Rights, 1876
The story of the presentation of a case for equality by Mrs. Stanton, Mrs. Gage, Mrs. Mott, Miss Anthony and others, on the occasion of the United States Centenniel Celebration, Philadelphia, July 4, 1876.
Foreign Rule
Olympia Brown's address to the 1889 NWSA Convention.
Gage, Mathilda Jocelyn: Website
A site honoring Gage and providing further information on Gage, women who wrote about Gage, and other 19th century women's history.
Grassroots Women's Organizations
This is actually a guide to a collection available through many libraries, but the guide itself has useful info on the Woman's City Club of New York (1916-1980) and the woman's suffrage movement in Wisconsin (1892-1925).
Henry B. Blackwell, 1895
Henry B. Blackwell proposes that the South look on woman suffrage "as one solution of the negro problem" and considers educational tests "not necessarily unjust." "But in every State, save one, there are more educated women than all the illiterate voters, white and black, native and foreign."
Legal Strategies of Susan B. Anthony
How Anthony used the law to change the law.
Mrs. Livermore on Suffrage
Another eloquent statement, this from a key organizer of the Civil War's Sanitary Commission, Mary Livermore.
More Testimony from Colorado
Prof. Kelly presents the case for the legislature: why woman suffrage is important.
National Union of Women's Suffrage Societies
NUWSS, founded in 1897, was the main umbrella suffrage organization in the last phases of the campaign in Britain.
Not For Ourselves Alone
Information on the Ken Burns documentary on the cooperative relationship of Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony.
Sojourner Truth, 1867
Address by Sojourner Truth Address to the First Annual Meeting of the American Equal Rights Association, New York City, May 9, 1867.
South Dakota Campaign, 1890
Report on the suffrage campaign in 1890 in South Dakota.
United States vs. Susan B. Anthony, 1873
The case against Susan B. Anthony, for the crime of voting.
The Woman's Congress of 1899
Charlotte Perkins Stetson (later Gilman) reports on a woman's rights convention.
Women's Rights Declarations & Resolutions
Twenty one online documents, mostly resolutions at various woman's rights conventions, 1848 - 1876.
Woodhull, Victoria: And the Truth Shall Make You Free
The first woman candidate for US President details the ideas of equality and "social freedom" (called by others "free love") that made her famous and infamous in her time.
Virginia L. Minor's Petition, 1872
Missouri test of the right of women to vote under the Reconstruction amendments.
Woman as an Economic Factor, 1898
An 1898 address by Harriot Stanton Blatch to the NAWSA Convention in Washington, D.C.
Woman Suffrage and the Churches, 1886
Debate at the NWSA Convention, Washington, D.C., February 17-19, 1886, on Stanton's proposal to carry the suffrage fight into the churches.
Woman's Rights Convention, 1866
An account of the New York City convention, held May 10, 1866. Includes the call to the convention and several resolutions submitted by Susan B. Anthony, regarding the introduction of the word "male" into the Constitution for the first time, with the Reconstruction Amendments.
Working Woman's Need of the Ballot
Florence Kelley's address to the 1898 NAWSA Convention, Washington, D.C.