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Woman Suffrage collection
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Held at: University of Delaware Library Special Collections [Contact Us]181 South College Avenue, Newark, DE 19717-5267
This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the University of Delaware Library Special Collections. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.
Overview and metadata sections
The fight for woman suffrage in the United States began in the early nineteenth century, growing out of the Anti-Slavery campaigns of that period.
Women who were actively involved in Abolitionism found themselves treated as second class-citizens even within that movement, being denied variously the right to serve as delegates at conventions and to speak publicly to a mixed audience. The discrimination shown to women who were fighting for the rights of African Americans caused Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Lucretia Mott to begin a campaign for woman's rights.
The first major event of the woman suffrage movement was the Seneca Falls Convention, which took place in New York State in July of 1848. At the convention the delegates demanded suffrage for woman as well as improved access to educational and employment opportunities.
Early campaigns for woman suffrage focused on state voting rights. However, by 1869 it was apparent that an amendment to the federal constitution was preferable. In that year two organizations were formed to work toward that end: The National Woman Suffrage Association, led by Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony, and The American Woman Suffrage Association, led by Lucy Stone. In 1890, the two organizations joined under the name: National American Woman Suffrage Association.
In 1890, Wyoming entered the Union and became the first state in which women had the Vote. Over the next three decades various states changed their constitution to give women voting rights. However up until the 1910s, there was little progress toward a constitutional amendment.
After World War I, the major oppositions to woman suffrage had been broken down. In January of 1918 the House voted to amend the constitution, followed by the Senate in June of 1919. The Nineteenth Amendment was enacted August 26, 1920 after Tennessee became the 36th State to ratify it.
The Woman Suffrage collection comprises ephemera, pamphlets, books, and realia that relate to the campaign for women's voting rights.
Many of the materials are propagandistic in nature, including literature explaining the rational behind the idea of woman suffrage. The collection also includes various pieces of realia that represent the material culture of the movement. These include buttons, pennants, posters, and other objects such as a fan and a watchband.
Most of the materials date from the 1910s and document the movement in the last decade before woman suffrage was achieved.
- Boxes 1-2: Shelved in SPEC MSS manuscript boxes (1 inch)
- Box 3: Shelved in SPEC MSS manuscript boxes
- F27-F30: Shelved in SPEC MSS oversize boxes (32 inches)
- F32: Shelved in SPEC MSS oversize mapcases
A digital version of the collection is available through the University of Delaware Digital Institutional Repository.
Scanning of the collection was sponsored by "In Her Own Right: Women Asserting Their Civil Rights, 1820-1920," a pilot project executed by members of the Philadelphia Area Consortium of Special Collections Libraries (PACSCL), with funding from the National Endowment of the Humanities. The materials in this collection can also be found at: http://inherownright.org/.
Purchase, 2002.
Processed by Laura Cochrane, March 2003. Encoded by Lora J. Davis, August 2011.
The items listed in this bibliography have been removed from the Woman Suffrage collection and cataloged separately with the print holdings of Special Collections.
Björkman, Frances M., and Annie G. Porritt, eds.
Woman Suffrage: History, Arguments, and Results. New York: National Women's Suffrage Publishing Co., 1915.Brackett, Anna C., ed.Woman and the Higher Education. New York: Harper & Bros., 1903.
The Case Against Woman Suffrage: The Most Important Question on the Ballot at the State Election, November 2, 1915. Boston: Massachusetts Anti-Suffrage Committee, 1915.
Clarke, Ida Clyde, ed.Women of 1924. New York: Women's News Service, 1924.
Crepaz, Adele.The Emancipation of Woman and Its Probable Consequences. London: Swan Sonnenschein, 1893.
Harper, Ida Husted.The Life and Work of Susan B. Anthony. 2 vols. Indianapolis and Kansas City: The Bowen-Merrill Company, 1898.
Hoar, George F.Woman's Right and The Public Welfare: Remarks of Hon. George F. Hoar, before a Joint Special Committee of the Massachusetts Legislature. Boston: New-England Woman's Suffrage Association, 1869.
Inman, Mary.In Woman's Defense. Los Angeles: The Committee to Organize the Advancement of Woman, 1940.
Inman, Mary.Woman-Power. Los Angeles: The Committee to Organize the Advancement of Woman, 1942.
Oakley, Violet.Cathedral of Compassion: Dramatic Outline of the Life of Jane Addams. Philadelphia: Women's International League for Peace and Freedom (privately printed at the Press of Lyon and Armor), 1955.
Pankhurst, Emmeline Sylvia. My Own Story. New York: Hearst's International Library Company, 1914.
Pankhurst, Emmeline Sylvia.The Suffragette: the History of the Woman's Militant Suffrage Movement, 1905-1910. New York: Sturgis & Walton, 1912.
Pinkham, Lydia E. Famous Woman of History. Lynn, Mass.: Lydia E. Pinkham Medicine Company, ca. 1920s.
R., L. N. The True Institution of Sisterhood: or, A Message and Its Messengers. London: James Nisbet, 1862.
Sanger, Margaret H. Family Limitation. S.l.: Privately printed for the author, ca. 1914.
Taylor, Edward T. Speech of Hon. Edward T. Taylor of Colorado in the House of Representatives, April 24, 1912. Washington, 1912.
- Publisher
- University of Delaware Library Special Collections
- Finding Aid Author
- University of Delaware Library, Special Collections
- Finding Aid Date
- 2011 August 4
- Sponsor
- Scanning of the collection was sponsored by "In Her Own Right: Women Asserting Their Civil Rights, 1820-1920," a pilot project executed by members of the Philadelphia Area Consortium of Special Collections Libraries (PACSCL), with funding from the National Endowment of the Humanities. The materials in this collection can also be found at: http://inherownright.org/.
- Access Restrictions
-
The collection is open for research.
- Use Restrictions
-
Use of materials from this collection beyond the exceptions provided for in the Fair Use and Educational Use clauses of the U.S. Copyright Law may violate federal law. Permission to publish or reproduce is required from the copyright holder. Please contact Special Collections, University of Delaware Library, http://library.udel.edu/spec/askspec/
Collection Inventory
Asking that women vote against Mr. Wilson and the Democratic candidates in the United States Senate and House.
Depicts a map of the United States indicating where women have the vote and to what degree.
National American Women Suffrage Association.
Depicts a young woman at a chalkboard on which is written "Question. How can this be a government of the people, by the people if only ½ the people vote?" Before her sits a man labeled "anti-suffragist." The bottom of the handbill reads "Empire State Campaign" and "Vote for the Amendment in 1915."
Announces an annual election of officers at the Merion Cricket Club, Haverford, Pa. on June 2, 1914.
Lists events such as speeches by Charlotte Perkins Gilman and Fanny Garrison Villard, a parade, pageant, and benefit concerts.
Image of a little girl in a pink dress and green hat, holding an umbrella. Signed by Wall.
Reads: "United Equal Suffrage States of America / Wyoming1890 / Colorado 1893 / Utah 1896 / Idaho 1896 / A star will be added to the flag as each state enters / The union of States as the ought to be."
Each postcard has a different quote printed on it.
"Votes for Women" and "Drink to the Success of the Empire State Campaign, Headquarters 303 5th Ave., New York."
Addressed to Mrs. R. B. Thompson, Millerstown, Perry County Pa for 500 "Liberty Bell Fliers", 100 "Suffrage maps", 100 "Women on the farm", and 2 pompons with a note that two pennants will also be sent.
On reverse: "Woman's Library Bell / Justice / Equality / 1915 / Pennsylvania.
Reads "Baseball fans, movie fans, political fans, all good fans everywhere favor votes for the women of Massachusetts."
Removed to: SPEC MSS oversize boxes (32 inches)
Removed to: SPEC MSS oversize boxes (32 inches)
Published by the National Women's Party. Depicts a woman on horseback holding a banner reading "…into light."
Physical LocationRemoved to: SPEC MSS oversize boxes (32 inches)
Purple and gold felt.
Physical LocationRemoved to: SPEC MSS oversize boxes (32 inches)
Gold linen.
Framed with a card reading: "Yourself and a lady are cordially invited to attend the suffrage play ["How the Vote was won"] and Ball … Boone County [Iowa] Suffrage Association."
Physical LocationRemoved to: SPEC oversize mapcases