Alice Paul: Women's Suffrage

Alice Paul

Alice Paul, born on January 11, 1885, was a very powerful woman in the overcoming of Women’s suffrage in the United States. Paul went through countless struggles before she was truly heard by American citizens. Paul carries a legacy for acting in a non-violent way. Alice Paul’s greatest and most impactful contribution was the organization of the Counter-Inaugural Woman’s Suffrage Parade in 1913, because this was the event that began her legacy as a strong, non-violent, and powerful role as a leader for women’s suffrage.

Alice Paul was born in 1885, in New Jersey. Paul was exposed to woman suffrage at a very young age. Her mother, Tacie Parry Paul, took her to many Women equality and suffrage meetings. After graduating at the age

With that title, Paul moved to Washington D.C. with organizing the Counter-Inaugural Woman’s Suffrage Parade. The parade would be held the day before the inauguration of President Woodrow Wilson on March 3, 1913. The parade route would run straight down Pennsylvania Avenue. James Glen Stovall says in Seeing Suffrage, “Alice Paul knew that the nation had to see suffrage. People had to get the idea of women voting in their heads. She had chosen the time and the stage – the nation’s capital city on the day before the inauguration of a new president.” Paul’s plan attracted publicity from people all over the nation. Her plan to make Woman Suffrage a nation wide issue was working. Over 5,000 women from all over the United States, and in other countries too, took part in the march. Men blocked the march by standing in the street. Although the march was not an entire success, it did speak to the entire nation and made Woodrow Wilson attentive to the issue once he was in office. The parade encouraged not only women in Washington D.C., but also in other states being miss-treated and not equally valued to stand up for their rights. After the event, Paul became known for her persistency and disapproval of the issue of Women’s

Women felt encouraged to participate and hopefully make a change in the nation. Whether that be an amendment to the constitution, or just a loud voice speaking about a national in equality issue, Paul was beginning a national voice for an issue not given the recognition it deserves. “James Glen Stovall says, “James Glen Stovall says in Seeing Suffrage, “And as the pageant unfolded, thousands of women would be marching by, women from every walk of life, from every part of the nation. The entire afternoon would be one that no one could ignore. The thousands of people who saw it would never forget this day.” The powerfulness of the parade left an impact on women from all different backgrounds to this day. Six years later, on June 4, 1919, the 19th amendment was ratified, and on August 18, 1920, women were granted the right to