Suffrage Loses in New York By 180,000 - New York Tribune, November 3, 1915

By Ann Lewis on 03/19/2009 @ 12:00 PM

"Suffrage loses" That's the headline of the newspaper hanging in my office. After the best organized, best financed campaign by the women's suffrage movement ever, they lost the fight for the vote in New York in 1915. (And yes, California and other western states had already voted for suffrage—the East lagged behind.)

I keep that newspaper on my wall, not to make the regional point, but as a reminder of how much we owe to the courageous, dedicated women -and men - who made our lives possible. That New York suffrage campaign was organized by ward and precinct, an innovation for its time. They gave speeches and answered questions, on street corners and in living rooms; gave out thousands of leaflets, traveled to rural communities and climbed the stairs of tenement buildings to make their case. They did more than "ladies" were supposed to do; often more than they knew they could do. And when they lost, they started all over again - and two years later, in 1917, they won.

Let's celebrate Women's History Month this year by cheering the opportunities we have, thanks to those who came before us: Sojourner Truth and Carrie Catt, who fought for our right to vote; Rose Schneiderman, speaking for the women who died in the Triangle Fire; Rosa Parks and the women of the civil rights movement; Dolores Huerta and the farm workers; Shirley Chisolm, who ran for President, and Hillary Clinton, who came so close and today represents us around the world; the women who have stepped forward to run for office, the women who are thinking today about becoming candidates.

It's up to us, in whatever way we choose, to continue to move forward, to crack glass ceilings and open doors. We can celebrate history -and make it!

Blog post originally appeared on Emerge America’s website.

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