Letter 27 - She Smashed Into The Battle She Fought!
Hello Bregdan Woman,
Alice Paul is one of my heroines!
The problem with writing letters about Bregdan Women lies in making the daily decision regarding who to tell you about – and when. I regret there are women you won’t hear about for months, or even years. They are no less important than the women you’ll hear about in the beginning. It also means, however, that I’ll never run out of women to write about! I have about 800 already queued up to write about!
I’ve been telling you about a lot of contemporary women. Today, I’m going to dive into the past.
It’s beyond important to shine the light on women who were brave enough to fight the battles that got us to where we are right now. The battles we fight today are difficult, but who laid the foundations that give us the ability to fight?
Alice Paul, born in 1885, was one of them.
Alice was born, and raised, as a Quaker. Even in 1885, gender equality was a central tenant of their religious philosophy and practice. Believing women are equal with men was simply a reality of life for her.
To say her childhood was definitely not the norm for the late 1800’s would be a massive understatement. It meant that at some point, Alice was going to smash into the differing gender beliefs that were the norm in the USA at that time. Women were not equal with men. They most certainly were not given a voice in American politics.
The Suffrage movement, officially started in 1848, but actually begun in 1820, was created to give women the right to vote.
That meant Alice had her own heroines. As I continue writing letters, you’ll learn more about Susan B. Anthony and Lucretia Mott. Both of them were also Quakers. More importantly, they were leaders of the early suffrage movement that rocked the USA before, during, and after the American Civil War. They were two of Alice’s heroines.
Sadly, the Suffrage battle raged on for almost 100 years. Both Susan B. Anthony and Lucretia Mott died before they could experience the success of their fight. So did thousands of other women who fought for the rights you now have to cast your vote and have a voice.
Like with any long-term battle, suffrage eventually fell into the hands of younger women. Alice Paul was one of them – only she didn’t start with that intention.
Like most of us, she followed an unpredictable path to determine her life’s purpose.
After graduating from college in 1901, she moved to New York City and threw herself into social work within Quaker settlements. She already believed in women’s right to vote, but the suffragist movement had faltered in the USA.
Eighty years into the battle, the Suffrage leadership was disheartened and discouraged. There was disagreement and infighting on how to proceed. Progress had ground to a halt.
I’m sure the American’s fighting women’s right to vote were cheering and celebrating.
Alice Paul wanted to vote but she wasn’t involved in the fight.
Not yet, anyway…
In 1907, when she was in her mid twenties, Alice moved to Birmingham, England to continue social work within the Quaker framework. What she experienced there transformed her from a reserved Quaker girl into a militant suffragist.
How that happened is such a great story!
While in England, she met Cristabel Pankhurst. Englishmen weren’t any more positive about voting rights than America was. Men aren’t fond of giving up control!
Cristabel, the daughter of England’s best-known suffragist (Emmeline Pankhurst), was speaking to a crowd on the streets about voting rights for women. She was heckled, jeered, and forced from the stage by the unruly crowd. Alice, horrified by what she saw, pushed her way through the crowd to meet the young woman.
Their ensuing friendship introduced her to the concept of “Deeds Not Words”.
Deeds Not Words. This concept grabbed my respect before I continued my research. I wholeheartedly agree that words mean nothing if they aren’t accompanied by DEEDS.
The Pankhurst Women, created by Emmeline and her daughters, Cristabel & Sylvia, were determined to gain voting rights for women in England. They didn’t believe prayer, petitions, and patience were enough to gain suffrage for women. They decided to engage in much more, shall we say, direct measures.
Their more direct measures included heckling, window smashing and rock throwing. The “good girl” method wasn’t working, so they took rather extreme methods to raise public awareness. It worked – giving them front-page coverage in many London newspapers. Slowly, public opinion began to change. More women joined their efforts.
Alice, inspired by their courage and determination, joined the Pankhurst Movement. She was proud of the number of windows she smashed!
Of course, Alice’s actions, along with the other women’s, came at a cost. She was beaten and arrested on several occasions. She was imprisoned. When she and the other women protested their confinement with hunger strikes, they were subjected to brutal force feedings – painful feedings tubes forced down their throats while being physically restrained.
She fought the battle alongside the Pankhurst women for three years before returning to the United States. She came home with the belief that the Pankhurst methods were working – that the people of England had been lifted from their lethargy in regard to women’s right to vote.
She arrived back in the USA, determined to reshape and re-energize the stalled battle for women’s right to vote. It was time for the Suffrage Movement to gain new life.
I’m sure Alice knew in advance there would be a heavy price to pay, but I suspect she didn’t know quite how heavy it would be. Not that any price would have changed her choices.
That’s enough for today. Instead of giving you more than you have time to read, I’ve decided to make Alice’s story a “3 Parter”. Some stories aren’t meant to be pared down to make for quick reading. You’ll read the next part of Alice’s saga on Wednesday!
If you believe other women should read these letters, please share them. They will always be free! Help me reach millions of women around the world!
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As you go through the day, ask yourself…
What will you do to be a Bregdan Woman?
What will you do today to impact history??
I’m on this journey with you!
Ginny