FAQ About History for History Students

The Women's Suffrage Movement, also known as the women's suffrage or women's rights movement, spanned several decades and involved numerous individuals who fought for women's right to vote and broader gender equality. While it is difficult to cover all key figures, here are some prominent leaders and activists of the Women's Suffrage Movement:

• Susan B. Anthony (1820-1906): An American suffragist and abolitionist, Anthony played a pivotal role in the women's suffrage movement. She co-founded the National Woman Suffrage Association (NWSA) and campaigned tirelessly for women's voting rights.
• Elizabeth Cady Stanton (1815-1902): Stanton was a leading figure in the early women's suffrage movement. She co-organized the Seneca Falls Convention in 1848, which marked the formal beginning of the women's rights movement in the United States.
• Emmeline Pankhurst (1858-1928): Pankhurst was a British suffragette and founder of the Women's Social and Political Union (WSPU). She adopted more militant tactics to gain attention and advance women's suffrage, including hunger strikes and acts of civil disobedience.
• Alice Paul (1885-1977): Paul was an American suffragist and one of the key figures in the fight for women's suffrage. She co-founded the National Women's Party (NWP) and played a significant role in the campaign for the 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote in the United States.
• Millicent Fawcett (1847-1929): Fawcett was a British suffragist and a prominent leader of the suffrage movement in the United Kingdom. She focused on peaceful and constitutional methods and was instrumental in securing voting rights for British women over the age of 30 in 1918.
• Sojourner Truth (c. 1797-1883): Born into slavery in the United States, Truth became an abolitionist and women's rights activist. She delivered a powerful speech titled "Ain't I a Woman?" in 1851, highlighting the intersectionality of gender and race in the fight for equality.
• Lucy Stone (1818-1893): Stone was an American suffragist and advocate for women's rights. She was one of the first women in Massachusetts to earn a college degree and played a significant role in promoting women's suffrage through her speeches and writing.
• Emmeline Pethick-Lawrence (1867-1954): Pethick-Lawrence was a British suffragette and co-editor of the newspaper Votes for Women. She was a leading figure in the WSPU and actively campaigned for women's suffrage in the early 20th century.