Women's History Month: Thank a Suffragette

Sylvia Pankhurst. How many of us know her name? How many of us remember how her actions started the movement to allow women the right to vote.

Suffragettes. They wore purple for loyalty and dignity, white for purity, and green for hope. They marched and organized and suffered for  women to be given political equality.

March is Women's History Month and it's a good time for us to say a silent "thank you" to Ms. Pankhurst, her sister Christabell Pankhurst and mother Emmeline, and the other suffragettes who fought for the rights we take for granted.

Propaganda Postcards 1900s Warning Men of Dangers of Women's Rights

Thanks to my friend J.D. Thomas for posting this link to these ridiculous but interesting postcards. The site explains the postcards this way:

Here’s a collection of totally ridiculous vintage postcards and posters dated from around 1900 to 1914 warning men of the dangers associated with the suffragette movement and of allowing women to think for themselves.  

View the postcards at Absurd propaganda postcards warning men about the dangers of women’s rights, early 1900s

Susan B. Anthony Paved the Way

Like Clinton or not, it's a historical moment. No other words needed, just read this story and check out all the names being added to the thank-you letter beside her grave.

As Hillary Clinton accepts the nomination, Susan B. Anthony gets thanks for paving the way

August 18 1920 American Women Won the Right to Vote

Almost 100 years ago, the 19th amendment was passed by Congress June 4, 1919, and ratified on August 18, 1920. The Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution,  provided:  

"The right of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex."

Canadian women won the right to vote in 1918 although women in Manitoba could vote in their Provincial Elections in 1916. Quebec women fared the worst with women not being granted Provincial voting rights until 1940!

On 24 May 1918, all female Canadian citizens aged 21 and over became eligible to vote in federal elections, regardless of whether they had yet attained the provincial franchise. However, the Elections Canada website specifies what conditions were attached to such eligibility:  

"age 21 or older, not alien-born and meet property requirements in provinces where they exist." 

Have you ever wondered if your grandmother or great-grandmother was involved in the Suffragette Movement? I hope mine were. I am quite sure they supported it but did they go out and protest in the streets? I don't know.

We fought hard to gain this right but I wonder how many of us use it. Do you vote? I know I sometimes miss although I do try to make it to every election voting day. I don't want to let my grandmothers down by not exercising that right.