March is Women’s History Month, a time to recognize the impact that women of the past have on our lives today. The leaders of the Women’s Suffrage movement brought change to all levels of the American democratic process when they won women the right to vote and hold elected offices.
It has only been a little more than a century since voting was restricted to a smaller segment of the population. Americans debated whether women should have the right to vote for most of the 19th century. The 19th amendment to the Constitution was passed on August 18, 1920, ensuring that “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.”
There are fascinating stories of the women who campaigned for full citizenship, led marches, and built national and even international advocacy groups.
Here are two ways to celebrate and learn about these important events:
- Make a picture frame celebrating the Women’s Suffrage Movement. Kits are available from the Reference Department at the Main Branch (one kit per adult library card holder, while supplies last)
- Explore our online resources! Your BAPL library card gives you access to videos, magazine articles, and even a searchable archive through our website. Here is some of the information you can find on the women’s suffrage movement.
Flipster
Flipster is a digital magazine service that allows you to read and download popular magazine articles. Within Flipster, you can search magazine titles for specific articles.
National Geographic History – “The Silent Sentinels;” July/August, 2020, Issue 3, vol. 6, pp. 60-71
Family Tree Magazine – “After a Fashion;” May/June, 2017, Issue 3, vol. 18, pp 42-47
Kanopy
Kanopy is a streaming service that gives you access to movies, television shows, documentaries and instructional videos. You can watch it on your iOS, Android, Roku or smart TV. Available to all Bethlehem District patrons with a library card.
Videos about women’s suffrage:
United States, episode 77, “The Women’s Movement” (2003)
Lives of famous suffragists
The Trial of Susan B. Anthony (2020) (episode 5)
Harriet Beecher Stowe and Harriet Tubman (2020) (episode 24)
Ida B. Wells; A Passion for Justice (1989)
Ida B. Wells; Crusader for Human Rights (2005)
Gale Resources
Gale Resources offers articles, searchable databases, ebooks, and online courses. The State Library of Pennsylvania provides Gale Resources and other databases through the Power Library link on our website.
Suffragist of the Great Northwest – SUFFRAGIST OF THE GREAT NORTHWEST: ABIGAIL SCOTT DUNIWAY WORKED TIRELESSLY TO SECURE WOMEN IN OREGON THE RIGHT TO VOTE. – Document – Gale OneFile: U.S. History
Picketing the White House in 1919 – 1919: placards at the White House: fed up with the inaction of conservative suffragists, Alice Paul decided on the highly unorthodox strategy of pressuring the president – Document – Gale OneFile: U.S. History
The Jailed for Freedom pin – Jailed for freedom pin – Document – Gale OneFile: U.S. History
Women secured the right to vote in the Wyoming Territory – Wyoming’s women got the vote first – way back in 1869, soon after the new territory was formed – Document – Gale OneFile: U.S. History
Speech in support of voting rights – Susan B. Anthony: ‘tt was we, the people; not we, the white males’: a suffragist’s bold argument that women deserve to be citizens – Document – Gale OneFile: U.S. History
Early films for voting rights – Suffragette Cinema: Your Girl and Mine lobbied for women’s voting rights – Document – Gale OneFile: U.S. History
The deciding vote – Mother knew best: ninety years ago Harry Burn obeyed his mom and cast the deciding ballot that gave women the right to vote – Document – Gale OneFile: U.S. History
JSTOR
JSTOR is a database which contains more than twelve million articles, books, primary sources, and journals. JSTOR is currently only offered in-house when connected to Wifi or on one of our public computers.
Women’s suffrage and race – Teaching about Slavery, the Abolitionist Movement, and Women’s Suffrage on JSTOR
Early 20th century feminism – The New Woman: Changing Views of Women in the 1920s on JSTOR
Sojourner Truth – The “Green-Backs of Civilization”: Sojourner Truth and Portrait Photography on JSTOR
Patrons can come into Main Library for supplies to make a WHM photo frame.