It’s Time! Commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the 19th Amendment!

There are dozens if not hundreds of ways to commemorate this important moment in women's history in the U.S. Though we recognize that the 19th Amendment did not solve the issue of voting rights for all American women, it was a significant achievement after an almost 70 year battle. Many ways to take part in … Continue reading It’s Time! Commemorate the 100th Anniversary of the 19th Amendment!

Women’s Suffrage in Decatur, Illinois

By Mark W. Sorensen Note: This guest essay comes to us from Mark Sorensen whose 2004 essay “AHEAD OF THEIR TIME: A brief history of woman suffrage in Illinois,” https://www.lib.niu.edu/2004/ih110604half.html provided the foundations for the research and work of this website. Thanks Mark for all your work to save and tell the Illinois suffrage story! … Continue reading Women’s Suffrage in Decatur, Illinois

Municipal Charter Reform in Chicago: Civic Duty, Women’s Role, and Women’s Suffrage

By Joan Linsenmeier, Evanston Women's History Project Research Volunteer. The Cities and Villages Act adopted by Illinois in 1872 specified how city governments could be structured, the actions they could take, and what powers were retained by the state. Many Chicagoans opposed this act. Chicago was much larger than other Illinois cities, more diverse, and … Continue reading Municipal Charter Reform in Chicago: Civic Duty, Women’s Role, and Women’s Suffrage

The National Woman’s Party In Chicago

Two important moments in National Woman's Party (NWP) history took place in Chicago in the early years of its existence, in addition to its founding in the city. This was partly because Illinois had given its women the right to vote on a select group of elections, including presidential elections, in 1913. With its large … Continue reading The National Woman’s Party In Chicago