Overview

Motto of the National Association of Colored Women’s Clubs, which has been adopted by many African American female groups.

Pittsburgh’s African American women played a significant role in bringing about women’s suffrage. Although their contribution is often understated, their impact on the suffrage movement cannot be ignored. Despite facing numerous obstacles, including opposition from prominent anti-suffrage groups throughout the 1910s. Black suffrage organizations like the Lucy Stone and Anna Shaw Suffrage Leagues were successful in their efforts to inform and organize large groups of Pittsburgh women in support of the movement.

Miss Emma Writt, Miss Mary Writt

Leading up to the 20th Century, African American women in the Hill District began forming social organizations where they gathered to discuss literature, current events, and other topics. The Aurora Reading Club, a group that first met in 1894 and is still active today, is an example of this type of group. It was in spaces like Aurora and the Narcissus Literary and Musical Club where black women began to openly identify with the burgeoning suffrage movement.

The Writt sisters Pauline, Emma (1) and Mary (2) were recognized as leaders, and their efforts on behalf of gaining the right to vote caught the community’s attention.

Residence of Mr. John T. Writt, Pittsburgh, PA

As word spread, women from throughout Pittsburgh began meeting regularly about suffrage in the Writt family home.

Daisy Elizabeth Adams Lampkin, born in 1883.

In 1911 Black suffragists founded a chapters of the Lucy Stone League, and the Anna Shaw League, both organizations acted in support of women’s suffrage. It was not uncommon for women to be members of both leagues, and this level of communication and synergy enhanced the effectiveness of the movement in Pittsburgh

Women from both groups continued to meet together and separately in the 1910s, with the activity of the Lucy Stone League being greatly enhanced under the leadership of Daisy Lampkin. Born Daisy Elizabeth Adams in 1883, she joined the League in 1912 and immediately began having an impact on both the fledgling organization and on Pittsburgh as a whole. By 1915, Daisy was the President of the Lucy Stone League, overseeing the group’s activity during the hectic years leading up to the ratification of the 19th Amendment in 1920. Daisy Lampkin went on to gain national recognition as an NAACP leader.

The Frogs Annual Dinner, January 8, 1913, at the Loendi Club.

Because women couldn’t vote in this era, they had to ensure that their message appealed to voting men, who could in turn elect pro-suffrage politicians who had the power to change the law. They needed the political support of Black men. The women of the Lucy Stone and Anna Shaw leagues were better positioned than their white counterparts to use their influence and savvy to reach Pittsburgh’s black male audience. The leagues organized meetings in churches and other public spaces and invited men in the community to attend. They also arranged for guest speakers to champion the importance of suffrage for the black community as a whole.

On occasion, the Loendi Club, an exclusive men’s establishment in the Hill District, would invite pro women’s suffrage speakers.

Pittsburgh Courier, March 9, 1912.

It is likely that members of the Lucy Stone and Anna Shaw leagues influenced the Loendi Club leaders’ speaker invitations

The women had to develop innovative methods to overcome their circumstances; because the cost to send each league member to national conferences was too great, the leaders figured out a way to ensure that the conferences’ message and information was amplified.

Grace Jones seated, second from left.

Helped by women like Grace Lowndes, who served as the chair of the league’s public meeting committee, and Emma Writt, who frequently opened her home for league meetings, Daisy Lampkin was able to solve this problem by having “echo meetings.”

Pittsburgh Courier, December 20, 1912

Echo meetings relied on a league member to pay her own way to a national conference, and take detailed notes of the proceedings. Upon her return to Pittsburgh she would share the content with her league’s members. In this way echo meetings amplified the suffrage message in their respective communities, ensuring that the latest information was being spread across the city.

The ‘National Association of Coloured Women’ contingent in the line-up, recreated by the Carnegie Science Center staff.

A surprising aspect of the suffrage movement in Pittsburgh is the indication that, at least in some instances, the relationship between black and white suffragists was strong enough to work towards the goal of suffrage. This certainly does not mean that racism didn’t exist, but it shows that, to some extent, the women worked together. For example, Pittsburgh’s 1914 suffrage parade is the only parade in the United States that we have found which had both black and white women on its planning committee; African American suffragists also marched in the center of the parade line up. (10) Suffragists in other US cities either denied black women participation in their public events or restricted their presence to the end of parades.

The ‘National Association of Coloured Women’ contingent in the line-up, recreated by the Carnegie Science Center staff.

We have little detailed information on many of the African American women engaged in suffrage efforts. At best their names are sometimes mentioned in newspaper articles. (11) While their determination and activism in the pursuit of enfranchisement left a powerful legacy in our City, there are some whose names we may never know.

In recognition of their fierce struggle for women’s suffrage, we remember the following Pittsburgh women and those who remain unnamed:

Blanche Bundy Mrs. E.A. Duffield Mrs. A. T. Hall< Mrs. J.W. Homes Mrs. George Howard Mrs. Lucille Porter

Prior to passage of the 19th Amendment in 1920, women had no share and no say in our nation’s democracy. Nevertheless women had been striving for voting rights for decades. Their tenacity and intelligence almost defies belief. In Pittsburgh we owe legions of women our gratitude.

These are just a few of our City’s most dedicated suffragists, our goal is to encourage further exploration of the remarkable women upon whose shoulders we stand.

Aliquippa

She was acknowledged as a leader in the 1700s, by both her people, the Seneca, and by Europeans in our region. In the following century, suffragists in Seneca Falls, NY learned about enfranchisement and governing from the female members of the Seneca. In the Seneca culture, women voted and made decisions on tribal matters. This inspired & informed the suffragists

Jane Grey Swisshelm

Pittsburgh had several early proponents of women’s suffrage in the mid1800s, most notably Jane Grey Swisshelm, however the movement was still several decades away from picking up steam.

The story of the Pittsburgh suffragists has the makings of a Hollywood hit. It has it all: seemingly unconquerable odds, racing against near impossible deadlines, fierce loyalty to the cause, and Jennie Roessing, a heroic woman who tirelessly urged the women through it all.

By the early 1900s the dam had burst. Thousands of women across Pennsylvania began to demand the right to vote. But, the suffrage leaders was repeatedly met with challenges.

Consider that these women were operating without benefit of the internet, and without safe and fast means of transportation. While many of the suffragists were wealthy, the era’s strict social rules applied to them too, Women from every tier of society were limited in their access to the world, to money, to self-determination. Wealthy or poor, educated or ignorant, women weren’t mentored into leadership positions, nor were they given the opportunity to address multitudes from podiums.

How did they keep their state wide network engaged and on board, over the course of months and years? How did they create “buzz” 100 years ago? How did they surmount difficulties including tight finances, internal disagreements, inexperience with leadership positions, and dispersing vast quantities of money?

Because women couldn’t vote in this era, they had to ensure that their message appealed to voting men, who could in turn elect pro-suffrage politicians who had the power to change the law. They needed the political support of Black men. The women of the Lucy Stone and Anna Shaw leagues were better positioned than their white counterparts to use their influence and savvy to reach Pittsburgh’s black male audience. The leagues organized meetings in churches and other public spaces and invited men in the community to attend. They also arranged for guest speakers to champion the importance of suffrage for the black community as a whole.

On occasion, the Loendi Club, an exclusive men’s establishment in the Hill District, would invite pro women’s suffrage speakers.

Jennie decided the PWSA could make Pennsylvania the only state with full suffrage east of the Mississippi. Passing suffrage in PA was a harrowing process. The all male legislature would have to make an amendment to the state constitution. A resolution then had to pass in two successive sessions, by a majority vote in both houses, and be ratified by voters at the following general election.

To realize this goal Jeannie Bradley Roessing, Mrs. Jennie Eliza Kennedy and Mary Bakewell crafted the Pittsburgh Plan, a “careful combination of educating women and designing methods of lobbying for the vote”. The strategy proved so successful that the Pittsburgh Plan was adopted all across the nation.

One of their major successes was the parade on May 2, 1914. Mrs. Kennedy led the massive rally, followed by Roessing and Bakewell. It was part of a nation-wide observance of Woman Suffrage Day and commenced at the Monongahela Wharf, led by six motorcycle policemen. Unlike that of other U.S. cities, the Pittsburgh Suffrage Parade was integrated. African American women served on the Planning Committee and marched in the center of the line up. The rally wound its way through Downtown to Schenley Park and then into town again, reaching the Jenkins Arcade Building.”

Pittsburgh Suffragists raised 100,000 dollars for the 1915 campaign to get Women Suffrage to pass in the Pennsylvania house and senate. Their fundraising efforts evidenced their dedication. If it would raise money, the women tried it: publishing a suffrage cookbook, creating suffrage stamps and one woman even made, sold, and delivered 500 quarts of cottage cheese to make 50 dollars.

Jennie, Hannah Patterson, and a few others created the Justice Bell- aka the women’s liberty bell- and took to the road, shouting the rally cry of, “Father, Brother, Husband, Son, Vote for Amendment Number One!”

The Justice Bell tour was a wild success, spreading enthusiastic support for Pennsylvanian suffrage and generating a lot of media coverage. Unfortunately, due to political machinery and a concern about liquor politics, Amendment Number One failed to pass by a narrow margin. After the apparent defeat, Jennie celebrated all the Pittsburgh Suffragette’s accomplishments and renewed their efforts to pass women’s suffrage, saying, “Woman Suffrage is more alive in Pennsylvania than it ever has been.”

Pittsburgh Courier, December 20, 1912

Jennie worked with women of renown on the nat’l scene and with women from every sector in our Commonwealth. The 50,000 anti suffrage votes cast in 1915 came mostly from eastern Pennsylvania, a testament to western PA suffragists’ remarkable outreach and organizing abilities.

Pittsburgh Suffrage Cookbook

The Gazette Times, October 31, 1915

In addition to getting their message out locally, suffragists needed to communicate across great distances. Suffrage Cookbooks became a popular tool, including a stellar example, created right here in Pittsburgh.

Compiled by Mrs. Laura Kleber, (11) and published in 1915, the book contained recipes from 22 contributors that ranged from soups and stews to meats, sandwiches, puddings and pies.

The books sprinkled notes about the suffrage movement and the need for the vote in between recipes; they also served as an argument against critics who claimed suffragists were bad mothers and wives.

In Living Color

In an age without television and internet, suffragists needed low cost means to keep their message in front of voters. Long before “branding” was invented, they turned yellow into the color of the suffrage movement, and used it at every opportunity. One of the cleverest ways suffragists distributed their message was by distributing yellow flower seeds across the Pennsylvania.

Their supporters planted the seeds, filling gardens in every county with bursts of suffrage sunshine.

Regardless of the constraints they faced, Pittsburgh’s suffragists persisted in finding innovative ways to build support and get their message out to the world.

Pittsburgh Post, May 2, 1914.

Often excluded from suffrage events in other cities, African American suffragists participated with their white counterparts in, at least, some Pittsburgh activities. Of particular note is the Suffrage Parade, held on May 2, 1914, and led by Jeannie Bradley Roessing, Julian Kennedy, and Mary Bakewell. As published in many of the City’s newspapers of the time, the Suffrage Parade line up was integrated.

The 1914 Pittsburgh Suffrage Parade line up & Pittsburgh Daily Post, May 3, 1914.

The event included notable Caucasian women, African American women, and men. According to the Pittsburgh Daily Post, May 3, 1914, on parade day: “Race, creed and social standing were eliminated in the common cause”.

Chatham University students participating in an event 1907.

The parade began in downtown Pittsburgh, proceeded to Schenley Park, and returned downtown to conclude at the Jenkins Arcade.

Pittsburgh members of the National Association of Colored Women, in Pittsburgh’s 1914 Suffrage Parade.

Following the ‘notable women’ were 10 girls dressed in white with yellow sashes, representing the nation’s sole 10 states that had already passed suffrage.

Representing their local organizations, as well as the National Association of Colored Women, many of Pittsburgh’s prominent African American women filled the center of the parade.

Pittsburgh media devoted significant coverage to the suffrage parade. Pittsburgh Post, May 2, 1914.

Several men, including some City Councilmembers, also marched in the parade, underscoring that the fight to earn the vote needed to be a collective effort. Pittsburgh’s newspapers took note and regularly reported on suffragists’ activities.

Pittsburgh’s 1914 Suffrage Parade, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, May 3, 1914

The parade line up included students from the Pennsylvania College for Women, now Chatham University; mounted policemen, festive marching bands, Boy Scouts; a motorcade brought up the rear of the parade.

Mary Flinn Lawrence

Among the Pittsburgh women who organized and participated in suffrage rallies and marches, Mary Flinn Lawrence was a central figure. She was a well educated and wealthy who devoted herself to securing the vote for women. Thanks to Mary’s generous funding and her donating her time and use of a fleet of automobiles to the suffrage movement.

Adeline Levy Spear

MIGHTY WITTY
Adeline Levy Speer a member of Pittsburgh’s Jewish community, joined the ranks of our City’s witty and intrepid suffragists. While Adeline was active on the public side of the Votes for Women campaign, her sense of humor brought her acclaim. She created a memorable drink that she named “Suffrageade”.

Fred Clark, the Pirates’ manager, was a somewhat unexpected ally for the suffragists.

Suffrage & the World Series
Suffragists nimbly jumped when opportunity presented itself. In the early 1900s, Pittsburgh newspapers received baseball scores directly from World Series games and would immediately write them up on large sheets of paper and display them in their windows to keep fans updated.

During the 1915 World Series, the sidewalks in front of newspaper offices became so congested with people waiting for score updates that Pittsburgh City Council banned window posters.

Eliza & Lucy Kennedy

The ingenious Kennedy sisters, Lucy and Eliza, pounced on this opportunity. They convinced the owner of Antler Hotel to give suffragists a spot in the arcade to call out the latest scores.

Antler Hotel

During the breaks between score updates, the women spoke to the huge crowds about the need for equal voting rights.

Philadelphia and Red Sox teams, at the 1915 World Series.

Thousands of fans flowed in and out of the arcade to hear score updates, and the suffragists happily promoted that women voting led the way to the future.

Officers of the Women's League; Newport, RI

Echo Meetings
With so much happening on the suffrage front across the nation, keeping the news flowing was a constant challenge. Communications technology was limited as were the financial resources required for travel. Pittsburgh’s African American suffragists got the word out with Echo meetings. These gatherings involved one suffragist travelling to the distant gathering and reporting on it at several events in Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh Press, July 11, 1915 article about the Writts garden party/fundraiser

Seeking Dollars for Suffrage
Raising the money necessary for suffrage organizing and materials was an on-going challenge that Pittsburgh’s suffragists met with attention getting happenings. From the Echo meetings, word would spread about the progress in the suffrage movement to those at Pittsburgh gatherings, including the frequent fund raising parties.

Pittsburgh Press, July 11, 1915 article about the Writts garden party/fundraiser

The Shirtwaist Ball
Winnifred Meek Morris spearheaded the Equal Franchise Association’s inventive Shirtwaist Ball; the shirtwaist was a popular type of blouse at the time.

Shirtwaists

The gala Shirtwaist Ball successfully met its goal by bringing together people from all classes to compete and create the best shirtwaist.

Shirtwaists Flier & Ethel Mary Ernst

The evening was full of dancing, performances, and finally, the competition. Suffragists used the event as a fund raiser funds and an opportunity to distribute information about their cause.

Poster advertising the Shirtwaist Ball. Heinz History Center.

The Pennsylvania Woman Suffrage Association raised over $2,500, the equivalent to $60,000 today, from the Shirtwaist Ball.

A stop along the Justice Bell’s tour of every PA county in support of the vote for women.

Justice Bell
Please click here to learn more about the remarkable, two-ton Justice Bell’s 1915 journey to every county in PA, masterminded by Pittsburgh’s Jennie Roessing.

Suffrage supporters outside the Allegheny Courthouse, downtown Pittsburgh circa 1915.

It’s plain to see that Pittsburgh’s Suffrage Squad overflowed with creativity, gumption and brains. Keep in mind that this website doesn’t cover the whole story. There were many additional suffragists who helped to push the movement forward.