One Woman, One Vote

Dina Lynn Romano
Unity Point School, Carbondale

"One of my earliest memories is sitting on a curb on Michigan Avenue in Chicago watching a parade of women, in which my mother was participating, marching for women's suffrage," recalled Lillian Adams, a member of the Jackson County League of Women Voters. The League of Women Voters of Illinois is a nonpartisan political organization that encourages active citizen participation in government policy, and influences public policy through education and advocacy. This organization has a long history of promoting the rights of Illinois citizens since its founding in October 1925. Today the Illinois League of Women Voters is organized in fifty-nine communities across the state of Illinois.

The historical seeds of women's suffrage can be traced to the colonial period where women were excluded from political life and treated poorly. After the Revolutionary War, the convention met in Philadelphia to draw up the constitution. The topic of women's suffrage was never discussed or questioned. Women were never considered by our founding fathers as capable of governing or understanding government. By 1832 the anti-slavery question became intense. Women began to press for public speaking rights. Lucretia Mott and some of her contemporaries were allowed on the platform of the anti-slavery association. This was a giant step in the acceptance of women's ideas and influences.

During July 1848 in western New York women issued a call for the first women's rights convention. Led by Susan B. Anthony, this was the beginning of the movement for women's suffrage in the United States.

Many disputes developed between men and women. Around the 1850s men tried unsuccessfully to keep the dress reform movement from going forward. Women designed the bloomer costume as a revolt against the "fantastically uncomfortable and unhealthy garb worn by ladies." Many of the women, including Susan B, Anthony, started to wear clothes modeled after men's clothes—bloomers.

Susan B. Anthony was one of the many women who fought for women's rights. Many people thought her acts were "too free" and that her association with blacks was outrageous. Although she was disliked by many, others found her to be tough and brave to stand up for women's rights. One man from Canajoharie, New York, stated, "This woman is the smartest man that ever came to Canajoharie."

It was not until 1868 that Mary Livermore organized the first women's suffrage convention in Illinois. She served as its president, with Myra Bradwell as secretary. By 1868 women gained voting rights in Utah and Wyoming. Illinois women wanted Illinois to be the third state to let women have voting rights. In 1871 suffragists tried to press the issue all over the country by appearing at the polls to vote. Despite broad support in 1913 for suffrage in Illinois, the governor refused to submit the issue of women voting to the president of the United States. Women fought hard for rights in the state of Illinois. It was not until 1920 that all women of the United States earned the right to vote.

In 1925 members of the women's suffrage movement in Southern Illinois met to form a Jackson County League of Women Voters organization. The Jackson County meeting, however, was postponed when the great tornado of 1925 ripped through the area. Upon organizing, the Jackson County League began its seventy-two years of working for the rights of individuals by pushing the local government to give women the right to serve on juries and to even enter the county courthouse. Their work continued in the 1930s as the League supported mandatory child education laws. The 1940s and 1950s saw the Jackson County League of Women Voters working toward international goals for supporting the United Nations. The 1960s were full of social and environmental action. Jackson County league members set up public meetings to create a violence-free strategy for Carbondale schools. They were instrumental in desegregating all elementary and secondary schools in Carbondale. Today they are active in the political and social issues of Jackson County, as is evident in their co-sponsorship of the PBS special One Woman, One Vote in honor of the seventy-fifth anniversary of the League of Women Voters.

The goal of the League of Women Voters is to empower citizens to shape better communities worldwide. The league believes in many things, such as, "respect for individuals, the value of diversity, and the power of collective decision-making for the common good." These ideals are very important to both women and men. The league has promoted a broader acceptance of individual rights for Illinois citizens and participation in its government.— [From L. Adams, 75th Anniversary Suffrage Amendment; E. Flexner, Century of Struggle; A. M. Wheeler and M. S. Wortman, The Roads They Made.]