Women of Color in the DE Suffrage Movement
Women of color played a huge roll in the Women's Suffrage Movement. These women and their roles in the womens suffrage movement nationally are often overlooked, taken out of history books, and overall erased. Despite facing racism, discrimation, and violence many black women were activists for both women's rights and the rights of black people in the early 20th century. In Delaware, the Equal Suffrage Study Club was an organization that helped push Women's Suffrage to the forefront of issues. The Equal Suffrage study club was a group of black women who got together to educate each other about the women's right to vote and what they can do. This group met in the Thomas Garrett Settlement house in Wilmington, at a school house in New Castle, and at different members homes. These women were also present at the suffrage march in Wilmington, but had to stand at the back of the parade through the city. Despite the unequality, black women wanted the right to vote just as much as their white counterparts.
"As a colored woman and one who believes in Equal Suffrage, I wish to say that we are just as anxious as white women that justice be done" - Mary J. Woodlen
Letter to the Editor of Every Evening (Wilmington). March 1, 1915.
This Evening Journal newspaper clipping displays the role that POC played in the womens right to vote. This newspaper section was written to get the word out about the newly formed ESSC. It explains who is invloved and what their goal was as a group. Many of these women mentioned in the newpaper are not ever mentioned in the wide range of sources on this topic. This just goes to show how often black women were erased from the women's suffrage movement narrative.
Click on the photo for a transcription!
Highlight on Blanche Williams Stubbs
Blanche Williams Stubbs had so much importance in the Women's Suffrage movement in Delaware. History often erases important figures just because of their race, but Stubb's work is hard to erase. Stubbs was a co-founder of the Equal Suffrage Study Club and started the Garrett Settlement House, an orphange and community center for black children. Stubbs also taught at Howard High School in Wilmington during her time in Wilmington. She was a direct advocate for the Women's Suffrage Movement and focused on educating other black women about civics and polical engagment. Her importance in the women's fight for suffrage in Delaware can not be overlooked, as she was very vocal and made great strides for women of color and suffrage.