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Tag: Women’s suffrage

Talk focuses on women and Washington State Constitution

Talk focuses on women and Washington State Constitution

Local historian Shanna Stevenson talks about the history of suffrage in Washington. Suffragists in Washington Territory were told to leave voting rights to the “chivalry of men,” who would eventually allow for them to vote. Thankfully, many activists and suffragists ignored that advice. Washington state became the 5th state in the United States to permanently protect women’s right to vote. This was just one story from local historian Shanna Stevenson’s presentation. At a brown-bag event hosted by Secretary of State…

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Vote for your fave State Library Jewel!

Vote for your fave State Library Jewel!

Here in our office, we’re always interested in voting and elections. Last week, we asked what your favorite Archives Treasure was, and now we’re curious to know which State Library Jewel you like most. Over the past few days, we’ve featured three different Library Jewels for January, starting with a 1924 Washington road map. We then showcased a list of motor vehicle owners in 1912. Finally, we brought out a suffrage leader’s scrapbook that includes memorabilia ranging from 1908 to…

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State Library Jewel #3: suffrage leader’s scrapbook

State Library Jewel #3: suffrage leader’s scrapbook

Early this week, we began our “State Library Jewels” blog series to show off some of the many interesting items and collections found in the State Library. The first jewel we presented was a  1924 Washington road map, followed by a list of motor vehicle owners in 1912. Our third piece to be showcased is the scrapbook of Clara Watson Elsom, a leading activist in the Women’s Suffrage Movement. Inside the scrapbook (pictured here) is Elsom’s own collection of newspaper…

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“Library jewels” poll is open, so vote!

“Library jewels” poll is open, so vote!

Over the past few days, we’ve featured three “candidates” for the August edition of “Library Jewels,” which showcases interesting or historic items or collections found in our State Library, and now we’re launching the online poll to let you and others choose your favorite. The three jewels this month are: 1) Books about the War of 1812 2) The State Library’s Spanish language collection 3) Women’s suffrage documents The online poll closes Sept. 7 at noon, so take a few…

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Library jewel #3: Women’s suffrage documents

Library jewel #3: Women’s suffrage documents

(A 1910 letter sent to Washington suffrage leader Emma Smith DeVoe from the president of the California Equal Suffrage Association, courtesy of Washington State Library) Our third State Library jewel for August is an assortment of documents pertaining to women’s suffrage in Washington State and beyond.  Just in case you were not privy to the state’s recent celebration of the 100th anniversary of Washington women winning the vote, you can still find a marvelous collection of women’s suffrage documents in…

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Countdown to the November 8th Day of Jubilation – The Final Chapter

Countdown to the November 8th Day of Jubilation – The Final Chapter

In 1910, Emma Smith DeVoe and May Arkwright Hutton led campaigns in Washington supporting the women’s suffrage amendment.  The ballot measure to amend Article VI of the Washington Constitution was on the 1910 General Election ballot and was passed by majority of 22,623, a favorable vote of nearly 2 to 1.  Washington State joined the western states of Wyoming, Utah, Colorado and Idaho, that had already enacted women’s suffrage.  Washington was the first state in the 20th century to pass…

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Countdown to the November 8th Day of Jubilation – Part 11

Countdown to the November 8th Day of Jubilation – Part 11

Image courtesy of Washington State Archives In 1889, Congress passed the Enabling Act, which “enabled” Washington to draft a state constitution and request admission to the Union.  During the Washington State Constitutional Convention, women petitioned the delegates to include women’s suffrage in the new state constitution.  The issue was presented to the voters as a separate amendment on the ballot.  In the ensuing vote, 16,527 voters voted to include the amendment granting women the right to vote, but 34,613 voted…

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Countdown to the November 8th Day of Jubilation – Part 10

Countdown to the November 8th Day of Jubilation – Part 10

1887 and 1888 proved to be dark years for the women’s suffrage movement in Washington.  In the 1887 case of Harland v. Territory, the Territorial Supreme Court overturned the Women’s Suffrage Act of 1886 because it allowed women to serve on juries.  Justice George Turner (photo on left courtesy of Washington State Archives), who firmly believed that women were incapable of voting intelligently on public matters (tsk-tsk!), ruled that the title of the 1886 election law was defective and the…

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Countdown to the November 8th Day of Jubilation – Part 7

Countdown to the November 8th Day of Jubilation – Part 7

My post is full of all kinds of drama and excitement today!  I have some good news, and then I have some bad news, but I’m going to end my post with some really great news.    The good news: on November 11, 1881, the Washington Territorial House of Representatives passed House Bill 103, a women’s suffrage bill by a vote of 13 to 11.  The bad news is that the measure was voted down by the Territorial Council, five to…

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