As we’ve been celebrating the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage, I wondered how my female ancestors received the news? Did they eagerly register and vote? My grandmother lived in rural Gadsden County and was 23 years old in 1920. I never spoke to her about it but I do remember her casting her ballot in local and national elections. She was an FDR Democrat all the way!
Virginia Normal and Industrial Institute faculty members who registered to vote in 1920. Virginia State University Special Collections and Archives.
Voter suppression was more overt in those days. Many State officials did everything they could to discourage Black women from voting as evidenced by these news clippings.
September 29, 1920, Daily Democrat
October 22, 1920, Daily Democrat
Then this patronizing piece after the vote took place reporting negro women and men were first in line at the polls but “. . . to their credit there was not an unpleasant demonstration seen or remark heard from a single negro . . .”
November 3, 1920, Daily Democrat
As the saying goes “History may not repeat itself but it often rhymes.” Seems to be a bad rhyme lately.