American women’s suffrage activists were fascinated with suffrage themed postcards. They collected them, exchanged them, wrote about them, used them as fundraisers and organized “postcard day” campaigns. The cards they produced were imaginative and ideological, advancing arguments for the enfranchisement of women and responding to antisuffrage broadsides. Commercial publishers were also interested in suffrage cards, recognizing their profit potential. Their products, though, were reactive rather than proactive, conveying stereotypes they assumed reflected public attitudes—often negative—towards the movement. Cataloging approximately 700 examples, this study examines the “visual rhetoric” of suffrage postcards in the context of the movement itself and as part of the general history of postcards.

While historians have long recognized the importance of memorabilia to the Woman Suffrage movement, the subject has not been explored apart from a few restricted, albeit excellent, studies. Part of the problem is that such objects are scattered about in various collections and museums and can be difficult to access. Another is that most scholars do not have ready knowledge 1of the general nature and history of the type of objects (postcards, badges, sashes, toys, ceramics, sheet music, etc.) that suffragists produced. Then-new techniques in both printing and manufacturing created numerous possibilities for supporters to develop campaigns of "visual rhetoric." This work analyzes 70 different categories of suffrage memorabilia, while providing numerous images of relevant objects along the way and discussing these innovative production methods. Most important, this study looks at period accounts, often fascinating, of how, why when, and where the memorabilia were used in both America and England.

"Marking the centenary of the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920, Votes for Women celebrates past efforts while looking toward what actions we might take in the future to further support women's equality"--Introduction.

While historians have long recognized the importance of memorabilia to the Woman Suffrage movement, the subject has not been explored apart from a few restricted, albeit excellent, studies. Part of the problem is that such objects are scattered about in various collections and museums and can be difficult to access. Another is that most scholars do not have ready knowledge 1of the general nature and history of the type of objects (postcards, badges, sashes, toys, ceramics, sheet music, etc.) that suffragists produced. Then-new techniques in both printing and manufacturing created numerous possibilities for supporters to develop campaigns of "visual rhetoric." This work analyzes 70 different categories of suffrage memorabilia, while providing numerous images of relevant objects along the way and discussing these innovative production methods. Most important, this study looks at period accounts, often fascinating, of how, why when, and where the memorabilia were used in both America and England.

A beautifully illustrated and fact-filled history of American women's drive for political equality from the 1840s to 1920 and after. Top quality reproductions of rarely seen historical photographs, posters, leaflets, and color illustrations, with over 75 profiles of leaders of this early, nearly forgotten nonviolent civil rights movement. Collectable First Edition.

Though the Declaration of Independence stated that &“all men are created equal,&” married women and girls in the early days of the United States had few rights. For better or worse, their lives were controlled by their husbands and fathers. Married women could not own property, and few girls were educated beyond reading and simple math. Women could not work as doctors, lawyers, or in the ministry. Not one woman could vote, but that would change with the tireless efforts of Lucretia Mott, Lucy Stone, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Sojourner Truth, Susan B. Anthony, Carrie Chapman Catt, Jeannette Rankin, Alice Paul, and thousands of women across the nation. Rightfully Ours tells of the century-long struggle for woman suffrage in the United States, a movement that began alongside the abolitionist cause and continued through the ratification of the 19th amendment. In addition to its lively narrative, this history includes a time line, online resources, and hands-on activities that will give readers a sense of everyday lives of the suffragists. Children will create a banner for suffrage, host a Victorian tea, feel what it was like to wear a corset, and more. And through it all, readers will gain a richer appreciation for women who secured the right to fully participate in American democracy—and why they must never take that right for granted. Kerrie Logan Hollihan is the author of Isaac Newton and Physics for Kids, Theodore Roosevelt for Kids, and Elizabeth I, The People's Queen. She lives in Blue Ash, Ohio.