August 15 • 2019 33
jn
benefiting Orchards Children’
s
Services.
In the book, supplemented with
pictures of the times, the main lead-
ers include Carrie Chapman Catt,
a leader of the National American
Woman Suffrage Association;
Alice Paul, a leader of the National
Woman’
s Party; and Sue Shelton
White, a lieutenant of Alice Paul.
ANTI-SUFFRAGE LEADERS
Weiss explains why some women,
including Josephine Pearson of
Tennessee, were working against
the suffrage movement. One issue
had to do with race and the status
of black women given the right to
vote.
“This fight was not simple or
clear-cut,” explains Weiss, who
points out the suffrage movement
began at a time when women
were working toward the 16th
Amendment, which would establish
an income tax. “There were com-
promises and betrayals over three
generations of activists. The women
who began it were dead when the
amendment was passed. Women
who put it over the finish line
weren’
t born when the movement
began.
“It took enormous vision, politi-
cal strategy, vigilance and courage
as some were imprisoned, tortured
and vilified. It was not socially
acceptable to do it, and yet they
persisted. They kept going after
defeat, after defeat, after defeat.
“After ratification, the anti-suf-
fragists didn’
t give up. Their lawyer
said the 19th Amendment was
unconstitutional, but Justice Louis
Brandeis, in 1922, wrote the deci-
sion that brought opposition to an
end at a time when women already
had been voting.”
ENCOURAGING THE VOTE
Weiss, who has written for major
magazines, had an earlier book
about women: Fruits of Victory: The
Woman’
s Land Army of America in
the Great War.
“I was writing about women
activists of World War I,” she
explains. “Many of these were
suffragists so there’
s a continuing
thread.”
The Nashville Public Library is
highlighting her book for its sum-
mer reading program, which will
culminate with her as speaker and
have associated activities. On the
online signup, there’
s a button to
click to register to vote.
“The idea that my book is being
used to encourage voting is very
important,” Weiss says. “I want to
put it to work in the present tense
so that it’
s not just a good read but
working in the world today when
voting rights are under attack again,
and we need better and more wide-
spread participation in our elec-
tions.”
The next large Michigan event
to commemorate the passage of
the 19th Amendment is scheduled
for Aug. 31 in Genesee County.
The Suffrage March at Crossroads
Village will recall suffrage parades
with women wearing white dresses
and purple sashes. ■
To find out about getting involved in commem-
orative events, go to womensvote100.org.
“Th
e idea that my book is being used
to encourage voting is very important.
I want to put it to work in the present tense
so it’
s not just a good read but working
in the world today when voting rights
are under attack again, and we need
better and more widespread participation
in our elections.”
— ELAINE WEISS
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