Suffrage History

Suffragette or suffragist? A woman in a coat and hat stands at the White House gates holding a banner that says “How long must women wait for liberty? “Suffragette” was used in Britain as a derogatory, diminutive term. Suffragettes in Britain eventually embraced the term. But their American counterparts preferred “suffragist.” A “suffragist” could refer to anyone working for woman suffrage. In fact, the term suffragist could also apply to men who supported women’s right to vote. There was also an anti-suffrage movement full of men and women who didn’t want women to get the vote.

Matilda Nevitt Young, Yearbook Picture in black and white, the description says “Braided is her hair soft her look and modest” If there be any truth in the statement that great things come in small packages, then, verily, doth Matilda prove great. Yea, now also is she likely to be a great deal missed when she leaveth Central, a maid, the tiniest, cutest, most charming of the class. And we know that wheresoever she doth betake herself next year, straightway there shall appear victims of her ready blush and drooping eyes. from the Brecky Yearbook, Central High School, Washington, DC 1916, Yearbooks obtained at the DC Public Library. My commentary: Matilda Young lived in an apartment on 18th Street NW in Washington, DC. She attended Central High School (now Cardozo Education Campus). Her name is published as a 1916 graduate in both the Washington Herald and the Washington Evening Star.

A 1914 map of NW Washington DC from the Library of Congress “Washington Standard Guide”. Matilda’s neighborhood on the corner of California and 18th street NW are circled. And Central HS between Clifton and Florida streets are circled. My commentary: As part of my research for One Step Forward, I walked from Matilda’s high school to her neighborhood.

1910 Washington City Census records. Matilda Young’s family is listed. Her father: Ludwig Young. Her mother Harriet Young. Her brother Arthur Young. Her sisters Joy, Louise, Rachel, Sophie, and Mary Young. Family Details: One of the ways I learned about Matilda Young and her family was through census records. In 1910, her parents, her brother, and her five sisters were all living in Washington, DC. Matilda was 12 at the time. Her father worked for the Census Bureau as a clerk. Her brother worked as a shipping clerk at a department store.

  • Census details from 1910 can be found on Ancestry.com and may be available through your public library. 

The Suffragist

Women’s History Month A black and white photo shows two white women. One, Francis Pepper, is seated at a typewriter. Another, Elizabeth Smith, is standing on a step ladder and sorting piles of The Suffragist newsletter. This photo is from the Library of Congress. While researching One Step Forward, I realized how much I didn’t know about suffrage history. I learned a lot by reading the digitized Suffragist newsletter that the National Woman’s Party distributed (along with newspapers from the time, books written by suffragists, and primary sources from the Library of Congress). My book is dedicated to the women who came before me who worked so hard for our rights.

March 3, 1913

Black and white photo of the women’s march of 1913. With the Capitol building in the background, women march down Pennsylvania Avenue. The group in the foreground are nurses dressed in white. March 3, 1913 Woman Suffrage Procession. One hundred twelve years ago today, women marched down Pennsylvania Avenue, the day before Woodrow Wilson was inaugurated. In some spots along the Avenue, men yelled at them, ripped their clothing, and closed in on the march. They persisted.

February 14, 1916

Suffragists wrote tongue-in-cheek Valentines to politicians to try to convince them to vote for the woman suffrage amendment. 

Suffrage Valentines To Representative William J. Cary, from Wisconsin "Cary, Cary quite contrary/ how does your voting go? / With pork barrel bills and other ills / and your suffrage vote so slow." From Fall River Globe, February 14, 1916

Suffrage Valentines "To representative from Texas Robert Lee Henry and Rules Committee Chair: H is for Hurry - which Henry should do E is for every which includes women too. N is for now- the moment to act. R is for Rules--which must bend to the fact. Y is for you-with statesmanlike tact." from Fall River Globe, February 14, 1916

Suffrage Valentines To Representative Edward Wiliam Pou "The rose is red, the violet blue, but votes are better, Mr. Pou." From Fall River Globe, February 15, 1916.

January 10, 1917

Suffragist from different universities are in front of the White House Gates. They carry banners. Two of the banners have words on them. "Mr. President, How Long Must Women Wait for Liberty" and "Mr. President what will you do for Woman Suffrage". January 10, 1917 Silent Sentinels. On this day in 1917, the first women began to protest in front of the White House for the right to vote. Different groups visited the White House to protest--like this group of college women who protested in February 1917.

October 1917

Matilda Young and Ruza Wenclawska (aka Rose Winslow) Matilda protested with other suffragists, including Rose Winslow. In some of the suffragist information, she is referred to as Rose. In some publications, she’s referred to by her Polish name, Ruza Wenclawska. Rose and Matilda were arrested together one afternoon in October 1917 as men were getting off work at 4:30pm and saw them protesting.

November 14, 1917


February 1918

A typed schedule for the National Woman’s Party switchboard operators from February 1918. Matilda Young is on the schedule from 9am-1pm and from 2pm-5pm. She’s also on the schedule for holidays 9am-3:30pm. Title: Matilda Young as switchboard operator. Text: While going through the National Woman’s Party (NWP) records at the Library of Congress, I ran across this slip of paper. In February 1918 (and perhaps other times), Matilda Young was busy working for the NWP as a switchboard operator.

1940s-1970s

ewspaper photo from the Evening Star September 7, 1945 of two young men carrying a dollhouse off the bed of a truck. Caption: Two of the Children’s Museum boy members helping yesterday at moving the exhibits in storage. They are Stephen Stewart, 14, 4320 Verplanck place NW and Lloyd Hinton, 15, 2831 Twenty-eight street NW. Another black and white photo is of the Conduit Road School. A small single story building with four windows. Title: Matilda Young Museum Curator. As an adult, Matilda Young founded a children’s museum in Washington, DC. Over time, it was in several locations including one location on Massachusetts Avenue which was sold to developers. The museum also was housed in the old Conduit Road School on MacArthur Blvd. There is currently a children’s museum in DC, but it is a different one than founded by Matilda Young.

From a profile of Matilda Young from the Children’s Book Guild Archives: “Editors Note: Modest Matilda. The Guild could not have managed without you. For years you bore upon your own slight shoulders the fearsome task of competently supervising our Annual Luncheon. For years you also encouraged nervous presidents with your bright, friendly face, your moral support, wise suggestions, and helpful comments. Your name may not appear upon a book jacket, Matilda Young, but on the roster of the Children’s Book Guild it shall be ever inscribed in letters of gold.” Title: Matilda Young, Children’s Book Enthusiast. In addition to being a children’s museum director, Matilda was involved in children’s theater in DC. She was also a charter member of the Children’s Book Guild. The Children’s Book Guild is still an organization with members from all parts of the children’s book industry.